NATIONAL SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
AND
NATIONAL SCIENCE STANDARDS ALIGNMENT
B Division
Awesome Aquifer - Students will design and build a model aquifer that will allow a team to demonstrate and explain groundwater concepts.
M.E.1 b, c, d, e - M.D.1 f, g
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
M.E.1 Abilities of technological design
b. Design a solution or product.
c. Implement a proposed design.
d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
e. Communicate the process of technological design
D. Earth and Space Science – Earth and space science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
M.D.1 Structure of the earth system
f. Water, which covers the majority of the earth's surface, circulates through the crust, oceans, and atmosphere in what is known as the "water cycle." Water evaporates from the earth's surface, rises and cools as it moves to higher elevations, condenses as rain or snow, and falls to the surface where it collects in lakes, oceans, soil, and in rocks underground.
g. Water is a solvent. As it passes through the water cycle it dissolves minerals and gases and carries them to the oceans.
Bottle Rocket - Participants will design, construct and test rockets made of plastic pop bottles, which will remain aloft for a maximum period of time.
M.E.1 b, c, d, e
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
M.E.1 Abilities of technological design
b. Design a solution or product.
c. Implement a proposed design.
d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
e. Communicate the process of technological design.
Bridge Building - Given certain parameters of length, width, height, and material, each team is to design, build and test the lightest bridge to carry a maximum standard load.
M.E.1 b, c, d, e
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
M.E.1 Abilities of technological design
b. Design a solution or product.
c. Implement a proposed design.
d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
e. Communicate the process of technological design.
Can’t Judge a Powder by Its Color - Various powders’ characteristics will be identified.
M.B.1 a, b
B. Physical Science – Physical science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
M.B.1 Properties and changes of properties in matter
a. A substance has characteristic properties, such as density, a boiling point, and solubility, all of which are independent of the amount of the sample. A mixture of substances often can be separated into the original substances using one or more of the characteristic properties.
b. Substances react chemically in characteristic ways with other substances to form new substances (compounds) with different characteristic properties. In chemical reactions, the total mass is conserved. Substances often are placed in categories or groups if they react in similar ways; metals is an example of such a group.
Compute This - Teams are presented with a problem that requires quantitative data capture from the public Internet and the electronic organization and presentation of data in a graphical format.
M.U. 2 a, b, c
U. Unifying Concepts and Process – Unifying concepts and processes help students think about and integrate a range of basic idea, which builds an understanding of the natural world.
M.U.2 Evidence, models, and explanation
a. Evidence–Evidence consists of observations and data on which to base scientific explanations. The goal is to help students use evidence to understand interactions and predict changes.
b. Models–Models are tentative schemes or structures that correspond to real objects, events, or classes of events, and that have explanatory power. The goal is to help students learn how to make and use many models, including physical objects, plans, mental constructs, mathematical equations, and computer simulations.
c. Explanations–Explanations provide interpretation, meaning, or sense to objects, organisms, or events. Explanations incorporate existing scientific knowledge and new evidence from observations, experiments, or models into internally consistent, logical statements, such as hypotheses, laws, principles, and theories. The goal is to help students create explanations which incorporate a scientific knowledge base, logic, and higher levels of analysis.
Dynamic Planet: Glaciation - Teams will work at stations that display a variety of earth science materials and related earth science questions.
M.D.1 f, g, j
D. Earth and Space Science – Earth and space science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
M.D.1 Structure of the earth system
f. Water, which covers the majority of the earth's surface, circulates through the crust, oceans, and atmosphere in what is known as the "water cycle." Water evaporates from the earth's surface, rises and cools as it moves to higher elevations, condenses as rain or snow, and falls to the surface where it collects in lakes, oceans, soil, and in rocks underground.
g. Water is a solvent. As it passes through the water cycle it dissolves minerals and gases and carries them to the oceans.
j. Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather. Oceans have a major effect on climate, because water in the oceans holds a large amount of heat.
Experimental Design - Given a set of unknown objects, teams will design, conduct, analyze and write-up an experiment.
M.A.1 a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h
A. Science as Inquiry – Science as inquiry requires students to combine processes and scientific knowledge with scientific reasoning and critical thinking to develop their understanding of science.
M.A.1 Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
a. Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations.
b. Design and conduct a scientific investigation.
c. Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.
d. Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.
e. Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations.
f. Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions.
g. Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.
h. Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
Forestry - Students will demonstrate knowledge of taxonomic keys, habitats, life history and geographic distribution.
