Science Olympiad Trainer Workshop - Arizona 2014

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD SUMMER INSTITUTE

HILTON CONFERENCE CENTER at TAPATIO CLIFFS

PHOENIX, AZ - JULY 14-18, 2014

TENTATIVE AGENDA 

B or combined B/C sessions on 1st fl Salons ABE  / C on 1st fl Salon G  (Build Devices F)

MONDAY JULY 14: B C

4:00PM - 5:15PM REGISTER  REGISTRATION IN HILTON CONFERENCE CENTER LOBBY

5:30PM - 7:15PM DINNER POINTE IN TYME

7:30PM - 8:15PM EVENTS  WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS, SCHEDULE & CHANGES (Putz, Et. All)

8:30PM - 10:00PM EVENTS  Bridges B/C (Chalker)

Note: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner will be provided this year (POINTE IN TYME/IN-SUITE/COFFEE BAR still available at your expense)

TUESDAY JULY 15:

7:00AM – 8:00AM BREAKFAST (East Courtyard)

8:15AM - 9:30AM EVENTS New Coaches Mt (C Chalker)

9:35AM - 11:20AM EVENTS  Picture This ( Taylor) / Tech Prob Solving (Smith)

11:30AM - 1:00PM LUNCH Lunch (Salon I/J)

1:00PM - 2:30PM EVENTS Entomology (Lancour)

2:35PM - 4:05PM EVENTS Write It Do It (Woodland)

4:10PM - 5:40PM EVENTS  Fossils ( Pratt / Van Hecke)

5:45PM - 7:00PM DINNER Buffet (Salon I/J)

7:00PM - 8:30PM EVENTS Road Scholar (Van Hecke) /  Wright Stuff (Chalker)

8:30PM - 10:00PM EVENTS  Elastic Launched Glider (Chalker) / GeoLogic Mapping (Van Hecke)

WEDNESDAY JULY 16:

7:00AM – 8:00AM BREAKFAST (East Courtyard)

8:15AM - 9:45AM EVENTS  Bottle Rocket (Woodland) / Mission Possible (Chalker /Papesh)

9:50AM - 11:20AM EVENTS  Crave the Wave ( Demos) / Scrambler ( Pratt/Papesh)

11:30AM - 1:00PM LUNCH Lunch (Salon I/J)

1:00PM - 2:20PM EVENTS  Green Generation (Lancour)

2:25PM - 3:45PM EVENTS Experimental Design (Woodland)

3:50PM - 5:45PM EVENTS Simple/Compound Machines ( Demos/ Pratt)

5:45PM - 7:00PM DINNER Buffet (Salon I/J)

7:00PM - 8:30PM EVENTS Can’t Judge a Powder (Wozniewski) /  Cell Biology (Lancour)

8:30PM - 10:00PM EVENTS Crime Busters (Wozniewski) / Bungee Drop (Woodland)

THURSDAY JULY 17

7:00AM – 8:00AM BREAKFAST (East Courtyard)

8:15AM - 9:45AM EVENTS Meteorology (Van Hecke) /  Its About Time ( Pratt/Boyd)

9:50AM - 11:20AM EVENTS Robo-Cross ( Papesh /Chalker) / Astronomy (Young)

11:30AM - 1:00PM LUNCH Lunch (Salon I/J)

1:00PM - 2:30PM EVENTS Wheeled Vehicle ( Papesh /Pratt) / Forensics (Wozniewski)

2:35PM - 4:05PM EVENTS  Bio-Process (Lancour) / Chem Lab (Wozniewski)

4:10PM - 5:40PM EVENTS  Solar System (Young) /  Protein Modeling (Wozniewski)

5:45PM - 7:00PM DINNER Buffet  (Highland 3 )

7:00PM - 8:30PM EVENTS  Trajectory ( Demos/ Pratt)

8:30PM - 10:00PM EVENTS Glider/Wright Stuff/Bridges Contest (Chalker)

Possible Trial Demos:  Game On, Hydrogeology, etc.

FRIDAY JULY 18

7:00AM – 8:00AM BREAKFAST (East Courtyard)

8:15AM - 9:15AM EVENTS Anatomy/Physiology (Lancour)

9:20AM - 10:20AM EVENTS Disease Detective B&C (Lancour)

10:25AM - 11:25AM EVENTS Dynamic Planet (Van Hecke)

11:30AM - 1:00PM LUNCH Lunch (Highland 3) / HAVE A SAFE TRIP!

