Junior Science Olympiad: Preparation

The International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) is a major international academical competition held annually and the only international academical competition that covers physics, chemistry and biology at the same time. For the competition, each country may only send a team of up to 6 students, 15 or younger, and 3 official team leaders. Bangladesh has recently received the membership of IJSO.

This article is for the future IJSO participants. 

IJSO Preparation

Book Suggestion

1. Biology by EP Solomon, LR Berg and DW Martin

2. General Chemistry by Ebbing

3. College Physics by Alan Giambattista, Betty McCarthy Richardson, and Robert C. Richardson

4. Physics by by John D. Cutnell, Kenneth W. Johnson

Resources

1. IJSO Past Papers

    Check out the solutions carefully.

2. Hong Kong IJSO Training Manual 

   Check out each of the training manual carefully. This is extremely helpful.

3. Indian Junior Science Olympiad Papers

    INJSO Question Papers and Model Solutions.

4. IJSO Syllabus

Science Skills and Safety:

·         Understanding scientific methods and working in the laboratory.

·         Identify and use basic laboratory equipment

·         Draw scientific diagrams of apparatus

·         Follow instructions in the laboratory

·         Follow safety techniques when using equipment

·         Measure temperature and volume

·         Make observations using the five senses

·         Make inferences based on observations

·         Describe the scientific method

·         Record a science experiment using standard headings

·         Collect, represent and interpret data in tables and graphs

·         Use scientific language

Pushes and Pulls:

·         Understanding of what forces are and what they can do

·         Describe what forces are and what they can do

·         Measure forces using a spring balance

·         Carry out experiments with friction, gravity and density

·         Calculate the density of an object

·         Explain the difference between mass and weight

·         Explain things in terms of the pull of gravity

·         Say what friction is and explain how it can be helpful or a nuisance

Survival in the Environment:

·         Understanding of how physical and behavioral adaptations help animals survive

·         List characteristics that help an organism survive

·         Define the terms habitat and adaptation

·         Distinguish between an animal’s living and physical environment

·         List the physical conditions that affect aquatic animals

·         Classify adaptations as structural or behavioral

·         Make inferences from observations

·         Research, carry out and write up a study of a particular environment

Solid, Liquids & Gases:

·         Understand the differences between solids, liquids and gases

·         Describe the three states of matter

·         Recall the boiling point of water and the melting point of ice

·         Measure the temperature of melting ice

·         Draw simple graphs

·         Measure mass using a balance

·         Calculate the density of materials

·         Use a particle model

Responding:

·         Understanding of how our body senses help us respond to our environment

·         Describe the various senses in our body

·         Define the terms stimulus and respond and how they relate

·         Describe how nerves carry massages

·         Explain how muscles move arms and legs

·         Investigate the senses

·         Investigate how fast our muscles react

Energy:

·         Understand the different types of energy and energy changes.

·         Describe what energy is and where it comes from

·         Indentify and describe the various forms of energy

·         Understand how sound is caused

·         Explain the difference between stored energy in action

·         Explain everyday happenings in terms in energy changes

·         Understand that fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource

·         Conduct an experiment involving energy changes

·         Use different forms of energy to make an object move

How Life Begins:

·         Understand how new life is created in humans

·         Describe the differences between animal and plant cell

·         Describe the sex cell of humans

·         Describe the human reproductive organs

·         Understand the changes that take place in boy’s and girl’s bodies during puberty

·         Observe the development of a baby during pregnancy

Solving Problems in Science:

·         Understand the scientific method

·         Describe the scientific method

·         Write up report of experiments

·         Write hypothesis

·         Design an experiment using the scientific method

·         Test a hypothesis by doing an experiment

Acids and Bases:

·         Understand what are acids and bases

·         Describe the properties of acids and bases

·         Understand pH and its practical uses define neutralization

·         Use and make indicators

·         Use pH paper to check acidity

·         Use acids and bases safely

·         Apply knowledge of acids and bases to everyday situations

·         To be aware of the formation and effect of acid rain

Interdisciplinary “Space” Studying the Universe:

·         Understand our solar system and space exploration.

·         Know the order of the planets

·         Describe key features of each planet

·         Distinguish between comet, asteroids and meteors

·         Describe spiral, elliptical and irregular galaxies

·         Explain the significance of star color

·         Identify major constellations

·         Be aware of the impact of space exploration

·         Make scale model of planets

·         Design and make a space mobile or building from recycled materials

·         Plot positions of stars

Materials from the Earth:

·         Understand natural resources, where they are found and what they are used for.

