Auburn University Elementary Science Olympiad -- Saturday March 27, 2010
Hosted by the College of Science and Mathematics
Dear Colleague:
The College of Science and Mathematics (COSAM) at Auburn University is pleased to announce the 14th annual Elementary Science Olympiad. The competition is scheduled for Saturday, March 27, 2010 and hosted again at the Auburn University campus.
The Science Olympiad is an academic interscholastic competition which is designed to increase student interest in science and to help improve the quality of science education across the nation. The Science Olympiad consists of a series of individual and team events which students prepare for prior to the tournament.
The past Olympiads here at Auburn University have been successful because of the time and energy donated by teachers and parents alike that is necessary to coach the teams and coordinate and run the events comprising the tournament. This year is no different -- in an effort to make this years olympiad run even more smoothly it has been suggested that each school registering for this year's Olympiad be required to find someone to run an event. ``Volunteers'' need not be teachers -- a parent interested in getting involved could make a great event coordinator. One such person per school should be sufficient. See the included event volunteer form form more information.
The tournament this year is again offered for Division A-2 competition (grades 4-6). First, second, third and fourth place Olympic-style medals will be awarded for each event. In addition, team trophies will be awarded to the schools ending up in first, second, third and fourth place based on a total compilation of points during the Olympiad (see the enclosed brochure for more information). An information sheet, included in this packet, provides a brief description of the 22 different academic events we hope to run this year.
The Science Olympiad is a competitive activity, however, most events are group competitions requiring teamwork, group planning, and cooperation. The emphasis is on learning, participation, interaction, and having fun. If you are not familiar with the Science Olympiad, please read the enclosed information.
Some important notes:Team Make-up and Size: Each team will consist of up to 20 students from grades 4, 5, and 6. The students must be in grades 4-6 and your team can consist of any combination of students from these three grades. It is not necessary to have all three grades represented on your team. If your school does not contain one of the allowed grades, then you may recruit students from another school in your school district to be on your team. You may only recruit students from grades that your school does not have.
Registration: Please register through Jane Nall at the Alabama Science Olympiad website: aso.jsu.edu . The registration fee includes a current manual. Teams will be accepted on a first come first basis and the competition is limited to 40 teams.
Entry Fee: The entry fee for teams that need a manual is $30, which includes the cost of a manual.
Additional Teams: A school may enter more than one team in the Olympiad. However, additional team(s) will be accepted only if 40 separate schools do not register. You will be notified if an additional team cannot participate.
Greg Harris Mathematics & Statistics Auburn University, Al 36849 (334) 844-6586; FAX 844-6555 (email: harriga@auburn.edu)