H.C.3 e
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
H.C.3 Biological evolution
e. Biological classifications are based on how organisms are related. Organisms are classified into a hierarchy of groups and subgroups based on similarities which reflect their evolutionary relationships. Species is the most fundamental unit of classification.
Meteorology - This event involves the use of process skills as applied to meteorology.
M.D.1 i, j
D. Earth and Space Science – Earth and space science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
M.D.1 Structure of the earth system
i. Clouds, formed by the condensation of water vapor, affect weather and climate.
j. Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather. Oceans have a major effect on climate, because water in the oceans holds a large amount of heat.
Mission Possible - Participants will design and build a Rube Goldberg like device, which demonstrates a series of energy transfers to accomplish a specific task.
M.E.1 a, b, c, d, e
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
M.E.1 Abilities of technological design
a. Identify appropriate problems for technological design.
b. Design a solution or product.
c. Implement a proposed design.
d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
e. Communicate the process of technological design.
Naked Egg Drop - Teams construct a package on-site to catch and protect an egg from breaking.
M.E.1 b, c, d, e
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
M.E.1 Abilities of technological design
b. Design a solution or product.
c. Implement a proposed design.
d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
e. Communicate the process of technological design.
Physics Lab: Optics and Thermodynamics - Teams will demonstrate physics laboratory skills related to selected topics.
M.B.3 c
B. Physical Science – Physical science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
M.B.3 Transfer of Energy
c. Light interacts with matter by transmission (including refraction), absorption, or scattering (including reflection). To see an object, light from that object–emitted by or scattered from it–must enter the eye.
Process Skills for Life Science - Students will answer a series of questions designed to test life-science lab skills such as measurement, observation and interpretation.
M.A.1c, g, h - M.C.2 d
A. Science as Inquiry – Science as inquiry requires students to combine processes and scientific knowledge with scientific reasoning and critical thinking to develop their understanding of science.
M.A.1 Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
c. Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.
g. Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.
h. Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
C. Life Science – Life science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
M.C.2 Reproduction and heredity
d. Hereditary information is contained in genes, located in the chromosomes of each cell. Each gene carries a single unit of information. An inherited trait of an individual can be determined by one or by many genes, and a single gene can influence more than one trait. A human cell contains many thousands of different genes.
Reach for the Stars - Teams identify constellations and solve astronomy problems
M.D.3 a, b, d - H.D.4 c
D. Earth and Space Science – Earth and space science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
M.D.3 Earth in the solar system
a. The earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons, and smaller objects, such as asteroids and comets. The sun, an average star, is the central and largest body in the solar system.
b. Most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion. Those motions explain such phenomena as the day, the year, phases of the moon, and eclipses.
d. The sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on the earth's surface, such as growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle. Seasons result from variations in the amount of the sun's energy hitting the surface, due to the tilt of the earth's rotation on its axis and the length of the day.
H.D.4 Origin and evolution of the universe
c. Stars produce energy from nuclear reactions, primarily the fusion of hydrogen to form helium. These and other processes in stars have led to the formation of all the other elements.
Road Scholar - Requires the accurate interpretation and understanding of various map features using a variety of road and topographic maps.
M.U.2 b
U. Unifying Concepts and Process – Unifying concepts and processes help students think about and integrate a range of basic idea, which builds an understanding of the natural world.
M.U.2 Evidence, models, and explanation
b. Models–Models are tentative schemes or structures that correspond to real objects, events, or classes of events, and that have explanatory power. The goal is to help students learn how to make and use many models, including physical objects, plans, mental constructs, mathematical equations, and computer simulations.
Robo-Billiards - Teams will design and build a robot capable of placing billiard balls into containers.
M.E.1 b, c, d
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
M.E.1 Abilities of technological design
b. Design a solution or product.
c. Implement a proposed design.
d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
Science Crime Busters - A forensics event where students will correctly identify liquids, solids and other materials in a crime scenario.
M.B.1 a, b - M.U.2 a, b, c
B. Physical Science – Physical science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
M.B.1 Properties and changes of properties in matter
a. A substance has characteristic properties, such as density, a boiling point, and solubility, all of which are independent of the amount of the sample. A mixture of substances often can be separated into the original substances using one or more of the characteristic properties.
b. Substances react chemically in characteristic ways with other substances to form new substances (compounds) with different characteristic properties. In chemical reactions, the total mass is conserved. Substances often are placed in categories or groups if they react in similar ways; metals is an example of such a group.
