Elementary Science Olympiad
ESO Director: Kim Strong (kstrong@lejardinacademy.com)

The Elementary Science Olympiad (ESO) is the perfect complement to any K-6 science program. Support your normal classroom routine with an all-building Science Olympiad Fun Day, or bring in experts and parent volunteers to run a Science Olympiad Fun Night. If you want to develop a feeder program for your district's middle school Science Olympiad program, run a grades 3-6 competitive tournament, just like the older kids, and with many of the same events, just scaled down to size.

Elementary Science Olympiad events take advantage of the natural curiosity of each child, and allow for in-depth hands-on experiences. These programs are designed to utilize ordinary classroom and household supplies and materials, so your ESO event won't break the bank! There are more than 200 ESO events contained in the three Science Olympiad manuals currently for sale in the Store, so you can run programs for years out of the same guide.

ESO content is so wide-ranging that we encourage use in places outside of school -- such as park districts, libraries, nature centers and bookstores. Set up a Science Olympiad "Don't Bug Me" Day at the playground, catching insects and cataloging your finds. Have parent architects and engineers explain structural science with a Straw Tower Challenge. Or get a bunch of books about animals out at the library and host a big game of Science Olympiad concentration, matching stuffed animals to their scientific names or habitats. Have fun with it! We've even had requests to use our ESO content for birthday parties, and we say - go for it! Science is everywhere, and young children are fascinated by the way things work. Roll up your sleeves, crack open an ESO manual, and start planning!

Science Fun Day (Division A1: Grades K-3)
Take advantage of a typical Tuesday and set up a Science Olympiad Fun Day, where the whole school (or grade) travels from classroom to classroom and participates in fun hands-on events like Gummi Bear Long Jump, Can Race, Nutrition Express, Barge Building and Rainbow Connection. Use the gym to hold a Pentathlon contest and the multi-purpose room to fly paper airplanes in Aerodynamics Aloft. Bring in parents and supplies, and you can make any day of the week a Fun Day!

Science Fun Night (Division A3: Grade K-5)
During a Science Olympiad Fun Night, students in teams of three or four, led by a parent volunteer, rotate through a series of three half-hour events, each designed to meet age-appropriate skills and knowledge bases. Fun Night relies more heavily on parent volunteerism than on staff preparation. In an academic environment where test prep is a part of life, it's nice for kids and parents to walk into an event with no prior study requirements. Science Olympiad Fun Night is a work-free, stress-free night of fun and exploration for the kids. Not to say that the volunteers don't have to prepare -- because they do! But it's one of the most satisfying and rewarding volunteer experiences you'll ever have!

ESO Competitive Tournament (Division A2: Grades 3-6)
A competitive Elementary Science Olympiad (ESO) will not only get kids in the district ready for the nationally-competitive Division B program, it's also a wonderful supplement to any school's science curriculum. At the same time you cover the skeletal system, students preparing for an ESO contest can study A is for Anatomy or No Bones About It. Many teachers use the competitive ESO events to add a hands-on element to their classroom schedule. A competitive ESO tournament allows teams to receive the type of support from the media and community normally reserved for athletic teams, and it's a nice way for kids to feel the joy of succeeding in a team endeavor.

GOT QUESTIONS? GET TRAINED!
• Register for the Fall ESO Workshop on Saturday, November 8th at Windward Community College. ESO Director Kim Strong (2007 & 2008 NSTA Presenter) will lead two hands-on sessions (one in the morning and another in the afternoon) for elementary teachers interested in bringing the excitement of Science Olympiad in their classroom and school!
• The cost for this session is $50.
• A.M. Session participants get coffee and breakfast-type snacks. P.M. Session participants get lunch.
• All participants will receive a complete set of ESO guides and manuals ($75 value) to help build their ESO program!