Elementary Science Olympiad at Jacksonville High School: 2009 Details

Dear Coaches and Educators,
   Jacksonville High School invites your school to become a part of an exciting hands-on science experience in east-central Alabama. For the sixteenth year, Jacksonville High School is sponsoring an Elementary Science Olympiad, an academic interscholastic competition which is designed to increase student interest in science and improve the quality of science education. The Elementary Science Olympiad offers a unique opportunity for your students to test their creative and cooperative skills, interact with other motivated students, and expand their minds with science.
   In its fourteen-year history, the Elementary Science Olympiad at Jacksonville High School has hosted nearly 4,000 student participants from schools throughout northeast and central Alabama. Teams from Adamsville, Alabaster, Anniston, Attalla, Boaz, Childersburg, Gadsden, Gardendale, Glencoe, Jacksonville, Huntsville, Leeds, Lincoln, Montgomery, Mountain Brook, Munford, Oxford, Piedmont, Pleasant Grove, Roanoke, Saks, Sylacauga, Talladega, Trussville, Wellborn, and White Plains have competed in very successful tournaments. We would now like to add your school's team to this growing list.
   Elementary Science Olympiad teams are comprised of up to 24 upper elementary students who compete in a series of individual and team events which participants prepare for prior to the tournament. The majority of Elementary Science Olympiad events are team competitions that require teamwork, group planning, and cooperation. The emphasis is on learning, participation, interaction, and having fun. If you are not familiar with the Science Olympiad, please browse around our Official Elementary Science Olympiad 2009 Web Site at http://www.esoatjhs.org
   The Elementary Science Olympiad at Jacksonville High School, set for Saturday, February 21, 2009, will once again be offering competition in Division A-2 for students in grades 4, 5, and 6. Olympic-style medals will be awarded to the top three teams in each of the 28 events. In addition, team trophies will be awarded to the top five schools based on a total compilation of points during the day-long Olympiad.

ESO 2009 Fast Facts
+ Competition will be offered in Division A-2 for students in grades 4, 5, and 6.
+ Teams shall consist of no more than 24 students from grades 4 through 6. There is a limit of 8 sixth graders per team, but an unlimited number (up to maximum of 24) of fourth and fifth graders.
+ Schools may enter only one team in ESO at Jacksonville High School.
+ The Elementary Science Olympiad is a day-long competition beginning at about 8:00 am and ending around 3:30 pm.
+ Most events are 30 minutes to 1 hour long. All events take place on the grounds of Jacksonville High School under the supervision of sponsors and Elementary Science Olympiad staff members.
+ Teams may enter as many or as few of the 28 events as they wish. For each event, teams should enter the required number of participants.
+ Most events are attended only by its students participants (i.e. no coaches or parents), but individuals may wait outside the event site for their participants to exit.
+ Up to 6 events may be occurring simultaneously. Complete event schedules are available online at the ESO at JHS web site in November.
+ Olympic-style medals will be awarded to the top three (potentially five depending on the number of competing teams) individuals in each event. In addition, team and coach trophies will be awarded to the top three (up to five) schools based on a total compilation of points during the Olympiad.
+ Elementary Science Olympiad 2009 at Jacksonville High School is only a regional event. There is not a statewide competition for winning teams.

ESO 2009 Important Dates
Please note the following dates for Elementary Science Olympiad 2009 at Jacksonville High School:

ESO 2009 Registration Deadline	Friday, January 9, 2009
ESO 2009 Pre-Registration Forms Due	Monday, February 2, 2009
Elementary Science Olympiad 2009	Saturday, February 21, 2009

We are excited about working with you on our sixteenth Elementary Science Olympiad and look forward to seeing you in February. Please share this information with your colleagues. If you have any questions or for additional information please don't hesitate to contact us at esoatjhs@campusrec.com.

David Peters and Brad Rohrer, Alumni Consultants
David Kadle, Faculty Sponsor
Elementary Science Olympiad at Jacksonville High School

Elementary Science Olympiad 2009 Events
After celebrating our 15th year in 2008, ESO at JHS 2009 will see several old favorites go into retirement. Events dropped from the 2008 include Aerodynamics, Barge Building, Categories, Don't Bug Me, Egg Drop, and Reflection Relay. Egg Drop transforms back into Crash Landing, in which participants build their egg protecting contraption at the Olympiad. For our orienteering experts, Treasure Hunt returns to the 2009 event line-up. Aerodynamics will be replaced by Propeller Propulsion. Triple Play, an ESO at JHS original, will take the place of Categories. Going Green, an eco-friendly ESO at JHS original event, debuts in place of Don't Bug Me. And, In Bloom, in which participants' knowledge of plant life will be tested.

