Olympiad Event Division

Any student from a school in our region is encouraged to enter these challenging but fun events. It is not necessary that the student also have an exhibit entered to participate in these events. In each Olympiad event, a ribbon will be awarded for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place along with up to 3 honorable mention ribbons. Points will also be award to the school for each event, except the egg drop, to determine the winner of the the overall school trophies in Biology and Physical Science. Registration for these events will be held on the day of the fair. An event may be canceled the day of the fair due to circumstances beyond the control of the director (weather, for example).

New Olympiad events may be added on the day of the fair.

Name of West Virginia Wildlife (Biology)

Participants will be asked to identify a variety of organisms native to West Virginia. The trees, herbaceous plants, insects, birds, reptiles, etc., may be represented by the organisms, a picture, footprint or other identifiable characteristics. Field guides and keys may not be used.

Small Barges (Physical Science)

Participants construct a barge from a piece of aluminum foil. The idea is to form a boat that will support maximum mass. The boat holding the most mass (tile sections) is the winner.

Scavenger Hunt (Biology) (Team of 4 or less)

This is an outdoor event, in which participants are sent to Tech Mountain to find objects on their search lists in biological terms. There is a 30-minute time limit.

Metric Estimation (Physical Sciences) (Team of 4 or less)

Participants are involved in activities, which combine the skills of estimation, measurement, and athletic competition events. Included are such events as straw throw, paper plate throw, cotton ball toss, standing broad jump, and trundle wheel relays.

Titration Race (Physical Science)

Each participant has three tries at titrating a standard solution (phenolphthalcin indicator). Speed and accuracy count.

Periodic Table Quiz (Physical Science)

Competition is an oral quiz in which the answers are all the names of one of the elements. This will be operated like a spelling bee.

What’s That (Physical Science)

The participant is asked to identify structures, organisms, etc., presented in partial pictures, close-ups, etc. Scoring will combine speed and accuracy.

Futuring (Physical Science) (Teams of 4 or less)

The participants are asked to identify the greatest number of possible alternatives to hypothetical situations.

Rocks to Riches (Physical Science)

The participant is asked to identify as many mineral and rocks as possible in 10 minutes.

Paper Airplanes (Physical Science)

Participants will build a paper airplane (typical glider types) from 8 ½” x 11” sheets of paper provided. Scoring will be a measurement from launching point to a landing point.

“Arithmetic by Twos”(Physical Science)

A timed event to test your skills in arithmetic using binary numbers.

Laser Shoot (Physical Science) (Team of 4 or less)

Object is to align the beam from a laser, through optical elements, getting as close as possible to a bull's-eye on a stationary target. Time limit per team is 15 minutes.

Astronomy Quiz (Physical Science)

An oral quiz about Astronomy, operated like a spelling bee.

Paper and Pencil Arithmetic (Physical Science)

Participants will be given a set of mathematical problems to solve using only paper and pencil. NO calculators will be permitted. Scoring will be based on both speed and accuracy.

Chemistry Crossword Puzzle (Physical Sciences)

Participants will be given crossword puzzles and a periodic chart. Clues for most words in the puzzle will include element numbers whose symbols can be used to spell the answers to the puzzle. Scoring will be based on speed and accuracy.

Egg Drop

Object is to drop a raw egg in a container from approximately the third floor of Orndorff Hall to impact with the concrete of the first floor. The egg must remain whole.

1. Each student who is participating must certify that the container constructed for the egg is their own work.

2. The container will be constructed prior to the fair and brought to the fair by the
participant.

3. The container must fit through an 8 inch PVC pipe and navigate a 45 degree bend in the pipe. The pipe will begin at a 45 degree down angle and after the turn will be vertical.

4. At the end of the fall the participant must remove the egg from the container and demonstrate to the judges that the egg is whole.

5. The container and the egg released from the top must reach the floor as a unit. No other catch mechanisms will be permitted.

6. One egg will be furnished to each contestant to insert in the container just prior to the drop.

Gravity-powered Vehicle (Physical Sciences)

A vehicle must be constructed by a student or team of students and brought to the Fair to be entered. It must be designed to travel as a unit the longest distance on a level, straight line course in the shortest time. It must be gravity powered (perhaps using pulleys and a weight). Course length is 10 meters. Maximum vehicle dimensions can be 30 cm wide x 50 cm long x 2.00 m high.

Slow Bicycle Race (Physical Sciences)

Entrants will be attempting to ride a two-wheeled bicycle over a fixed course in the longest interval of time. Entrants must furnish their own bicycle. Bicycles may not be brought into the building until 30 minutes prior to the event. An outside practice area may be available.

Rules:

1. The course will be 20 meters long and 0.75 meter wide.

2. The course will not be sloped.

3. The course will be marked.

4. Forward motion shall be provided by the muscles of the rider.

5. No part of the competitors body may touch the ground.

6. The bicycle must maintain forward motion at all times.

7. The bicycle must remain within the boundaries of the course.

8. Each team will be allowed 2 attempts to complete the course.

9. The bicycle should have the following specifications and must be provided by the entrants.

a. It will have only two rubber-tired pneumatic wheels in ground contact, which are coplanar in the plane of the frame when traveling forward in a normal fashion.

b. It will have steering capability in the normal fashion.

c. Tire prints of the bicycle will not exceed 8 cm in width and 20 cm in length when the student is on the bicycle.

d. Minimum wheel radius will be 15 cm.

e. No part of the bicycle except the tires touch the course.

f. The bicycle will have a single forward speed and a coaster brake activated by back pedaling.

