NCSO Debrief – March 2023

Division A:

For Rock Star and Backyard Biologist- Are there any limitations as to what can be in the binders?  

Refer to the rules – Backyard Biologist: actual plant & leaf samples are allowed in the binders as long as they are in plastic sheet protectors. No animal parts are allowed in the binder. RS: one 3-ring, 1” binder containing information in any form from any source. Read the rules.

Is it one binder per student or one per team? 

Read the rules. 

Will students rotate independently to stations or work together?

They work together and rotate together.

Animal Adaptations – Will there be access to colored pencils or markers for their animal drawings? 

Yes, colored pencils are provided. 

STEM Challenge – Rules say this year: their paper can contain pictures, notes, or drawings to help them. Does this mean collage of pictures and annotations are allowed?

A collage of pictures are pictures and annotations are notes – as long as it is one piece of paper 8.5 x 11.

The putting area is 1.5 x 1.5 m but the max dimensions of the device are 1 x 1 m in the resting position correct?

Correct.

Trajeggtory –  plastic bottles are not allowed correct? 

Read the rules. “The device may only be made out of the following materials”

Cardboard tubes from only paper towels or toilet paper rolls, correct?

Correct.

The egg is put into a plastic baggie? What size? 

Snack size

Is the egg loaded and the device placed in a plastic bag?

No, only the egg is put into the baggie

Division B/C:

Will we be on Miller Field for the State Tournament again this year or will we have assigned Homebase Rooms?  

Home bases will be on Miller field again this year. Pro tip: bring a tent!

Division B for STATES Trial Events: Mission Possible –  Will a design log be required? 

No design log required for States.  Just an ASL, Action Sequence List.

Does the golf ball at the end of the pendulum need to be attached by a flexible tether (such as a string) or can it be rigid (like a stick)?

Rules state “golf ball attached to the end of a string”

Do we need to impound for Mission at States? 

No, we will not impound Mission at States. 

Electric Vehicle –  Is there no design log or data log book for electric vehicle this year? 

No design or data log required this year.

Do we need to impound for Electric Vehicle at States?

No, we will not impound Electric Vehicle at States.  Teams will turn in their vehicles at the start of the event block. 

Fast Facts – Will students need to bring an electronic device to connect for the same program used last year at states? 

We are back to paper and pencil.  No devices required. 

When do events for next year get posted/published?

National Science Olympiad releases official event rules around Labor Day.  We usually see a list of events pop up sometime over the summer.