YEARLY MATH AND SCIENCE OLYMPIAD EQUALS FUN, LEARNING FOR KIDS.Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer Amanda Kwok was a sixth-grader at Madera Elementary School elementary school: see school. when she first discovered physics - a concept she found "fun" after learning how parallel and series circuits played a part in electricity. "I learned a lot," said Kwok, 17, who remembers participating in a math and science olympiad Science olympiad may refer to:
Now a physics student at Royal High School, Kwok spent most of her afternoon Thursday teaching younger students math and science concepts during the district's 10th annual math and science olympiad. About 350 students - all third- through sixth-graders from Simi's 19 elementary schools - gathered at Royal High, where nearly 100 teachers coached their students through the day's activities. The olympiad is an academic tournament that elementary students prepare for during the school year, school officials said. Events are chosen to challenge and intrigue, so that science and math will be viewed not merely as repetitive skills, but more as dynamic learning experiences. The goal is to create enthusiasm for science and math. The events focus on teamwork and cooperation. Rather than focus on competition, the emphasis is on participation and having fun. "It's a celebration of math and science, and what it means to our lives," said Kay Barker, a third-grade teacher at Simi Elementary School. Barker and her husband, Keith, coordinated this year's event. The idea for the olympiad originated 10 years ago when a group of teachers wanted to spearhead a districtwide event that was similar to science fairs in the past. "We noticed that there was too much parental involvement during science fairs," said Keith Barker Keith Barker (born October 21, 1986 in Accrington, England) is a professional football striker, who plays for St Patrick's Athletic. Barker joined the Irish side in July 2007 after being released by Blackburn Rovers. Keith was born in Accrington to Caribbean parents. , a physics teacher at Royal High. "Sometimes, there were only between 50 and 60 students at one science fair. There's 350 at the olympiad today. During the day's activities, students discovered different concepts of geometry, volume and logic. Clinking clink 1 intr. & tr.v. clinked, clink·ing, clinks To make or cause to make a light, sharp ringing sound: clinked their wineglasses together in a toast. n. several jars filled with different volumes of water, the youngsters learned the concept of resonance as they played various melodies. Using an ordinary piece of string attached to a small ball bearing, the students discovered how a pendulum works. "It's really cool," said Dalton Taylor, a third-grader from Santa Susana Santa Susana can refer to several places:
Dalton's teammate, Elizabeth Mowery, was slightly put off by the dried blood on the bones. "It's disgusting," the 8-year-old noted, "but it's fun to work with them once you get used to it." In addition to activities, a display of replica dinosaur fossils was set up by the Valley View Science Museum. Royal High School's physics students also participated by setting up different scientific demonstrations. "They understand a demonstration much better than they would from reading it in a book," said John Bliss John Bliss is known for playing the role of the 8th Grade Social Studies teacher and former Principal Irving Pal on Ned's Declassified. He was also seen in the first episode of Out of Jimmy's Head. , 17, who gave resonance demonstrations to teach the youngsters how a radio works. CAPTION(S): PHOTO Photo (Color) Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. pupils participate in a compass exercise at the 10th annual math and science event held at Royal High on Thursday. Michael Owen
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