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 2025 – 2026 Events 

RULES MANUAL

AERODYNAMICS  – Teams will build on-site paper airplanes using provided materials and test airplanes based on flight duration and distance to a target.

  • This is a build on site event where teams will build their planes in the morning and return later in the day to test their planes.
  • Teams should bring writing utensils, a ruler and a pair of scissors to the build.
  • Resource, Resource, Resource, Resource, Resource

A MATTER OF MATTER– Students will be asked questions or will conduct experiments at stations as they relate to properties of matter.

  • This is a lab event.
  • Students must bring safety goggles.
  • This is a binder event.

CAN’T JUDGE A POWDER – Students will test and characterize one pure substance and then, based on the data they collect, answer a series of questions about the substance.  Students will NOT be asked to identify the substance.  The emphasis of the event is on the quality of the data collected, answering questions about the powder, and providing data to support their answer.

  • This is a lab event.
  • Students must wear appropriate lab safe clothing, including safety goggles.
  • Student must bring 2 copies of their prepared Properties Table, writing utensils and a calculator.
  • Resource – this is designed for middle and high school, but the info you need is here too!

CHEW THE FAT – Teams will demonstrate knowledge of the human digestive system and proper nutrition.

  • This is a binder event.
  • Teams should bring writing utensils.
  • Resources

CODEBUSTERS – Teams will analyze and decode encrypted messages using techniques for historical and advanced ciphers.  This year’s ciphers are:  Caesar’s cipher, Atbash, Tap Code, Morse Code, and Dancing Men cipher.

  • Teams should bring a calculator and writing utensils.
  • Resources

CRAVE THE WAVE – In this event, competitors must demonstrate knowledge and process skills needed to solve problems, and answer questions regarding all types of waves and wave motion.

  • This is a binder event.
  • Teams should bring writing utensils, protractor, ruler, and two calculators.

DEEP BLUE SEA (Intracoastal Flora and Fauna) – Teams will be assessed on their knowledge of oceanography, the flora and fauna of the Intracoastal waterway, and aquatic animal life cycles.

  • This is a binder event.
  • Teams should bring writing utensils.
  • Resource (You might want to switch to student or scholar mode for more complexity. Search for specific flora and fauna as well)

    FAST FACTS (Space) – Teams will fill in a grid of terms that begin with a given letter to match given science categories.

    • Teams should bring writing utensils.
    • Resource

      METRIC MANIA – Teams will demonstrate their understanding of metric measurements by estimating and measuring length, mass, fluid volume, and temperature and making calculations based on these measurements.

      • Teams should bring writing utensils, a calculator, metric ruler, and a protractor.
      • Resource

      MISSION POSSIBLE – Teams will design, build, test, and bring a Rube Goldberg (like which incorporates up to twelve unique action transfers and uses five forms of energy in accomplishing a given task in sixty seconds)

      • This is a pre-built event. 
      • This is an impound event. 
      • Students must bring safety goggles, any materials needed to repair and run the device, and two copies of the action sequence list. 

      MYSTERY ARCHITECTURE – Teams will be given a bag of building materials and instructions for designing and building a device that can be tested.

      • This is a build on site event where all teams will build their device in the morning and return later in the day to test their device.
      • Teams should bring writing utensils, scissors, ruler, and safety goggles to the build. Safety goggles should also be worn during testing.
      • Resource

      ROCK HOUND – Teams will demonstrate knowledge of types and properties of rocks and minerals as well as natural resources.

      • This event will run as stations.
      • This is a binder event.
      • Students must bring writing utensils. 

      TENNIS BALL CATAPULT – Students will build and calibrate their own free standing (not handheld) trajectory device that must be capable of lobing a tennis ball at a target placed 3-6 meters away.  Students must bring and wear impact resistant safety goggles.

      WEATHER PERMITTING – This event will test the team’s knowledge of conducting investigations and using appropriate technology to build an understanding of weather.

      • This is a binder event.
      • Teams should bring writing utensils.
      • Resources

      WRITE IT, DO IT – One participant will write a description of an object and how to build it.  The other participant will attempt to construct the object from the description.

      Teams should bring writing utensils.

      • Resource – this is designed for middle and high school, but the info you need is here too!

      SPECIAL EVENT: PROFESSION JENSEN’S POTIONS – Teams will be asked questions and/or will conduct experiments at stations as they relate to lab safety equipment, chemical reactions, toxins, and antidotes.  Students must bring and wear safety goggles.

      • This is a binder event.
      • Teams should bring writing utensils.
      • This is event will be run at the Central Florida competition. (Orlando area)
      • Resource

      SPECIAL EVENT: SHELBY JACOBS ROCKETRY – Prior to the competition, teams will build a rocket propelled by air pressure and water out of a 1-liter plastic beverage bottle.  The rocket that stays in the air for the longest time will win.  Students must bring and wear impact resistant safety goggles.

      • This is a prebuilt event.
      • This event will be run at the Florida’s First Coast competition. (Jacksonville area)
      • Resource

      Exploring the World of Science

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