Road Scholar Basics: Science Olympiad Event Guide

1. Road Scholar- Basics CeAnn Chalker ceann@chalker.org Brother Nigel Pratt bronigel@kellenberg.org

2. BASICS Assumes Road Scholar (& Science Olympiad) are a new experience • About the Event • Background • The Rules • Competition • Preparation & Practice • Picking a Team • Practice • Resources • What to Bring to a Competition

3. The 'Original' Science Olympiad Event • First Science Olympiad sponsor: US Army • One mandatory requirement: map-reading skills event • WW I and WW II experience: Americans were not very good at reading maps compared to Europeans • British damage control success during the ‘blitz’ due to detailed mapping/modeling • Combination of topographic and other map skills

4. The Rules • Two students • Students can bring: • Protractor • Ruler or other measuring devices • USGS Map Symbol Sheet • Hard copies of any other information • A non-programable, non-graphing calculator • (phones, laptops, tablets are not allowed) • Colored pencils • Equipment & Reference materials may be in: • A container • Three ring binder • File Folder • Box or similar item

5. The Rules • Multiple Maps - • Topographic maps • Highway maps • Internet maps • Satellite photos • Student –generated PLSS Township Map & Profile • Test usually are in story format; may be a list of questions • Typically 6-8 pages; 40-50 questions • Scored by points for right answers • Harder questions may have more value • Not based on time!

6. Concepts Key Concepts to be covered, ranked in the order of general mastery, based on Competition Statistics. • Identifying info from: • Satellite/Internet Maps • Highway Map • Topographic Map • Legends/Margin Information • PLSS – Public Land Survey System • Distance/Rate • Slope/Gradients • Map Drawing • Coordinates • Azimuth

7. Competition Statistics Data from 2008-11 Cinc/Piqua Regional & OH State Competitions Percent of questions answered correctly (blue) ‘Identify’ = identification of a feature, symbol, route, direction, location, etc. Common theme of weak areas: MATH!

8. Picking a Team of 2 Students • Common Options • Story Reader / Map Analyst • Work everything together • Split the test • Front / back half - popular; risk of story confusion & map contention • Roadmap / Topo • Speed run • Skip the hard, time-consuming questions • Risky with tiebreaking • Compatibility! Organization and Teamwork are vital

9. Science OlympiadRoad Scholar Coaches Handbook • Topo Maps • Marginal Info • Coordinates, Sectors • Symbols • Elevation, Control Data • Distances • Gradients • Directions • PLSS • Profiling • Highway Maps • Features and Symbols • Mileage • Appendices • Answers to questions • Sample Test Practice questions illustrating the concepts in each section/lesson Sample Topo & Hwy maps (1 ea.)

10. Practice Techniques • Experience + Study/Lecture • Past tests (usually you won’t have the Topo) • Go to USGS for free pdf of all topos • Use alumni • Real world comparison to the map/model • Local maps, features • Orienteering • Plotting family trips

11. Other Exercises Besides practice tests… • Topographic drills • Contours • Measuring distance • Symbol flashcards • Locate an actual USGS benchmark

12. Planemetric Road Map Tips • Four ways to measure distance • Mileage grid between population centers (fast for bigger cities) • Ruler/string and the map scale (must for non-road distance) • Add road miles between marked points (must for smaller towns, etc.) • Difference in controlled access highway exit numbers (select states) • Read the test! Road distance or straight line • Be specific! • Interstate, US, State, County highways • Amplify answers w/units, exact names if required (read the question) • Use the information available on the maps! • City insets • Location indices and the map grid • Legends (learn common symbols but verify on the map in use)

13. Topographic Map Tips Heart of the event – mapping/modeling the physical world • Understand ‘Up’ & ‘Down’ • Contour lines • ‘V’s of stream valleys From a USMC training manual

14. Topographic Map Tips Symbols - they’re standard; practice & learn them for speed • Download the Topographic Map Symbols sheet from www.USGS.gov • Every student needs a copy and should bring it to the event Margin Information – Top & Bottom of Map

15. Topographic Map Tips • Students Remember • To include units in answers (mi, ft, km, etc.) • all coordinates are “N” and “W” • Coaches Remember • Use the USGS on-line for: • Maps to see terrain variety for no cost • Teaching resources

16. Public Land Survey System (PLSS) States & territories incorporated after 1785 (excl TX, HI) “Initial Point” was the intersection of the Ohio River and the PA western border

17. PLSS • Replaced the ‘metes and bounds’ system • Ohio territory was the proving ground (‘Seven Ranges’) • Keyed from 31 principal meridians and base lines in the contiguous USA

18. Townships 6 x 6 mi squares North/South of base line (T) for Tier or Township East/West of meridian (R) for Range Sections 1 sq mile Boustrophedonicsequencing 640 acres (16 forty acre lots) Reverse reference: the star is in 'SE ¼, NE ¼, Sect 13' PLSS

19. What to Bring to Competitions • Topo Map Symbol Key • Calculator • Ruler (metric) see through are the best • Protractor • Topo Map Protractor • String • Optional, helpful • Colored pencils • Magnifying glass • Notes on slope, azimuth, declination, etc.

