The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is an academic competition and program that addresses a national gap in environmental and earth sciences in public education by introducing high school students to and engaging them in ocean science, preparing them for ocean science-related and other STEM careers, and helping them become knowledgeable citizens and environmental stewards.

The NOSB’s focus on ocean science education is important. Humans rely on a healthy ocean for oxygen, resources, jobs, and more. Our future leaders must be knowledgeable about ocean issues. With a solid knowledge of ocean science, high school students have an increased ability to understand global climate and weather, ecosystem health, sustainability and resource conservation. In preparing for—and competing in—the NOSB, students learn basic scientific principles and apply them to more complex scientific and societal problems, thereby providing a richer STEM education. They also gain exposure to and preparation for careers within and related to ocean science or STEM, which, in turn, supports the application of better solutions, identifying needs and gaps and meeting new technological requirements in their high school, college and professional careers.

The ocean is an ideal interdisciplinary teaching tool for science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM) that puts study in a real-world context. Working in the ocean environment poses challenges that push the innovation, engineering, and technology development needed in our workforce. But ocean science is not a course generally offered at the high school level. The NOSB is one of the only ways students gain exposure to all of ocean science and related careers as they are beginning to chart their course in life.

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is a timed competition for teams of high school students involving critical thought questions and "rapid memory recall" responses via a "lock-out" responder system. Question topics cover the biology, physics, geology, and chemistry of the oceans, as well as related geography, technology, history, policy, and current events. Teams of students compete in a regional tournament (bowl) style competition to see which team can answer the most questions correctly in each match. By winning round robin or preliminary matches, teams proceed to elimination rounds. The top team from each regional competition is invited to the national Finals competition. While the competition serves as the core of the program and provides the basis for science learning, other program-related initiatives include hands-on and experiential field and award trips for students, professional development for teachers, and opportunities for students to build personal connections with ocean science professionals.  

There are three types of questions in the competition: toss-up (multiple choice), bonus (short answer), and Team Challenge Questions (worksheets). Teams are scored based on the number of correct toss-up and bonus questions answered by individual players during each match. Teams also earn points by collaboratively answering Team Challenge Questions which may include analyzing data, graphs, or plots. Specific scoring criteria based on the types of questions can be found on the NOSB website. The national Finals competition includes a scored component (both written and oral) called the Science Expert Briefing (SEB). The SEB is a mock congressional briefing for which teams are assigned a piece of ocean-related legislation. Team members must identify community, economic and scientific impacts of the specific legislation, as well as current data gaps and potential needs in research, development and capacity from the perspective of one of the following five stakeholder groups: federal agency, state agency, academia, non-government organization and industry.

Website: http://nosb.org/

Managing Organization: Consortium for Ocean Leadership

Contact:

mbrodeur@oceanleadership.org

Eligibility:
Each competing team consists of four or five student members and a coach. Students in grades 9-12 and enrolled in high schools and informal education organizations (such as Girl Scouts), or are home-schooled, can compete at the regional level with up to two teams per school or organization per year. Regional bowls may charge a maximum of $300 per team for registration, though many do not charge a fee at all. There is no cost for teams who advance to the national Finals competition.

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is an academic competition and program that addresses a national gap in environmental and earth sciences in public education by introducing high school students to and engaging them in ocean science, preparing them for ocean science-related and other STEM careers, and helping them become knowledgeable citizens and environmental stewards.

The NOSB’s focus on ocean science education is important. Humans rely on a healthy ocean for oxygen, resources, jobs, and more. Our future leaders must be knowledgeable about ocean issues. With a solid knowledge of ocean science, high school students have an increased ability to understand global climate and weather, ecosystem health, sustainability and resource conservation. In preparing for—and competing in—the NOSB, students learn basic scientific principles and apply them to more complex scientific and societal problems, thereby providing a richer STEM education. They also gain exposure to and preparation for careers within and related to ocean science or STEM, which, in turn, supports the application of better solutions, identifying needs and gaps and meeting new technological requirements in their high school, college and professional careers.

The ocean is an ideal interdisciplinary teaching tool for science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM) that puts study in a real-world context. Working in the ocean environment poses challenges that push the innovation, engineering, and technology development needed in our workforce. But ocean science is not a course generally offered at the high school level. The NOSB is one of the only ways students gain exposure to all of ocean science and related careers as they are beginning to chart their course in life.

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is a timed competition for teams of high school students involving critical thought questions and "rapid memory recall" responses via a "lock-out" responder system. Question topics cover the biology, physics, geology, and chemistry of the oceans, as well as related geography, technology, history, policy, and current events. Teams of students compete in a regional tournament (bowl) style competition to see which team can answer the most questions correctly in each match. By winning round robin or preliminary matches, teams proceed to elimination rounds. The top team from each regional competition is invited to the national Finals competition. While the competition serves as the core of the program and provides the basis for science learning, other program-related initiatives include hands-on and experiential field and award trips for students, professional development for teachers, and opportunities for students to build personal connections with ocean science professionals.  

There are three types of questions in the competition: toss-up (multiple choice), bonus (short answer), and Team Challenge Questions (worksheets). Teams are scored based on the number of correct toss-up and bonus questions answered by individual players during each match. Teams also earn points by collaboratively answering Team Challenge Questions which may include analyzing data, graphs, or plots. Specific scoring criteria based on the types of questions can be found on the NOSB website. The national Finals competition includes a scored component (both written and oral) called the Science Expert Briefing (SEB). The SEB is a mock congressional briefing for which teams are assigned a piece of ocean-related legislation. Team members must identify community, economic and scientific impacts of the specific legislation, as well as current data gaps and potential needs in research, development and capacity from the perspective of one of the following five stakeholder groups: federal agency, state agency, academia, non-government organization and industry.

Website: http://nosb.org/

Managing Organization: Consortium for Ocean Leadership

Contact:

mbrodeur@oceanleadership.org

Eligibility:
Each competing team consists of four or five student members and a coach. Students in grades 9-12 and enrolled in high schools and informal education organizations (such as Girl Scouts), or are home-schooled, can compete at the regional level with up to two teams per school or organization per year. Regional bowls may charge a maximum of $300 per team for registration, though many do not charge a fee at all. There is no cost for teams who advance to the national Finals competition.