University News
Science Olympiad at WIU
February 7, 2006
MACOMB, IL – On Saturday, Feb. 11 more than 250 middle/junior high and high school students will have the opportunity to demonstrate a variety of scientific skills at the 19th annual Western Illinois Regional Science Olympiad at Western Illinois University.
Students will compete in events such as “Storm the Castle,” “Bridge Building” and “Wright Stuff” which demonstrates the students scientific process skills. In these events students must incorporate technology and science into the construction and testing of their devices. In the “Wright Stuff” event, which will be held in Brophy Hall Gym, students construct a rubber band powered airplane with the goal of having the longest flight time. In the “Bridge Building” and “Tower Building” events teams design, construct and test bridges and towers to determine whose device will support the greatest mass.
Students will also have the have the opportunity to demonstrate their academic knowledge as well as science process skills in the events like “Road Scholar,” “Designer Genes,” “Chemistry Lab” and “You Can't Judge a Powder By Its Color.” Events dealing with health science, meteorology, and astronomy will also be held. This year's schedule also includes “Bottle Rockets,” where students design their own rocket and launch them to try to get maximum flight time. Rockets are tentatively scheduled to be launched north of Currens Hall beginning at 10 a.m. At 9 a.m. the “Balloon Race” will take place in Horrabin Hall Gym where students will design baskets to attach to helium balloons with the goal of making the balloons rise at the slowest rate.
The Science Olympiad begins with opening ceremonies in the University Union Grand Ballroom at 8 a.m. Events will be held in Horrabin, Currens, Waggoner and Brophy halls throughout the day. The Olympiad's closing ceremonies will be held at 3 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom where individual events' winners will be announced as well as the announcement of teams advancing to the Illinois Science Olympiad State Tournament, which will be held at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on April 29.
The Western Illinois Regional Science Olympiad is hosted by the department of curriculum and instruction's Maurice G. Kellogg Science Education Center and the College of Education and Human Services. Additional support is obtained by the faculty and students of the departments of biological sciences, chemistry, geology, kinesiology, mathematics and physics.
The following schools will participate:
Division C (Grades 9-12) - Canton High School (Fulton County); Farmington High School (Fulton County); Hamilton High School (Hancock County); Illini Central High School, Mason City (Mason County); Lewistown High School (Fulton County); Monmouth-Roseville High School (Warren County); Pekin Community High School (Tazewell County); PORTA High School, Petersburg (Menard County); Rochester High School (Sangamon County); and West Prairie High School, Sciota (McDonough County).
Division B (Grades 6-9) - Beverly Manor Jr. High School, Washington (Tazewell County); Farmington Jr. High School, (Fulton County); Hamilton Middle School (Hancock County); Illini Bluffs Middle School, Glasford (Peoria County); Ingersoll Middle School, Canton (Fulton County); Macomb Junior High School, Macomb (McDonough County); PORTA Jr. High School, Petersburg (Menard County); Rockridge Junior High School, Taylor Ridge (Rock Island County); West Central Junior High School, Stronghurst (Henderson County); West Prairie Middle School, Colchester (McDonough County).
The Science Olympiad was created in 1983 by Gerard J. Putz and Jack Cairns to increase the interest in science and as an alternative to traditional science fairs and single-discipline tournaments. Today, the Olympiad has members in all 50 states totaling more than 12,000 actively participating K-12 schools.
For more information, contact Don Powers, Western Illinois Regional Science Olympiad director and WIU professor of curriculum and instruction, at 309/298-1258.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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