Events

Events are designed to challenge students that meet and exceed the Sunshine State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. Unlike teaching in the classroom, where teachers strive for proficiency in the content, in a Science Olympiad Tournament the content in lab and research activities are designed to rank students across a bell curve. In a classroom, it is normal to have many students earn a 100% (or a 0% for that matter!) but a group of students who successfully achieve 100% at one of our competitions make it impossible for us to rank from 1st to Last Place. More importantly, we want students to compete in these events in an authentic way that engages them in deep learning of content.

Parents are an important part of this process and their involvement in helping students learn the events is critical. Yet, there is a limit to what parents should do and what students should be doing. We encourage parents to help but not do!

Official 2023 – 2024 Events (Bold areas are new for 2024)

RULES MANUAL

SLIDESHOW FOR WEBINAR TRAINING                            RECORDING OF WEBINAR TRAINING

  1. A IS FOR ANATOMY: Teams will be asked questions or will analyze information relating to human body systems.
    • This is a binder event
  2. BACKYARD BIOLOGIST: Teams will demonstrate knowledge of insects and shrubs including habitat, life cycles, and adaptations.
  3. BALLOON RACERS: Teams will build a balloon powered car (“racer”) that will move down a track in a straight line during a race against other teams.
  4. CAN’T JUDGE A POWDER: Students will test and characterize one pure substance and based only on the data they collect, answer a series of questions about that substance. 
  5. CIRCUIT LAB: This event will challenge student’s knowledge of direct current (DC) circuits using low voltage batteries. 
  6. CODEBUSTERS: Teams will cryptanalyze and decode encrypted messages using techniques for historical and advanced ciphers. 
    • RESOURCE to make tests and see tests (remember to select Division A)
  7. ENERGY MATTERS: Teams will ask questions and/or conduct experiments at stations as they relate to the properties of energy.
  8. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Teams will be asked to design, complete, and write up an experiment
    • Goggles needed
    • Resources available here for the middle/high school version of this event- be sure to read the elementary rules for adaptations
  9. FOSSIL FRENZY: This event is focused on student knowledge of geologic time, dinosaur fossils, and the process of fossilization.
  10. KEYED TO SCIENCE: This event focuses on classification. Students will use and/or create Dichotomous Keys or Field Guides to identify or classify living organisms. 
  11. METRIC MANIA: Teams will demonstrate their understanding of metric measurements by estimating and measuring length (meter), mass (gram), fluid volume (liter), angles, and temperature (Celsius) and making calculations based on these measurements.
  12. MYSTERY PACKAGING: Teams are given a bag of building materials and asked to design a device that can be tested. 
    • This is an on-site build where all teams will build at the same time in the morning and return to test their package through the day
  13. PRECISION PING PONG PROPULSION: Students build and calibrate their own free-standing (not hand held) launching device to propel ping pong balls at a target.
  14. ROLLER COASTER: Participants will design, build, bring, and test a roller coaster track to guide a ball/sphere that uses gravitational potential energy as its sole means of propulsion to travel as close as possible to a target time. Devices are constructed prior to the competition.
        • This is a pre-build event
        • This event requires IMPOUND
        • Safety goggles are required
  15. STARRY, STARRY NIGHT: Teams will demonstrate knowledge of astronomical concepts relating to stars and planets.
          • This is a binder event
  16. SPECIAL EVENT- PROFESSOR JENSEN’S POTIONS: Check with your tournament director to see if this event is running in your location. This event is in memory of Mrs. Samantha Jensen, a supporter of Florida Science Olympiad and a coach from Orlando Science Schools. Students will be asked questions and/or will conduct experiments at stations as they relate to science laboratory equipment, chemical reactions, toxins and antidotes. 
      • Safety goggle required 
      • This event will never count toward overall team scores

      Exploring the World of Science

      Florida Science Olympiad is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and your donations are tax deductible.
      Florida Science Olympiad is an official Chapter of Science Olympiad, INC. 
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