Coaches Training Session

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Coaches Training Session

• Florida Science Olympiad
• Osceola County
• November 2, 2007

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Philosophy of Science Olympiad

• Improve quality of science education.
• Create a passion for science learning.
• Provide recognition for achievement.

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Correlation of Science Olympiad with State
Standards.

• State standards for 6-8 and 9-12 have been
  correlated to the events for the Florida Science
  Olympiad. These are listed in your manual.

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The Events Division B.

• A for Anatomy
• Amphibians and Reptiles
• Balloon Launch Glider
• Crave the Wave
• Disease Detectives
• Ecology
• Food Science
• Meteorology
• Metric Mastery
• Mystery Architecture
• Oceanography
• Reach for the Stars

• Road Scholar
• Robot Ramble
• Rocks and Minerals
• Science Crime Busters
• Science Process Skills
• Science Word
• Scrambler
• Simple Machines
• Tower Building
• Trajectory
• Write It, Do It.

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The Events Division C

• Amphibians and Reptiles
• Astronomy
• Boomilever
• Cell Biology
• Chemistry Lab
• Circuit Lab
• Disease Detectives
• Ecology
• Electric Buggy
• Experimental Design
• Five Star Science
• Food Science

• Forensics
• Health Science
• Oceanography
• Physics Lab
• Practical Probes
• Remote Sensing
• Robo-Cross
• Rocks and Minerals
• Sounds of Music
• The Wright Stuff
• Write It, Do It.

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Types of Events

• The events are generally divided into the
  following types of events
• Construction and Engineering
• Laboratory and Process Skill
• Research
• Knowledge Recall

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Rules Books

• Contains rules for students to follow and to prep
  for events.
• If it is not specifically forbidden, it is
  allowed.
• BUT, in most cases, electronic devices are NOT
  permitted.
• If in doubt, contact us.

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Rules Books

• If in need of clarification, go to the FSO web
  site at www.floridascienceolympiad.org
• Also go to the National Clarifications Page at
  www.soinc.org
• FSO follows the clarifications.

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Setting up a team.

• Consist of 15 students, one coach.
• Maximum of 7 seniors on division C.
• Maximum of 5 freshmen on division B.
• All students must be from home school.
• Can have as many separate teams as you want but
  must have separate registration for each.

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Setting up a team

• Only one event is allowed to be entered for each
  team.
• Can put top-achievers on one team from a school.
• Can have a second team as a practice team.
• Can have backup students.

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Scheduling

• Best to have a variety of students.
• Some schools do better with generalists.
• Students too specified may not do as well if
  schedule gets changed at last minute.
• Dont over-commit a student.

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Scheduling

• Have back up students for events. A student in
  one event can switch at the last minute with
  another if necessary.
• Some events dont require the builder to be
  present. Example Bridge and Tower.

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Scheduling

• There are a variety of ways to select team
  members
• Individual school competitions.
• Teacher pick.
• Department pick.
• Open to all

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Scheduling

• Try to put the student in his or her strongest
  event first.
• Note the times and places of event so students
  are close to their next event.

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The Code of Conduct

• Student participants are expected to compete in
  tournament events with an honest effort to follow
  the rules and the spirit of that competition.
  The goal of competition is to give ones best
  effort while displaying honest, integrity, and
  sportsmanship.
• Students, coaches, parents, and guests are
  expected to display courtesy and respect toward
  Olympiad officials, other teams, and guests of
  the Olympiad.
• Failure to show honesty and/or courtesy by a
  participant, coach or guest of the team may
  result in disqualification of the team from that
  event, the entire tournament or future
  tournaments.

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Code of Conduct

• It is important that all attending model good
  behavior.
• The goal of Science Olympiad is to emphasize the
  process of science, not competition.
• Sportsmanlike conduct is to be emphasized.

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Clarification of the rules

• The rules are complex! So check and read them
  carefully.
• Any questions, contact FSO.
• Or contact the National Clarification Web Site.
• It is possible for rules to be modified slightly
  after the FSO tournament.

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Pre-Olympiad Preparations

• You will receive the following paperwork
• Code of Conduct
• Final Registration Form
• FSO Event Card
• Website/Press Release Form
• Directions to FSO
• Schedule
• Map of school

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Pre-Olympiad Preparations

• MAKE SURE STUDENTS KNOW THEIR TEAM NUMBER!
• Lunch will be provided by an outside caterer.
• Be flexible!
• Prepare for equipment challenges.
• Bring extra supplies.

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The Olympiad

• Enter ALL events, even if you are not prepared.
• Other students not competing can come and watch.
• Remind everyone to not interfere or interact with
  students, judges during event.

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The Olympiad

• Set up a base of operations.
• Bring extra supplies for broken engineering
  events.
• Remind the students of the Code of Conduct.
• Have FUN!

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The Olympiad - Scoring

• Team scores will be
• 1st Place 1 point
• 2nd Place 2 points
• 3rd Place 3 points
• nth Place n points
• Did not show n1 points
• Disqualified for behavior n2 points

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Post-Olympiad

• Review events with your team.
• Discuss what went right, wrong.
• Plan for next year.
• Notify FSO of issues we can change.

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Additional Training

• Coaches Conferences
• San Francisco
• Orlando

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For more information

• Mike McKee
• mmckee_at_creol.ucf.edu
• www.floridascienceolympiad.org

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Fermi Questions

• Require students to estimate and think
  critically.
• Must be familiar with rounding and powers of 10.

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Fermi Questions Examples

1. How many frames are in a typical Disney animated
   film?
2. How many eggs can fit in a stadium?
3. What is the increase in mass of humans over the
   last century?
4. How many heartbeats occur during a human lifetime?

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National Science Olympiad Training

• Oct 12-13, 2007
• Olympia High School
• All events will be presented