All events count towards the school trophies except the egg drop.

Events may be canceled by the fair director the day of the fair.

Olympiad Event Division

Name of West Virginia Wildlife (Biology)

Participants will be asked to identify a variety of organisms native to West Virginia. The trees, herbaceous plants, insects, birds, reptiles, etc., may be represented by the organisms, a picture, footprint or other identifiable characteristics. Field guides and keys may not be used.

Small Barges (Physical Science)

Participants construct a barge from a piece of aluminum foil. The idea is to form a boat that will support maximum mass. The boat holding the most mass (tile sections) is the winner.

Scavenger Hunt (Biology) (Team of 4 or less)

This is an outdoor event, in which participants are sent to Tech Mountain to find objects on their search lists in biological terms. There is a 30-minute time limit.

Metric Estimation (Physical Sciences) (Team of 4 or less)

Participants are involved in activities, which combine the skills of estimation, measurement, and athletic competition events. Included are such events as straw throw, paper plate throw, cotton ball toss, standing broad jump, and trundle wheel relays.

Titration Race (Physical Science)

Each participant has three tries at titrating a standard solution (phenolphthalcin indicator). Speed and accuracy count.

Periodic Table Quiz (Physical Science)

Competition is an oral quiz in which the answers are all the names of one of the elements. This will be operated like a spelling bee.

What’s That (Physical Science)

The participant is asked to identify structures, organisms, etc., presented in partial pictures, close-ups, etc. Scoring will combine speed and accuracy.

Futuring (Physical Science) (Teams of 4 or less)

The participants are asked to identify the greatest number of possible alternatives to hypothetical situations.

Rocks to Riches (Physical Science)

The participant is asked to identify as many mineral and rocks as possible in 10 minutes.

Paper Airplanes (Physical Science)

Participants will build a paper airplane (typical glider types) from 8 ½” x 11” sheets of paper provided. Scoring will be a measurement from launching point to a landing point.

“Arithmetic by Twos”(Physical Science)

A timed event to test your skills in arithmetic using binary numbers.

Laser Shoot (Physical Science) (Team of 4 or less)

Object is to align the beam from a laser, through optical elements, getting as close as possible to a bull's-eye on a stationary target. Time limit per team is 15 minutes.

Astronomy Quiz (Physical Science)

An oral quiz about Astronomy, operated like a spelling bee.

Paper and Pencil Arithmetic (Physical Science)

Participants will be given a set of mathematical problems to solve using only paper and pencil. NO calculators will be permitted. Scoring will be based on both speed and accuracy.

Chemistry Crossword Puzzle (Physical Sciences)

Participants will be given crossword puzzles and a periodic chart. Clues for most words in the puzzle will include element numbers whose symbols can be used to spell the answers to the puzzle. Scoring will be based on speed and accuracy.

Egg Drop

Object is to drop a raw egg in a container from approximately the third floor of Orndorff Hall to impact with the concrete of the first floor. The egg must remain whole.

1. Each student who is participating must certify that the container constructed for the egg is their own work.

2. The container will be constructed prior to the fair and brought to the fair by the participant.

3. The container must fit through an 8 inch PVC pipe and navigate a 45 degree bend in the pipe. The pipe will begin at a 45 degree down angle and after the turn will be vertical.

4. At the end of the fall the participant must remove the egg from the container and demonstrate to the judges that the egg is whole.

5. The container and the egg released from the top must reach the floor as a unit. No other catch mechanisms will be permitted.

6. One egg will be furnished to each contestant to insert in the container just prior to the drop.

Gravity-powered Vehicle (Physical Sciences)

Slow Bicycle Race (Physical Sciences)

Entrants will be attempting to ride a two-wheeled bicycle over a fixed course in the longest interval of time. Entrants must furnish their own bicycle. Bicycles may not be brought into the building until 30 minutes prior to the event. An outside practice area may be available.

Rules:

1. The course will be 20 meters long and 0.75 meter wide.

2. The course will not be sloped.

3. The course will be marked.

4. Forward motion shall be provided by the muscles of the rider.

5. No part of the competitors body may touch the ground.

6. The bicycle must maintain forward motion at all times.

7. The bicycle must remain within the boundaries of the course.

8. Each team will be allowed 2 attempts to complete the course.

9. The bicycle should have the following specifications and must be provided by the entrants.

a. It will have only two rubber-tired pneumatic wheels in ground contact, which are coplanar in the plane of the frame when traveling forward in a normal fashion.

b. It will have steering capability in the normal fashion.

c. Tire prints of the bicycle will not exceed 8 cm in width and 20 cm in length when the student is on the bicycle.

d. Minimum wheel radius will be 15 cm.

e. No part of the bicycle except the tires touch the course.

f. The bicycle will have a single forward speed and a coaster brake activated by back pedaling.

All events count towards the school trophies except the egg drop.

Events may be canceled by the fair director the day of the fair.

2. The container will be constructed prior to the fair and brought to the fair by the
participant.