SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

2017 at Heritage Elementary

presented by

Lisa and Jon Spencer

Head Coaches for Science Olympiad

PRESENTATION AGENDA

1. Washtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad (WESO)

2. Events for Science Olympiad

3. Preparing for Events

4. Teams & Coaches

5. Details, Details, Details

WESOWashtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad will be

held on

Saturday June 3rd, 2017

at Pioneer High School, Ann Arbor

WESO

• WESO is the largest Elementary Science Olympiad Competition in the Country

• Over 3500 kids from grades 2-5 participate

• Over 40 schools from Washtenaw County

GOALS OF SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

• Increase student interest in science

• Fosters the growth of student’s knowledge of science and technology

TEAM SPIRIT

• Team work, group planning & cooperation

• Learning science through active hands on group work

• Science is fun, exciting and challenging

EVENTS

Events represent the various science disciplines

such as biology, earthscience, chemistry, physics, computers and technology.

There are 21 events in 2017 WESO.

EVENTS: 2ND & 3RD GRADE(EVENT DESCRIPTIONS CAN BE FOUND

ON THE WESO WEBSITE)

• Aerodynamics (1-2 from each grade)

• Barge Building (1-2 from 2nd Grade)

• Estimania (1-3 from each grade)

• Feathered Friends (1-2 from each grade)

• Gravity Racer (1-3 from each grade)

• In Bloom (1-2 from each grade)

• Map Reading (1-2 from each grade)

• Mystery Architecture (1-2 from each grade)

• No Bones About It (1-3 from each grade)

• On Target (1-3 from each grade)

• Pasta Bridges (1-2 from each grade)

• Photon Phun (2-3 from each grade)

• To Infinity and Beyond (1-2 from each grade)

EVENTS: 4TH & 5TH GRADE(EVENT DESCRIPTIONS CAN BE FOUND

ON THE WESO WEBSITE)

• Back to Nature (1-2 from each grade)

• Circuit Wizardry (1-3 from each grade)

• Estimania (1-3 from each grade)

• GENE-ius (1-3 from each grade)

• iCompute (1-2 from each grade)

• Map Reading (1-2 from each grade)

• Mystery Architecture (1-2 from each grade)

• On Target (1-3 from each grade)

• Photon Phun (2-3 from each grade)

• Potions (1-2 from each grade)

• To Infinity and Beyond (1-2 from each grade)

• Water Rockets (1-8 for 3rd and 4th; 1-4 for 5th)

• Write it, Build It (2-4 from each grade)

• Zip-A-Dee_doo-Dah (1-3 from each grade)

MAP READING

• Using various kinds of maps, students will test their map reading skills to answer geographic questions. For 4th and 5th grades, the event will follow a Road Scholar format where the students are asked to solve a mystery using maps as clues.

ICOMPUTE

• Participants will be tested on their knowledge of basic computing concepts, including hardware and software, their understanding of how computers solve problems, and their ability to create a simple program.

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

• Using a planetarium, charts, and a written test, students will demonstrate an understanding and basic knowledge of the solar system and its elements (including apparent motion of the sky, planets and moons, constellations and stars, asteroids, and comets).

ON TARGET

• Each team will build missiles, utilizing a precision straw as the missile body (all materials being provided by WESO). The accuracy of the missiles launched indoors at a fixed target will be tested.

PREPARING FOR THE EVENT

• Learning the material

• Practice for the competition using ALL of your resources.

• Practice with sample questions and use your resources to answer them.

• Remember that the events are timed and learn to use time effectively

PREPARING FOR THE EVENT

• Use a timer when attempting to locate information and answer questions.

• Modify the information as you use it to make it more efficient.

• Learn as much of the information as possible

TEAM WORK SKILLS

• Use time effectively!

• Assign tasks and trust your partner’s skills.

• Identify and utilize the strengths of each team member.

• Practice working as a team.

TEAM WORK SKILLS

• Practice under competition conditions.

• Practice effective methods of using the strength of each team member to maximize the use of allotted time.

• Make up sample questions and stations to practice completing tasks within an assigned time limit.

PRACTICE EVENTS

• In late April or early May we will offer to run a practice event to allow the participants a chance to get a feel for what the competition will be like.

TEAMS AND COACHES

TEAMS

• We are allowed to form one team per event per grade (grades 2-5).

• 21 events = lot’s of opportunities!

• There are events where a team with just one student can participate

COACHES

• NEED NOT be an expert in the field

• Coaches may help coach more than one event

COACHES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

• Holding practices regularly – recommended once a week starting late February/early March until tournament in June

• Attending the WESO coaches meeting sometime in February

• Communicating with team and parents

COACHES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

• Keeping attendance

• Create an afterschool and/or weekend practice schedule that works for members of that group

RESOURCES FOR COACHES

• Your Head coach will be picking up the new materials WESO is providing for this year

• Coaches should print out and read the detailed event descriptions from the WESO website

• There are also some resources and study materials from last year

• The WESO website will have a page with all the workshops posted, some just for coaches and some for you with your Olympians

GOALS

• The Science Olympiad and WESO are devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers.

• These goals are achieved through participation in Science Olympiad tournaments and in-school and after-school activities.

WITH THESE GOALS IN MIND, HOW WILL TEAMS BE FORMED?

• To encourage all student’s interest in science, we do not want to limit the number of students who practice for an event.

• Each event has a maximum number of students who can compete on the day of the event.

• The decision as to who will represent the team in the competition will be up to the event coach and the head coaches.

DETAILS, DETAILS

• Estimated contribution of $30/child

• T-Shirt, Raffle Prize for the tournament, Materials

• Forms

• Background check form for volunteers

• Medical Emergency Form

• Volunteers for the tournament

• One for every three kids up to 25 participants

• One for every two kids past 25 participants

FOLLOW UP MEETING

• Some time in January for those who were unable to attend today’s meeting and to give updates

HOW TO CONTACT US

http://salineheritageso.weebly.com

salineheritageso@gmail.com

QUESTIONS?