20. Protractors • Protractors • C-Thru Rose Compass w/arm • www.guirys.com/c-thru-protractors • Topo Map Protractor • UTM Coordinate Scale

21. Road Scholar- Advanced

22. ROAD SCHOLAR ADVANCED Assumes you have experience with Road Scholar • Profiles & Map Drawing • Slope & Gradient • UTM • Satellite Photos/Internet Maps • Competition Techniques • Other Resources • Discussion

23. Student Drawings • Maps • Read the directions! • If time permits, read it through before constructing • Get an idea of how much ‘stuff’ vs. space available • Practice drawing decent symbols: not too big (filling a square) or too small (illegible) • Remember ‘Small to Large’ notation • Pond in the drawing at the right is in the center of SW ¼, NE ¼ • If the test explains how many points are at stake, evaluate the time required vs. the potential reward • Note the potential requirement to use color - pack a few colored pencils (red, blue, green, brown, besides basic grey/black)

24. Stream woods contour 120' contour 130' Student Drawings • Profiles • Two common methods: • Make a list (12 mm: stream / 14-18mm: woods / 22 mm: contour = 120‘ / etc.) • Scrap paper ruler (don't start at an edge for easier measuring) • Annotate each symbol/feature crossed at the specific distance • On the answer grid, leave a contour line above and below the extreme points to be graphed • Assess the horizontal scale difference between map and graph space • Transfer the points to the profile graph (multiplying for scale) • Okay to provide natural curves – just intercept the elevation lines at the right spot (mark the dots, connect the dots); some judges may want hilltops not ‘mesas’, and stream channels.

25. Stream woods contour 120' contour 130' Student Drawings • Profiles

26. Topo Map Tips Positive or Negative (uphill or downhill) • Gradient vs. Slope • Coordinates • Latitude before Longitude (A before O) • As long as it’s the US: it’s always North and West • Features/Symbols • Precision! 3rd order benchmark vs. control marker Smith State Park vs. park • Contour interval – look at the legend! – don’t assume, especially if the test has more than one topo map Put the N and W on the answer sheet

27. Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) • Simplifies map use within a limited area by treating the surface of the Earth as flat (no degrees-minutes-seconds) • 60 north-south zones, each = 6o of longitude, starting at 180o and progressing eastward • Center line of each zone = 500,000 m easting (positions to the west < 500k, to the east > 500k) • Equator assigned a value of 10,000,000 m so all locations on the globe have a positive value • UTM grid shown on USGS topo maps at 1000 m intervals • Points are identified by their distances north and east (notes and practice including on website)

28. UTM 24 Horizontal Zones • no “I” or “O” • A/B south of 80oS • Y/Z north of 84oN • X = 12o of latitude • Others = 8o 60 Vertical Zones (~ 6o Longitude)

29. UTM

30. Satellite Photos/Internet Maps • Identify features from photos similar to below • Be able to interpret different types of scales to determine distances • Be able to identify the time of day by the features on the photos in the image

31. Internet Maps • Road travel between points

32. Internet Map Symbols • Internet Map symbols • (found on Google)

33. Competition Techniques • Pawns, wire nuts, sticky arrows • Keep track of position(s) on a map • Facilitate point-to-point measurement • Don’t let it become a distraction • Sector Overlays • Clear transparency with a 2.5’ lat x 2.5’ long grid of 30” and/or 10” lines • Faster location of coordinates • Risk: variance in width of degrees of longitude from north to south (multiple sheets or approximate) • UTM km grids (100 m units) • Constant for USGS 7.5 min series (…unless topo maps are printed to a different scale)

34. More Resources • Maps • Highway: AAA, state DOT’s, atlases, internet • Topo: Local Colleges/Universities, architectural firms, travel software or books (library), local gov’t civil engineering depts. • Tests • Tufts University – many good sample tests • www.tufts.edu/as/wright_center/products/sci_olympiad/sci_olympiad_road_scholar.html • Invitationals • More Internet Map-Reading Tutorials and Aids • Idaho State Univ - topo tutorial; declination, other concepts • http://geology.isu.edu/geostac/Field_Exercise/topomaps/topo_map.htm • Others: • http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=SOC5102 • http://www.virginiawind.com/tips/map_reading.asp • http://www1.excite.com/home/info/learn2/tutorials_qa_overview/0,14899,travel_452_0,00.html • http://www.treadlightly.org/page.php/news-featuredarticle/Featured-Article.html?i=14&gclid=CK3q7uykzqQCFYbD7QodYSvvCA

35. Resources • S.O. website www.soinc.org • USGS Topo Maps - download for free (plot as ANSI D) • http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/usgs/maplocator/(xcm=r3standardpitrex_prd&layout=6_1_61_48&uiarea=2&ctype=areaDetails&carea=%24ROOT)/.do • http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/usgs/maplocator • USGS Topo Map Symbols • http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/symbols • USGS Fact Sheets • Examples: UTM, National Map (in clinic materials) • Other Government sites: • http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.cfm

36. Questions