Elementary Science Olympiad events are distributed among three broad goal areas of science education.

Science Concepts and Knowledge
A is for Anatomy, Boggle Science, Deep Blue Sea, Going Green, How Do You Spell Science?, In Bloom, Metric Mania, Pentathlon, Picture This, Solid, Liquid, or Gas, Weather or Not, Wildlife Safari

Science Processes and Thinking Skills
Calculator Contest, Estimania, Grab a Gram, Reflection Relay, Science Detectives, Treasure Hunt, Triple Play, What Are You Trying To Tell Me?, Which Way's North?, Write It, Do It

Science Applications and Technology
Bridging the Gap, Chopper Challenge, Crash Landing, Cutting Edge, Mystery Architecture, Propeller Propulsion

Event Descriptions
1. A is for Anatomy - Each team will models and pictures of organs and tissues from the humany body, identifying and explaining the function of each.
2. Boggle Science - Students will attempt to locate words pertaining to a particular category in a letter grid similar
3. Bridging the Gap - This event tests students' abilities to build a lengthy, strong, and stable bridge from common materials.
4. Calculator Contest - This event allows students to demonstrate their knowledge of problem-solving using a hand-held, non-programmable calculator.
5. Chopper Challenge - Contestants build 3 test choppers (rotary flying devices) using only the materials provided at the competition.
6. Crash Landing - Students design and build a contraption onsite from predetermined materials to safely protect a raw egg dropped from a high place.
7. Cutting Edge - Teams will demonstrate their knowledge of the latest trends in technology.
8. Deep Blue Sea - Each team works to answer questions, identify ocean flora & fauna, physical features and phenomena related to marine science.
9. Estimania - Groups of two students will be asked to make quick estimates of large numbers.
10. Going Green - Teams of two students will demonstrate their knowledge of environmental concerns including conservation methods and current events.
11. Grab a Gram - Teams of two students cooperate to pick up given materials in an amount not to exceed fifty grams.
12. How Do You Spell Science - Students will be asked to spell words from the earth, life, and physical sciences and give a definition of the word spelled.
13. In Bloom - Teams of two students will be tested on their knowledge of plant life including grasses, flowers, and trees.
14. Metric Mania - Teams will be quizzed on the various units of the metric system then asked to perform a number of simple measurements on a variety of objects.
15. Mystery Architecture - Teams of students build the tallest, strongest, and most stable tower from materials unknown to them prior to the competition.
16. Pentathlon - Five physical skills are interspersed with science questions in an obstacle course that will be run in a relay race style.
17. Picture This - This event has teams of 3 students each competing in a contest in which one member draws "clues" for the others to guess a science term or concept.
18. Propeller Propulsion - Teams of students build a device that is powered by a propeller.
19. Science Detectives - Teams of two students will attempt to locate items fitting a specified list of properties.
20. Solid, Liquid, or Gas - Participants demonstrate their knowledge of the three states of matter.
21. Starry, Starry Night - A team of two students will identify constellations, planets, and other common celestial bodies in our universe.
22. Triple Play - Teams of three students will work to categorize science terms and concepts by category or common characteristic.
24. Weather or Not - Students will demonstrate their knowledge of meteorological terms, instruments, and forecasts.
25. What Are You Trying To Tell Me? - Students will interpret written paragraphs, graphical relationship, illustrations, and demonstrations.
26. Which Way's North? - Teams will identify map features as they follow directions around an Alabama state map.
27. Wildlife Safari - Teams of two students are quizzed on basic ecological knowledge.
28. Write It, Do It - Students will prepare a written description of a contraption and other students in a separate room will attempt to recreate the contraption using only the written description.

Online Registration
Online... it's easy. Details on registering your team electronically for ESO 2009 at JHS.

News and Notes
Get the latest news from the ESO at JHS staff in our News and Notes section.

Rule Clarifications
We've adjusted a few of the rules from events in the ESO Coaches Manual. Check here for all the revisions.

Event Archive
Twelve ESO at JHS originals and adapations are available online in our Event Archive.