San Diego - S C I E N C E - O L Y M P I A D

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AMPHIBIANS & REPTILES (B)
This event will test knowledge of amphibians, turtles, crocodiles and reptiles
Resources from National SO

Added: 11/6/08 -An important message From the regional Amphibians & Reptiles B Event Captain: Click here for a source for the Field Guides at modest prices. I would recommend the Western Field Guide to bring to the Competition. I believe the two references are listed in the event description to correspond to the Official National List of Amphibians and Reptiles, which is country wide in its coverage. Because there is a more thorough coverage of salamanders in the Eastern/Central, I would still include it, but because the Western covers more local examples, I would like the students to use it as their bring-in reference. I will try my best to instruct them when one reference lacks information included in the Official List, and when they'll need to use the other as a supplement. By themselves, neither covers the entire list.

NOTE: All teams from the same school will do these events at the same time, so each TEAM from your school needs to have its own Field Guide to take into the event.

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ANATOMY (B)
Teams will be tested on their knowledge of anatomy and health concepts.
Resources from National SO

Added: 8/16/08 -Our esteemed Dr. Jablecki is determined to see San Diego teams triumph at the state level. To that end, he has donated anatomy/physiology CDs that contain information about this year's topic as well as other information. Each registered school will recieve one set.

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BIO-PROCESS LAB (B)
Teams will demonstrate biology laboratory skills related to selected topics.
Resources from National SO

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COMPUTE THIS (B)
Teams will be presented with a problem which requires quantitative data capture from the Internet and the presentation of data in a graphical format.
Resources from National SO

Added: 11/17/08 - Software on the computers in the lab that we may be able to use for Compute This B at the Regional Competition: Windows Internet Explorer MS Word 2007 Office Excel 2007.

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CRAVE THE WAVE (B)
Students will demonstrate their understanding of waves and wave motion.
Resources from National SO

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DISEASE DETECTIVES (B)
This event requires students to apply principles of epidemiology to a published report of a real-life health situation or problem.
Resources from National SO

Added: 8/1/08 - Disease Detectives Sample Exam

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DYNAMIC PLANET (B)
Teams will work at stations that display a variety of earth science materials and related earth science questions. (earthquakes/volcanoes).
Resources from National SO

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ECOLOGY (B)
Students will answer questions involving content knowledge and process skills in the area of ecology and adaptation by examining different ecosystems.
Resources from National SO

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ELEVATED BRIDGE (B)
Teams will design, build & test the lightest bridge to carry a maximum load.
Resources from National SO

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ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY (B)
Teams will be asked questions pertaining to environmental chemistry, which may include chemical reactions, characterization, and quantification.
Resources from National SO

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EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN (B)
Given a set of unknown objects, teams will design, conduct, analyze and write-up an experiment.
Resources from National SO

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FOSSILS (B)
Students will identify, describe, and classify various specimens.
Resources from National SO

Added: 11/3/08 -Event Captain reommends the following preparation materials:
Smithsonian Fossil Book -click for link to order $20.00
Simon and Schuster's Guide to Fossils -click for link to Amazon ($11.56 new)
Audubon Field Guide to Fossils -click for link to Amazon ($14.25 new)

In the October issue of National Geographic, an article on Neanderthals

Handout/Workshop materials from the Event Captain.

Added: 8/16/08 -Our excellent Rocks and Minerals event captan will do Fossils for both Divisions B and C this year. She has purchased fossil kits and each registered school will recieve one kit.

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METEOROLOGY (B)
This event involves the use of process skills as applied to meteorology.
Resources from National SO

Added: 8/16/08 -Our regional organization has purchased Meteorology books for Division B teams, each registered school will receive one book.

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PENTALTHON (B)
Teams will compete in an academic pentathlon to demonstrate their overall understanding of five major science content areas.
Resources from National SO

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PHYSICAL SCIENCES LAB (B)
Teams will demonstrate physics laboratory skills related to selected topics.
Resources from National SO

Added: 11/6/08 - Q&A with the Event Captain

Question: The event rule states: 2a. "blade assemblies attached to a standard CD
2d. "Modification of the CD is allowed"

Can we start with a mini-CD since in theory we could start with a standard size and cut it down to the mini size. Allowing the students to cut the CD's involves some risk (they are hard to cut and shatter easily). I think it is safer to start the students with a mini-CD (if they want) rather than giving them a standard size and having them cut it down. Is it OK to start with a mini-CD?

Answer: Our Regional Event Captain will allow mini CDs. As long as the mini CD mounting hole is the same as the standard CD then using a mini CD will be acceptable, at least for our regional event. (The State Competition may or may not allow mini-CDs.) It is a good point that cutting down the standard disk involves some risk to the student and may also tend to warp the disk. HOWEVER,
A. the standard CD offers more surface area at a longer moment arm for bonding the blades to the hub, which may become important when discovering the difficulties of sticking your assembly to the surface of the CD. Note that in high wind and at high rotational speeds, this could become an issue.

