Elementary Science Olympiad at Jacksonville High School: 2022 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 28th 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.
   Since 1993, the Elementary Science Olympiad at Jacksonville High School has hosted nearly 10,000 student participants from schools throughout northeast and central Alabama. Teams from Alabaster, Anniston, Auburn, Birmingham, Clanton, Gadsden, Jacksonville, Jefferson County, Huntsville, Leeds, Lincoln, Madison, Montgomery, Trussville, and Tuscaloosa have competed in very successful tournaments.
   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 2022 Web Site at http://www.esoatjhs.org
   The Elementary Science Olympiad at Jacksonville High School, set for Saturday, February 19, 2022, will once again be offering competition in Division A-2 for students in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6. Olympic-style medals will be awarded to the top four teams in each of the 22 events. In addition, team trophies will be awarded to the top four schools based on a total compilation of points during the day-long Olympiad.

ESO at JHS 2022 Fast Facts
+ Competition will be offered in Division A-2 for students in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6.
+ Up to 24 students from grades 3 through 6 may participate for a school's team.
+ Teams shall consist of students from a 3-grade span that is most appropriate for the school. Thus, teams may consist of 3rd through 5th graders or 4th through 6th graders. No teams may compete with both 3rd and 6th graders (4-grade span).
+ There is a limit of 8 sixth graders per team, but an unlimited number (up to the maximum of 24) of third, 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 9:30 am and ending around 4:30 pm.
+ Most events are 45 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 22 events as they wish. For each event, teams should enter the required number of participants. Events typically require between 2 and 4 participants. Participants from the same team compete as a team, working together to complete the event.
+ 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 four individuals/teams in each event. In addition, team trophies will be awarded to the top four schools based on a total compilation of points during the Olympiad.
+ Elementary Science Olympiad 2022 at Jacksonville High School is only a regional event. There is not a statewide competition for winning teams.

ESO 2022 Important Dates
Please note the following dates for Elementary Science Olympiad 2022 at Jacksonville High School:

ESO 2022 New & Returning Teams Registration Deadline	Monday, November 1, 2021
ESO 2022 Late Registration Deadline	Wednesday, December 8, 2021
ESO 2022 Pre-Registration Forms Due	Friday, January 28, 2022
Elementary Science Olympiad 2022	Saturday, February 19, 2022

A maximum of 20 teams will be admitted for ESO 2022 at JHS. Teams from 2020 are guaranteed a spot in 2022, if registered by the posted deadline. New teams registered by the posted deadline will be placed into a lottery to be drawn for any open spots. Remaining spots will be assigned to any late registration teams in order of registration following the Initial Registration Deadline of November 1st.

We are excited about working with you on our 28th 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 staff(at)esoatjhs.org.

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

Elementary Science Olympiad 2022 Events
As the Alabama Science Olympiad works to expand elementary level competitions across Alabama, the ESO at JHS is working to become more managably replicated for future hosts. Towards this end, we have adopted a set of 22 events for 2022.

The ESO at JHS staff has adopted the following changes to this year's event line-up. A is for Anatomy, Deep Blue Sea, and Mystery Architecture have been dropped from the 2020 list. Returning for 2022 are Bridging the Gap, It's Elemental, and Knock, Knock, Who's There?.

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

Science Concepts and Knowledge
Food for Thought, How Do You Spell Science?, In Bloom, It's Elemental, Knock, Knock, Who's There?, Quick Sketch, Starry, Stary Night, Third Rock from the Sun, Triple Play, Weather or Not

Science Processes and Thinking Skills
Geometrics, Grab a Gram, Infographics, Which Way's North?, Write It, Do It

Science Applications and Technology
Aerodynamics, Barge Building, Bridging the Gap, Calculator Contest, Crash Landing, Pasta Transporter, Unbreakable

Event Descriptions

1. Aerodynamics - Two-person teams will construct airplanes to be flown towards a pre-determined target.
2. Barge Building - Each team will construct a barge of aluminum foil that can support a cargo of the largest number of pennies without getting them wet.
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. Crash Landing - Students design and build a contraption onsite from predetermined materials to safely protect a raw egg dropped from a high place.
6. Food for Thought - Students will be quizzed on their knowledge of nutritional information.
7. Geometrics - Students demonstrate their ability to measure various physical properties of various geometric shapes.
8. Grab a Gram - Teams of two students cooperate to pick up given materials in an amount not to exceed fifty grams.
9. 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.
10. In Bloom - Teams of two students will be tested on their knowledge of plant life including grasses, flowers, and trees.
11. Infographics - Students will interpret charts, graphs, illustrations, and informational graphics.
12. It's Elemental - Student teams will be quizzed on the elements, periodic table, and basic physical science concepts.
13. Knock, Knock, Who's There? - By examining a collection of evidence, teams of students will attempt determine the presence of, the passage of, or the existence of a particular organism in a given environment.
14. Pasta Transporter - Teams build a cart entirely of pasta that is designed to carry cargo the greatest distance.
15. Quick Sketch - Teams of two students will communicate science terms through art as one member draws "clues" for the other to guess the science term or concept.
16. Starry, Starry Night - A team of two students will identify constellations, planets, and other common celestial bodies in our universe.
17. Third Rock from the Sun - Teams of two students identify various rocks and minerals and demonstrate their knowledge of basic geology.
18. Triple Play - Teams of three students will work to categorize science terms and concepts by category or common characteristic.
19. Unbreakable - Teams of two students build a device that safely catches an egg dropped from a predetermined height.
20. Weather or Not - Students will demonstrate their knowledge of meteorological terms, instruments, and forecasts.
21. Which Way's North? - Teams will identify map features as they follow directions around an Alabama state map.
22. 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 2022 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
Thirty-two ESO at JHS originals and adapations are available online in our Event Archive.