The North Bay Science Challenge:
A Science Competition for Students in Grades 4-8
What is the Science Challenge?
The Science Challenge is a fun
and educational team event for students in grades 4-8. It allows students to
demonstrate their science knowledge, understanding, and skills while competing
in a variety of science-based events. The 2016 Science Challenge events are described below.
The 2016 North Bay Science Challenge will be held on
March 12 at St. Vincent High School in Petaluma!
March 12 at St. Vincent High School in Petaluma!
- Students who participate in the Science Challenge increase their science knowledge and skills. They also develop valuable skills such as teamwork, creativity, persistence, problem solving, and cooperation. Most importantly, students have fun while learning and developing those skills and knowledge.
· Schools that
participate in the Science Challenge report that participation leads to increased
interest in and enthusiasm for science among students, staff, and parents.
Who can participate in the Science Challenge?
Any North Bay area school may
enter a team of 12 to 17 students in grades 4-8, pending space availability.
There will be two divisions: Division I is for teams of students in grades 4-6,
and Division II is for students in grades 6-8.
How can I find out more
information, volunteer, or contribute?
The Science Challenge is
dependent on community support for both funding and volunteers.
How can I sign up to
participate?
On time registrations are due
November 2. Late registration closes December 11.
To find out more information,
volunteer, or donate, contact Mike Roa, Science Challenge Coordinator, at: mroa@sonic.net
The events in the 2016 Science Challenge are listed
below.
· Taking Flight Whirlybirds (Make and fly paper airplanes (for distance) and
helicopters (for slow descent))
· Catapult (Use
limited simple materials and build a catapult to launch a projectile for
distance.)
· Describe It, Make It (Using only words, tell your partner how replicate a
Lego structure.)
· Jeopardy (Played
like the television game show…but all questions/answers are science based.)
· Critters R Us (Guess
the identity of an animal in 20 questions.)
· Investigations (Use
the provided materials to design and carry out experiments to answer
questions.)
· Picture This (Illustrate
scientific terms while your teammates try to identify the terms…like the game Pictionary.)
· Tower of Strength (Use only simple materials such as paper and straws to build a
structure to support a tennis ball. The highest structure wins.)
· Categories (Think
of science terms starting with certain litters, like the game Scattergories.)
· Nature Relay (Relay
style, run to a collection of items such as skulls and leaves and select items
to represent scientific terms…and then explain why those items were selected.)
· Who Am I? (Students
identify and answer questions about a variety of specimens.) Identifying a track
in Who Am I?
· Naked Egg Drop (This
is the grand finale!) Build an egg catcher from 9 sheets of paper. Then drop
raw eggs from increasing heights to see which catcher can catch the egg from
the greatest height without the egg breaking.
While the events are presented
as competitions, the focus is on having fun while doing science…to encourage
students’ interest in and passion for science and engineering. To make the
competition fair, there are two divisions: Division I is for teams of students
in grades 4-6, and Division II is for students in grades 6-8.
How is the Science
Challenge different from the Sonoma County Science Olympiad?
The Sonoma County Science
Olympiad is sponsored by the Sonoma County Office of Education, is for
students in grades 4-6 from Sonoma County schools. In 2016, it will be held on
April 16.
The North Bay Science
Challenge is sponsored by the community, is open to students from any
school in the North Bay area, and is for students in grades 4-8. In 2016 it
will be held on March 12, 2016.
Volunteer
help and donations are not only appreciated, they are needed. Contact Mike Roa
at: mroa@sonic.net