U. Unifying Concepts and Process – Unifying concepts and processes help students think about and integrate a range of basic idea, which builds an understanding of the natural world.
M.U.2 Evidence, models, and explanation
a. Evidence–Evidence consists of observations and data on which to base scientific explanations. The goal is to help students use evidence to understand interactions and predict changes.
b. Models–Models are tentative schemes or structures that correspond to real objects, events, or classes of events, and that have explanatory power. The goal is to help students learn how to make and use many models, including physical objects, plans, mental constructs, mathematical equations, and computer simulations.
c. Explanations–Explanations provide interpretation, meaning, or sense to objects, organisms, or events. Explanations incorporate existing scientific knowledge and new evidence from observations, experiments, or models into internally consistent, logical statements, such as hypotheses, laws, principles, and theories. The goal is to help students create explanations which incorporate a scientific knowledge base, logic, and higher levels of analysis.
Science of Fitness - Students will be tested on their knowledge of fitness concepts.
M.F.1 a, c, d, e - M.C.1 e
F. Science in Personal and Social Perspectives – A personal and social perspective of science helps a student to understand and act on personal and social issues. This perspective builds a foundation for future decision making.
M.F.1 Personal health
a. Regular exercise is important to the maintenance and improvement of health. The benefits of physical fitness include maintaining healthy weight, having energy and strength for routine activities, good muscle tone, bone strength, strong heart/lung systems, and improved mental health. Personal exercise, especially developing cardiovascular endurance, is the foundation of physical fitness.
c. The use of tobacco increases the risk of illness. Students should understand the influence of short-term social and psychological factors that lead to tobacco use, and the possible long-term detrimental effects of smoking and chewing tobacco.
d. Alcohol and other drugs are often abused substances. Such drugs change how the body functions and can lead to addiction.
e. Food provides energy and nutrients for growth and development. Nutrition requirements vary with body weight, age, sex, activity, and body functioning.
C. Life Science – Life science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
M.C.1 Structure and function in living systems
e. The human organism has systems for digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, excretion, movement, control, and coordination, and for protection from disease. These systems interact with one another.
Sounds of Music - A team will build musical instruments, describe the scientific principles behind their operation and perform a musical selection on them.
M.E.1 b, c, d, e
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
M.E.1 Abilities of technological design
b. Design a solution or product.
c. Implement a proposed design.
d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
e. Communicate the process of technological design.
Storm the Castle - Teams will design, construct, calibrate and operate a device capable of launching a projectile as far and as accurately as possible using only the energy of a falling counterweight.
M.E.1 b, c, d
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
M.E.1 Abilities of technological design
b. Design a solution or product.
c. Implement a proposed design.
d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
Water Quality - Students will demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of aquatic ecology, water resource management, water treatment practices and aquatic chemical processes.
M.F.1 g
F. Science in Personal and Social Perspectives – A personal and social perspective of science helps a student to understand and act on personal and social issues. This perspective builds a foundation for future decision making.
M.F.1 Personal health
g. Natural environments may contain substances (for example, radon and lead) that are harmful to human beings. Maintaining environmental health involves establishing or monitoring quality standards related to use of soil, water, and air.
Wright Stuff - Students will design and build a propeller propelled aerodynamic device for greatest time aloft.
M.E.1 b, c, d
E. Science and Technology – An understanding of science and technology establishes connections between the natural and designed world, linking science and technology.
M.E.1 Abilities of technological design
b. Design a solution or product.
c. Implement a proposed design.
d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
Write It/Do It - A technical writing exercise where students write a description of a contraption and other students will attempt to recreate it using only the written description.
M.A.1 g
M.U.2 b
A. Science as Inquiry – Science as inquiry requires students to combine processes and scientific knowledge with scientific reasoning and critical thinking to develop their understanding of science.
M.A.1 Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
g. Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.
U. Unifying Concepts and Process – Unifying concepts and processes help students think about and integrate a range of basic idea, which builds an understanding of the natural world.
M.U.2 Evidence, models, and explanation
b. Models–Models are tentative schemes or structures that correspond to real objects, events, or classes of events, and that have explanatory power. The goal is to help students learn how to make and use many models, including physical objects, plans, mental constructs, mathematical equations, and computer simulations.