Bach Science Olympiad - Event List

Grades listed are those children eligible to compete and attend practices. Children in other grades may be able to attend event practices, but please first contact the Head Coordinator, Tammie Nahra (weso@bachpto.org). Look over the events, prioritize three events, then proceed to registration. Bach offers the following events:

Monday

Barge Building
Grade(s): 2
Location: Bach: MPR Time: 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Coach(es): Panos Tharouniatis
Participants will construct a barge using the given material that can support a cargo of the largest number of weighted objects (e.g. pennies) without getting them wet. More

Feather Friends
Grade(s): 2,3,4,5
Location: Bach: Media Center Time: 3:45 - 5:00 pm
Coach(es): Juliet Berger, Alicia Farmer, Joanne Kelleher
A team of 2 students will be tested on bird identification by sight and sound (most common vocalizations). Coaches and students will have a preparatory bird list that will show which birds that are in our area that you will need to know. Students will be able to use a field guide to help with the identification and the guide can be written in or drawn in. There will also be questions about bird anatomy (structure and function, both for birds in general and for specific birds on the list), life history of birds in general and unique life history aspects of species on the bird list and habitat characteristics of birds on the list. Use of videos, recordings and photographs are likely as well as parts of birds. More

Mystery Architecture
Grade(s): 2,3,4,5
Location: Bach: Gym Time: 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Coach(es): Kit and Malcolm McCullough, Cathy Sanborn
Each team will be given a bag of materials (such as paper, tape, styrofoam, and paper clips) to build a structure that can support a tennis ball. The tallest structure wins. More

Tuesday

Map Reading
Grade(s): 2,3,4,5
Location: Bach: room 104 Time: 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Coach(es): Rachel Thompson, Dennis Oswald
Students will test their map reading skills to answer geographical questions. They will answer questions using various kinds of maps. More

Straw Tower
Grade(s): 3,4,5
Location: Bach: music room Time: 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Coach(es): Tresna Taylor, Maria Coolican
Each team of two will attempt to build the strongest tower out of 50 drinking straws and 20 straight pins. More

Wednesday

Science Jeopardy
Grade(s): 4,5
Location: 614 S. 1st Street Time: 4 - 5pm
Coach(es): Wendy and Tassos Valtadoros
Science Jeopardy is played just like Jeopardy on TV with different science categories. More

Friday

Sink or Float
Grade(s): 2
Location: Bach: Art room Time: 2nd grade lunchtime
Coach(es): Kris Groh
Each team of two will predict what might happen to various objects as they are placed into a bowl of water. More

Puff Mobiles
Grade(s): 2,3
Location: Bach: MPR Time: 6 - 7 pm
Coach(es): David Bradbury, Lee Hollander
Each team will build a puff mobile out of beads (for wheels), a straw, straight pins, and a piece of paper. Teams will 'puff' their mobile six times. The mobile that is puffed the farthest wins. More

What Went By
Grade(s): 2,3
Location: Bach: Media Center Time: 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Coach(es): Nieka Apell, Joe Armstrong, Ken Varnum
A team of two students will be tested on organisms (animals/birds) which have become extinct or are on the endangered list and the reasons behind these organisms' extinction or endangered status. More

Pentathlon
Grade(s): 2,3,4,5
Location: Bach: gym Time: 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Coach(es): Kristin Burgard, Ryan Verhey-Henke
Five physical skills are combined with science questions (about nutrition) in an obstacle course relay race, where each student passes an object to the next student. More

Saturday

To Infinity and Beyond
Grade(s): 2,3,4,5
Location: TBD Time: 10-11am
Coach(es): John Rietz, Soren Telfer, Chuck Taylor
Using a planetarium, charts, and a written test, students will: 1) demonstrate their knowledge of apparent motion of the sky (sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, moon phases) and how it changes with the seasons, 2) identify bright constellations and stars in the night sky, 3) demonstrate their knowledge of our current understanding of our solar system, 4) distinguish between planets, dwarf planets, exoplanets, moons, asteroids, and comets. More

Water Rockets
Grade(s): 3,4,5
Location: 3600 Green Court, just south of Plymouth Rd Time: 10-11am
Coach(es): Glenn Taylor, Jim Kenyon, Steven Carter, Greg Kostin
Students will build a rocket in advance out of a 2-liter soda bottle, making alterations and adding a parachute to help it stay aloft. The rocket that stays in the air the longest will be the winner. More

Write It, Build It
Grade(s): 3,4,5
Location: St. Andrews Church Time: 1:00pm - 2:15pm
Coach(es): Joe and Sharon Szutz
Two team members will be shown a 'picture' and will write a description of it. In a separate room, the other team members will be given the pieces of the 'picture' and the written description and attempt to rebuild it. The team with the most pieces placed correctly wins. This event tests competitor's ability to clearly communicate in writing and follow written directions. More

Sunday

No Bones About It
Grade(s): 2,3,4,5
Location: 513 Fourth St. Time: 4:30-5:30 pm
Coach(es): Nicole Frei, Faye Bradbury
Students will identify bones and pictures of bones at stations throughout the room. They will also be required to answer questions found on cards at the stations pertaining to bones. More

Circuit Wizardry
Grade(s): 4,5
Location: TBD Time: 4 - 5pm
Coach(es): Lee Hollander, Marc Pillote, Tal Carmon
Circuit Wizardry tests participants' knowledge of basic electrical circuit concepts, components, schematic reading and understanding, and ability to design and build a simple circuit from a functional description. More