Description:
This event is run however the event supervisor deems necessary for the task they have prepared. Teams may be at desks, tables, or spread out across a gym floor depending on the space required for their task. Teams will be presented with a semi-guided task. They will be given a set of materials, and recommendation(s) for experiment(s) they may choose to attempt with given materials. Examples of past tasks include using a variety of paper types to test their effect on paper airplane flight, testing the effect of different chemicals on heat dissipation (either keeping hot water hot or keeping ice cold), testing the effect of various components (temperature, solvent type, etc) on dissolution rates of different solutes, testing the effects of different materials on the amount of friction within a simple machine, testing the effect of material type on a property of the item (how well different balls bounce, how strong different strings are, how well different metals conduct, etc).
Materials: Competitors MUST bring safety goggles and a writing instrument. Students may each also bring a timepiece (stopwatch), ruler, and a non-programmable calculator. The event supervisor will bring all additional materials and supplies needed to conduct the experiment.
Scoring: Event leaders will follow a scoring rubric that assigns point values to the various parts of the task. High score wins. Ties will be broken by comparing point totals in individual sections of the task.
Common Mistakes:
- A statement of problem should never have a yes or no answer!
- Be careful not to confuse the different variable types (controlled, dependent, independent)
Recommendations:
Event Resources:
Example Rubric
2007 Coaches Institute Presentation
2007 Experimental Design Presentation, Georgia
Excellent Powerpoint by Harry Dillner and Kathy Melvin, Delaware Science Olympiad
Interactive Games for learning Parts of a Graph
Sample Events:
2008 State Tournament Event
2008 State Tournament Event Answer Sheet
Wright Center for Science Education Example Events |