·         Name useful substances made from natural materials eg glass and concrete

·         Understand what natural resources are

·         Find out whether or not natural resources are renewable

·         Present information on renewable resources

·         Understand how fossil fuels, uranium and water are used to provide energy

·         Understand how materials and rocks are mined and how they are used

·         Map the locations of various mineral resources around the world

Science & Technology:

·         Understand how technology has been used to solve problems

·         Explain the difference between science and technology

·         Find out about some inventors and inventions

·         Be aware of inventions

·         Design a test to solve an everyday problem

·         Carry out a science fair experiment

·         Research to find relevant information

Keeping Healthy:

·         Understand the digestive and circulatory systems.

·         Explain what part of the digestive system work during digestion

·         Use the model to explain how food passes from the small intestine to the bloodstream

·         Describe the importance of fiber in the diet

·         Describe how the blood carries food and oxygen to the body cells

·         Understand the effect of exercise on pulse and breathing rates

·         Investigate the structure and care of teeth

·         Describe the structure of the heart and how to take care of it

Batteries and Bulbs:

·         Understand batteries’ concept and circuits.

·         Make simple circuits

·         Draw circuit diagrams

·         Know the difference between series and parallel circuits

·         Describe the properties of conductors and insulators

·         Understand about resistance and short circuits

·         Explain how electrical safety device works (fuses and earths)

·         Understand the rules for using electrical safely

·         Know the component of electrical plug

Atoms and molecules:

·         Understand atoms, molecules, elements and compounds

·         Describe the practical theory to explain the properties of solids, liquids and gases

·         Explain that matter is made of atoms and molecules

·         Know name of some common molecules

·         Understand the basic structure of the atom

·         Describe elements and compounds

·         Explain the difference between elements and compounds in term of atoms and molecules

·         Know the first twenty elements and their symbol from the periodic table

·         Know about some of the people who discovered different elements

·         Know the formula of some common compounds

·         Write a simple word equation

Cycles in Nature:

·         Understand food chains and webs

·         Use food chains to show the link between animals and plants

·         Describe how bacteria and fungi recycle substances

·         Know the difference between scavengers and decomposers

·         Construct food webs

What are Things made of:

·         Understand the concept of the periodic table and the elements

·         Atoms and Molecules

·         Review particle theory, atoms, molecules, elements and compounds

·         Understand basic patterns of the periodic table

·         Learn the first 20 elements by symbol and name

·         Learn to write simple equation

·         Know the basic structure of the atom, protons, neutrons, electrons

·         Look at where metals and other important materials come from and what they are used for

·         Know about alloy

Disease

·         Understand how infections disease is caused and transmitted

·         Describe the microorganisms that cause disease

·         Know which organism cause common diseases

·         Understand how our body fights disease

·         Understand the history of disease and vaccination

·         Understand about how antibiotics are used to fight disease

Global Consumer Science:

·         Understand scientific testing of consumer product and the impact of consumer

·         Use the steps of scientific testing

·         Understand the difference between objective and subjective testing

·         Calculate the waste from packaging

·         Understand how long different substances take to break down

·         Research recycling

·         Know about the argument surrounding genetically modified foods

·         Understand the impact of consumer products on our environment

Science and the Road:

·         Understand Newton’s First Law (Inertia), Friction, Reaction Time, Acceleration.

·         Understand the main reasons for car accidents

·         Know about car safety features

·         Be aware of road safety

·         Calculate speed and acceleration

·         Measure reaction time

·         List the factors affecting stopping time

Interdisciplinary “The Body” Life Goes On:

·         Understand human reproduction and inheritance

·         Describe the structure and function of the male and female reproductive system

·         Recognize variation in human characteristics

·         Describe the role of genes and chromosomes in human inheritance

·         Use family trees to determine the features of family members

·         Be able to calculate the chance of children being born male or female using model

·         Use grids to predict variation in offspring characteristics

·         Describe genetic engineering and social implications

Light and Color:

·         Understand how light and colour are produced

·         Explain why things are coloured

·         List the colours of spectrum

·         Describe how long and short sightedness can be corrected with lenses

·         Find out how we see colours and why colour blindness occurs

·         Observe how light travels in straight lines

·         Investigate how different colours are made

·         Predict the colour produced when filters are used

·         Investigate how lenses bend light to form images

·         Observe how images from when light reflect from when light reflect from mirror

Forensic Science:

·         Understand how science is used in crime detection

·         Describe the job of a forensic scientist

·         Understand how scientists collect and interpret the physical evidence from a crime

·         Investigate hypothetical crimes

·         Examine fingerprints

·         Use chromatography to examine ink samples

·         Use indicator to detect the presence of certain substances

·         Examine evidence using a microscope

·         Understand about ballistic and genetic evidence

·         Understand about the use of atomic absorption spectrophotometers to examine traces of chemical

·         Construct evidence table and detect patterns

·         Write hypothetical forensic reports

Mathematics Ability:

·         Fraction

·         Statistics

·         Simple Trigonometry

·         Simple Geometry

·         Logarithms

·         Arithmetic and Geometric Array

·         Quadratics Equation

·         Power and square roots

Adapted from International Baccalaureate (IB) Program.

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