Frequently asked questions
As a teacher, what do I have to do?
Successful teams have to be motivated and resourceful. The teacher is just one possible facilitator and mentor. You don’t have to do the work: they do!
I’d recommend you start in spring (well before the Year 11 students get close to exam leave). Maybe start immediately after the practice exams by telling good students about the competition or demonstrating one of the problems to a good class.
The sort of students who will do well at this competition are the sort who will be intrigued by the problems and have the tenacity to find out more from the web and get other students involved. They may also be motivated by the prospect of a trip to Almaty! You may like to invite students who are both good at science and resourceful to compete.
What happens then depends on your students and on how much time you have. If you have an interested nucleus of students you could suggest that they each take one question to work on over the summer, and agree to reconvene in early February, before school gets busy. From early Feb it is good if you can offer them use of a lab and access to equipment on, at least, a weekly basis. Supervision, for safety reasons, would be necessary, but you could be doing something else while they got on with it! It will be helpful for the team if you give them constructive criticism.
It generally falls to the teacher to enter the team and organise payment of the fee. We expect a teacher to accompany the team to the competition. If possible we would appreciate a teacher who can act as a jury member on the day.
What if I don’t know the answers?
The questions have been carefully chosen so that you can’t find the answers out of known resources. For most of the problems no-one knows answers! A good solution involves application of science theory and practical experimentation.
What if a team gets outside help?
That is all part of being resourceful. In a Science Fight the team must present a solution to the problem and then defend it. If they don’t understand the solution they have just presented, or if they didn’t do the experimental work themselves, this is painfully obvious to the judges and the team will do badly. It is up to the team to make sure that they completely understand and can defend everything they present. Getting outside help – from books, the internet, advice from experts, loan of equipment and facilities – its all part of getting a solution and it is all permitted.
What if my team faces a top team in the first round?
Teams that face good opponents often score well in that same fight. Having good physics to question or defend brings out the best in both teams. In a good fight both presenters and opponents score highly.
Who can compete?
Any school students aged 16 or under for the entire year of the tournament can take part. Mostly students are Year 11 or 12 in the Year of the competition, but some are Year 10.
Isn’t this a competition just for the occasional genius?
No, this is a competition which prizes resourcefulness, communication and scientific inquiry. Being brilliant at science, alone, won’t win a science fight. The need for team work and problem-solving skills mean that any student who takes part will learn a great deal. Most of the problems for the NZ fights are accessible on many levels.