B. Contrasted with this, the usable area in the center of a rotating blade array is generally of minimal value in efficiently harvesting wind energy, compared with the outer part, due to various considerations including interference with the hub mechanism and the moment arm.

C. Finally, although there are apparently no restrictions on the materials used to bond the assembly to the cd surface, the following should be taken into consideration: A "bolt-through" attachment should carefully consider the possibility of interfering with rotation on the back side of the CD, where clearance is very close. Also, any warping of the CD from the mounting method (bolt/screw tension, hot glue, solvents...) may interfere with free rotation or secure mounting on the mechanism. An assembly that falls off the mount more than once during the test will be disqualified. Balance may also be very important in this respect.

Added: 10/25/08 - Physical Sciences Lab B Clarifications:
Per the rules book: #2. d. "When mounted, the blade assembly must fit within a 30 cm diameter circle.

Clarification from our Physical Science Event Captain: The 30 cm diameter of the "blade assembly" is the vertical distance from the top to the bottom of the circle described by the rotating blades. Think of it as a propeller or fan blade, which must rotate within a 30 cm cylinder. There is no horizontal depth limit, i.e. the assembly could look like a turbine, although for practical purposes an assembly that is too long might exceed the space available, or be too much weight or too long an arm to be supported on the generator mounting base.

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REACH FOR THE STARS (B)
Teams will identify stars, constellations, and deep sky objects and be knowledgeable about their evolutionary stages.
Resources from National SO

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ROAD SCHOLAR (B)
Requires the accurate interpretation and understanding of various map features using a variety of road and topographic maps.
Resources from National SO

Added: 8/1/08- Great resource for tests, answer keys and maps

Added: 8/1/08 - Visit this site for copies of the Road Scholar units

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ROBO CROSS (B)
Students will design and build a robot capable of performing certain tasks.
Resources from National SO

Added: 11/20/08 - Robo-Cross Score Sheet

Added: 8/1/08 - Great resource on Robotics from Stanford University

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SCIENCE CRIME BUSTERS (B)
Teams will identify the perpetrators of a crime or crimes by using paper chromatography and analysis of unknown solids, liquids, and plastics found at the scene of a crime.
Resources from National SO

Added: 8/1/08 -2007 exam and answer key.
-Please note: some of the answers don't make sense unless you can see what was on the lab bench in front of the students, but I figured that you would like to have them anyway.

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SCRAMBLER (B)
Teams will design and build a mechanical device which uses the energy from a falling mass to transport a Grade A uncooked chicken egg along a straight track.
Resources from National SO

Added: 11/3/08 - Scrambler Score Sheet

Added: 10/15/08 - Scrambler B Clarifications:
1. There is no mark for the center line. The students can not guide the scrambler, so it does not matter, and you do not want to have a center line that interferes with the running of the devices.

We mark the sidelines with colored masking tape and will mark 1/2 the distance with some small piece of tape on the edges. The center vertical line will be marked on the barriers with a black sharpie (therefore a couple mm wide).

2. Lasers are not allowed for sighting since:
3e - "sighting devices must be attached...." and
2c - "The Scrambler may not contain any electrical/electronic devices."

Added: 10/8/08 - Scrambler B Clarifications:
1. Question: The 2009 rules show that no part of the egg can touch the terminal wall (4.l). In 4.n discusses that the run is terminated if any portion of the egg "broken". Can the scrambler still touch the wall and not have the egg broken (cracked) to be counted as a valid run?

Answer: Yes, the scoring system counts it as a valid run if the egg touches the barrier, it just has a Run Penalty added to it and it will be scored in the second tier.  In fact, the same is true if the egg breaks, but then you would probably have two Run Penalties: egg broken + touched wall.  Also, if the egg breaks on the first run, you will not be allowed a second run with the broken egg.

2. Question: Is it possible to have a zero distance run by the 2009 rules? It sounds like this is not possible under the 2009 rules.

Answer: You are correct.  Since there is a penalty for touching the wall, the ideal run would leave the vehicle just the tiniest bit away from the wall. We typically measure the distance to the nearest cm, but now with the “no hitting the barrier” rule, we will measure anything close (say within 10cm from the barrier) to the nearest mm (as best we can).
 
3. Question: Rule "4m" has that the measurement will be "from the centerline of the barrier to the pointed end of the egg". So is the new rule to show accuracy of the cart to get to the center of the barrier? So if the cart is 4cm off center of the track and 3cm from the wall, the distance would be 5cm (square root( 4^2 + 3^2 ) )?

Answer: Yes, you are correct; this rewards scramblers that stay near the center line.

