The Olympics may be over in Beijing, but they are just about to get underway at Cuyahoga Heights Elementary School (CHES). On April 6 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. about 35 fourth graders will participate in the annual Science Olympiad, in the school gymnasium. The event is open to the public.
This year’s contest includes several events where kids will pit their brain power against their peers. “It will be an opportunity for the kids to show off what they know and what they have done,” said Bryan Voit, Pre-K substitute teacher who is serving as this year’s “coach”. Voit has been meeting after school with the students at least once a week since December to help them study, research, and practice, and for this year’s contests.
“I’m amazed at the commitment these students are showing for this competition,” noted Voit. “They come in after school, they get their supplies and they go right to work,” he said. “Some are studying during their freetime or doing research on their computers. I really notice the passion.”
Test-taking Events
From a list of more than two dozen options, the students selected to participate in the seven separate events, which will culminate in a test to demonstrate what they’ve learned:
- Herpetology – a study of reptiles and amphibians common to Ohio
- Astronomy – a study of the stars and planets
- What Went By – a test of skill in animal tracking
- Metric Measurement– using and converting metric numbers
- Climate and Weather – a study of wind, rain, and its impact on the planet
- Simple Machines – such as pulleys, wheels, and levers
- Write-Do It – students create an item out of material, such as cardboard, relying only upon instructions that their partner has written for them.
Building Events
Other students will participate in four separate building contests. These include:
- Bridges –building and testing the strength of a bridge made of balsa wood
- Trebuchet – building and testing a type of catapult
- Mousetrap – building a small car powered by a mousetrap
- Egg Drop – creating a cushion to protect an egg that’s dropped from a certain height.
The event on April 6 will include 30 minutes of the test-taking students displaying their posters showing what they learned. This will be followed by 30 minutes of the building group demonstrating what they built and how their devices function. The evening will culminate with a 30-minute awards ceremony.