Georgia Science Olympiad

B (MIDDLE SCHOOL) ONLY EVENTS

This list of events includes some events that are used in 2011 as well as events that have been used in the past. Many of the "resting events" will reappear in the same or modified form in the future.

* Battery Buggy: The middle school vehicle event this year. Students will build a vehicle that will be powered only by standard batteries. It must get as close to the finish line as possible. Distance is not known until the day of the event.

Bio Process Lab: A lab based event with students moving from station to station with a specific time per station. Each station will have a variety of questions such as parts and functions of the parts of a microscope, measurements, graph and table interpretation, use of dichotomous key, etc. Score is based on the number of correct answers.

*Can't Judge a Powder: Proper safety equipment and attire required to participate. Students will be given a pure substance and be asked to determine and record a number of properties such as solubility, conductivity, etc., of the powder. They determine the properties they will describe. Students will not be expected to identify the powder. Emphasis is on data recording and analysis.

*Compute This: An event in which teams retrieve data and answer questions from a particular web domain. In 2009, the domain is http://www.nasa.gov . (new domain for 2010) Students will be expected to put some of their acquired data into an Excel spread sheet. The event will be run primarily on PCs. If MACs are used, teams must be notified well in advance of the competition. Scoring is based on correct answers, data presentation, etc.

*Junkyard Challenge: Students will have 30 minutes to build a device from materials they bring with them. The device is evlauated for its ability to perform an indicated task. In 2010, the task is the tripping of four mousetraps, perpendicular to each other. The mousetraps must be tripped sequentially. An event that is a combination of the old Mission Possible and Mystery Architecture.Expect many questions and clarifications.

*Meteorology: In 2010 the emphasis is on everyday weather. Students can expect questions dealing with the major factors that determine weather at a given time in various regions and how weather can be predicted . Usually done as paper pencil event, but with many graphs and images. Usually scored based on number of correct answers.

Pentathlon: A relay event for a team of 4 students. At each station, a team member will do a physical and academic activity based on one of the major areas of science. After completion of the above 4 activities, the teams will do an activity as a group. Event is often held out doors, but expect some sites to run the event in a large room. Academic activity is monitored for correctness, and students may not move on until they achieve a correct answer. Suggestions in the rules for activities are just that. Expect a wide range of activities.

Physical Science Lab : Students will answer questions about alternate energy sources and build a wind collector. The efficiency of the wind collector will be determined by the voltage increase The device will be tested using two speeds of a variable fan. Look for rule clarifications on this event before the competition. Many sites may run this event as stations.

*Solar system: Students are asked questions about Sun, planets and their satellites, dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, the asteroid belt, meteoroids, Oort Cloud, and Kuiper Belt. They may also see questions about the history of the solar system, planeteary motion, and tides. Expect to see many pictures that students will have to deal with. Some sites will run the event using Power Point. Scoring is based on the number of correct answers.

Road Scholar: An event that involves various map reading skills. Students are typically given a story, a US Geological Survey Topographical map and symbols, and a state highway map. They then have to answer a variety of questions such as distance between two points, the elevation for a building location, structures visible from a certain area, etc. Scoring is based on the number of correct answers.

*Shock Value : a physical science event. Students will be expected to answer questions and construct a variety of circuits. Expect many types of calculations. Probably will be run as stations.

Wright Stuff: Prior to competition , students build a light plane out of balsa wood and tissue paper. The propeller moves via a rubber band, and the plane must have certain dimensions. Students have 8 minutes to launch up to two planes. Time aloft determines the winner, and students should bring a log book of test flights. Event is typically held in a gymnasium.