4. Question: It sounds like a "ramp" system will not be allowed where the cart rolls down an incline with the mass on the cart since the wheels would not be touching the floor. Is that correct?

Answer: Yes, they have changed the rules this year, and the ramp-type launch system with the car starting on the ramp is not allowed. All wheels must be on the floor in the starting position.

5. Question: Do the wheels have to be touching the floor at the end of the run?

Answer: There is no rule against having the car end up with one or more of the wheels in the air, so this would be allowable. Presumably a braking system is being considered that could lift the car up while stopping, make sure that the brake system will not scratch a gym-type hardwood floor. Also consider stability during braking so the transport doesn’t fall over when it stops!

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TRAJECTORY (B)
Teams will design, construct, calibrate and operate a device capable of launching a projectile into a target using energy provided by nonmetallic elastic solids.
Resources from National SO

Added: 11/17/08 - I sent the following to Nationals for a decision:
Question: Is a laser allowed for sighting the target?

Answer: This year's Trajectory rules do not address lasers or sighting devices, so they can be used as long as safety procedures are followed and the SO Laser policy is followed under Event Info. http://www.soinc.org/lasers

Added: 11/14/08 - Trajectory Score Sheet

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WRIGHT STUFF (B)
Teams will design and build a propeller propelled aerodynamic device for greatest time aloft.
Resources from National SO

Added: 11/14/08 -Wright Stuff Score Sheet

The doors to the Gym will be kept closed most of the morning so that air currents do not affect flights. However, obviously there are times when people are allowed to enter and exit. Door monitors will do this. When the doors are opened, they will remain for up to five minutes so that the temperature of the gym will remain more or less constant throughout the event.

This is a reminder to have your Wright Stuff students do this event early. After 12:00 PM there will be more than one flight in the air at a time. This event will end at 1:00 PM.

Questions from previous years, answers by this year's Event Captain:

Question: Can the students measure the distance to the bottom of the scoreboard in the RB gym before the Wright Stuff competition starts, using a helium balloon on a string?

Answer: I have no problem with the measuring procedure, but they need to measure prior to start of event during the time that they can do test flights.

Question: Will the gym’s ventilation system be turned OFF?

Answer: It took some doing but we did in fact finally get the ventilation secured last year.

Question: Can the students bring a small step ladder and set it up near the far end wall or the folded-up bleachers for mounting their torque meter?

Answer: No problem bringing something to secure torque meter, there will be plenty of room, just not near the bleachers so as to avoid any influence from parents or coaches.

Question: Do the rubber motors have to be impounded in the morning before the competition starts, or can they be weighed when the planes are inspected?

Answer: There is no impound for this event this year (2009), but note that the rules require the officials to hold a team’s qualified motors after the inspection and then give them to the students just prior to their official flights. The inspection is to be just prior to the flights, but to prevent a large line, and problems with students having to wait when they may have time limitations, have your students check in during the first part of the hour they are flying and have your students fly earlier in the morning rather than later.

Question: When are the flight logs due?

Answer: Flight logs will be checked in conjunction with aircraft inspection.

Question: Can a team post additional parents by the gym doors to prevent them from being opened during a flight? (In the past, some of the volunteers assigned this duty have not been as vigilant as needed, greatly impacting some flights.)

Answer: That's fine but not only during flights by their team(s); you want the job, you get the job for the whole event, and we will be very grateful to you for doing it.

Practice time: The practice time is before the event starts. From 7:00 - 8:00 AM they can have their practice flights. Maybe even 6:30. Once the competition starts at 8:00, it would be unfair to the teams that are competing to have a bunch of other airplanes in the air.

Added: 10/25/08 -Updated contact information for model kits. Contact Dave Zeigler dcziggy@bellsouth.net or order online at http://www.freedomflightmodels.net/.

Added: 10/19/08 -The Gym at Rancho Bernardo High School will be used for Wright Stuff B for the 2009 Regional Science Olympiad Competition. Using estimates by two previous event captains, the dimensions for the Gym are approximately: Bottom of the scoreboard is around 21'- 25' and the ceiling is closer to 26'-30'. Gym floor is about 108 feet by 100 feet.

Added: 10/15/08 -This year the airplane kits for Wright Stuff Division B come from Dave Zeigler. His web site does not yet have the 2009 Div B model on it, so I would email him at Dave.Zeigler@delta.com.

Added: 8/16/08 -Liz Jablecki has ordered one kit per school and anticipates they will arrive by the October 2 Coaches Meeting. Our usual supplier is not making them this year and they are coming from a different model maker. Every registered school will receive one kit.

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WRITE IT DO IT (B)
A technical writing exercise where students write a description of a contraption and other students will attempt to recreate it using only the written description.
Resources from National SO

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