What is Science Olympiad?

This isn’t your typical science fair! (For that, go here.) Much like the Olympics, Science Olympiad is a competition where teams of students test their knowledge, teamwork, and critical thinking skills against their peers. Olympiad spans many STEM disciplines, such as Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, and more. For a full list of events, and the broad categories they fall into, see the Events page. Many of the events focus on a hands-on approach, such as a lab-based stations, while others incorporate knowledge-based tests. 

Students don't prepare for Olympiad by designing and carrying out a prior experiment, but by training in one of the 23 events held during the competition. Schools will assemble a team of up to 15 students to take part in the events, typically designed for groups of two. Most events run in 50-minute blocks, so students and teachers must plan strategically for which events each group will compete in, as it will take a coordinated effort by all 15 to attend every event. Overall placement in the competition is determined by a cumulative total of the scores from each individual event. Winners are granted the opportunity to participate at the state-wide competition later in the year.

http://www.k12science.missouristate.edu/Science_Olympiad/getting_started.htm