Science Olympiad Summer Institute 2014 Meeting Notes

Each event meeting were about 1.5 hours each.  Meetings ran from 8 am to 10pm non-stop except during lunch and dinner.  It was an intense schedule so we took breaks as needed.  I attended most of Division C (high school) sessions.  It was a great time to learn and network.  I had a great roommate, Denise Meeks, a professor at PIMA college in Tuscon, Arizona.  

Day 1. 

Hawaii coaches got together for a breakfast meeting.  We had a lot of questions regarding the institute.  Previous participants answered the questions from newbies.  Franklin Allaire, our state director was very gracious in explaining many of the questions.  I am sure he had to answer the same questions zillion times.  

After a quick briefing, we started with “Bridges” event

Event:  Bridges (Ceann Putz)

After going over the rules, participants were given bridges layout plan along with supplies.  I started building my bridge and understood the complications students might be having.   Glue takes time to dry.  We need to purchase a little timber cutter - Pitsco to balsa wood.  I also need to remind students to read the rules and guide them.   

Tracy from Island school gave some advices regarding building.  Just let students build the bridge, try it out (put weights on - other words, let it break), then they will figure out their mistakes. 

I will finish building it tomorrow.  We will try mine out on Thursday.  I want to keep mine as an example – taking it with me on the plane might be an issue, however.

Day 2.

Event:  Air trajectory (Denise Papesh)

We looked at some examples and went over the rules and showed us some sample air trajectory devices.   He made some PVC pipe air launcher for paper rockets which we were able to try out. 

Event:  It’s About Time (Mike McKee)

Pendulum is the choice to go due to its cleanliness and easy of determination of time.  Remember to make the string long so there is a wider range of time (increase  precision).  mike@floridascienceolympiad.org

Event:  Entomology (Karen Lancour)

It was a very informative session.  She gave practical tips to prepare for the exam.  What to bring in to the exam – list of order/family on one side and diagrams on the other side.  She has practical activities/tests on the CD for students to attempt. 

Event:  Fossils (Van Hecke)

We missed part of the session in the beginning.  We were able to join in as he was giving practice tests. 

Event:  Wright Stuff  (Chalker)

Glider powered by rubber motor.  Make sure you go slightly more than minimum and slightly less than maximum.  Each rubber (different motors) can be stored in different coin envelopes.  Label it according to flight log data and decide which one to use on the competition.

Day 3.
Event:  Cell Biology
Very straight forward written event (station to station).

Event:  Green Generation
Another straight forward event on ecology and environmental problems/solutions

Event:  Scrambler
Build event.  Build a car and weight device to move a car carrying an egg to certain distance.

Event:  Simple/Compound Machine
Written and build event.  Written part is 50% of the score.  Need to know your physics.  Never done this one but should be a simple one for Jon to do.

Event:  Mission Possible
Build event.  Move golf ball following series of contraption into a gallon jug (s).  Many questions were raised regarding the rule.

Event: GeoLogic Mapping
Interpret and draw geological maps.  A lot simpler than I expected.  Students would need to study the vocabulary.


Day 4.
Event:  Tech. Prob. Solving
It was extremely enjoyable.  Mike from Texas instrument showed how to use motion sensor to determine each person's stride.  I might use this in my classroom.  This year it's on forensics.  I am so happy.  :-)

Event: Protein Modeling
We were able to build the model using the information from Jmol program.  I scored some supplies for protein model.  Yay!

Event:  Forensics
I stayed in for a little bit and left.  This should be pretty straight forward.

Game ON
We had so much fun testing out our bridge.  It held up ok but it gave away.  Diane was extremely helpful in laminating extra pieces at the bottom of the bridge to keep the bridge on the 45cm bridge docs.  I learned that I need to trim off my bridge to keep it smooth and to use fresh crazy glue for the project.  Something not so thick.  If not, the bridge will come off at the joints before breaking (which eventually causes the breakage due to not evenly distributed stress)

Day 5
All written events.
~ Good bye Phoenix.

What do I need to do when I return/when school starts?

1.  Speak to Cea regarding some of the building events to be school wide then speak to our physical science and physics teachers.  Make school wide event.
- Air Trajectory, Its About Time, Scrambler, Mission Possible,

- Compound Machine, Wright Stuff, Bridge

2.  Order some supplies
Pitsco Timber Cutter, Balsa and BassWood, propellers, rubber bands (motors), wire (piano).

3.  Update science olympiad website with specific information.

4.  Go into each class to talk about science olympiad once the event schedule is out.