Download 3. BASIC TASKS OF THE CO-OBA. It is the CO/OBA`s responsibility

VII BRAZILIAN ASTRONOMY OLYMPIAD (VII OBA) - RULES*
1. OBA The OBA is organized by the Brazilian Astronomical Society (SAB) and it takes place annually among students from all
grades of Primary and Secondary Schools throughout the national territory. At the end of this process, a team is selected to represent
Brazil in the corresponding International Astronomy Olympiad. By mobilizing students, teachers, pedagogic coordinators, principals,
parents and schools, planetariums, municipal e private observatories, science museums and centers, astronomy associations and clubs,
professional and amateur astronomers in a national movement, the aim of the OBA is to stimulate the interest of young people in
astronomy and promote the diffusion of basic knowledge in a playful and cooperative way.
2. OBA ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (CO/OBA).
The SAB delegates to its Education Committee (CESAB) the
responsibility of organizing the OBA. The Brazilian Astronomy Olympiad Organizing Committee (CO-OBA) was created to organize
and coordinate the OBA.
3. BASIC TASKS OF THE CO-OBA.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
It is the CO/OBA’s responsibility:
To define the actions, to make the organization chart and the chronogram of the OBA in national extent;
To make all the decisions that concern the organization of the OBA in national extent;
To register the teachers who will be represent the OBA in their respective schools;
To make and distribute circulars with instructions, tests, test keys, information and didactic materials (when available) to the
representative teachers of the OBA within reasonable time.
To look for sponsors and institutional support;
To exclusively represent Brazil before the International Astronomy Olympiad, organized by the Euro-Asian Astronomical
Society, and any other national and international organization who deal with matters related to the OBA.
4. BASIC TASKS OF REPRESENTATIVE TEACHERS OF THE OBA.
The basic tasks of representative teachers of the OBA are:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
To search for assistants and form a team to share tasks under his/her coordination;
To spread information about the Olympiad in schools of his/her region, when requested to do so;
To spread information about the OBA among the students of his/her school;
To coordinate the registration of students of his/her school;
To receive the tests from the CO-OBA and photocopy them according to the number of registered students;
To maintain the secrecy of the tests, to distribute, collect, correct and send them to the CO-OBA;
To provide didactic assistance to school’s teachers, when possible;
To organize the award ceremony for the participating students.
5. TESTS.
a)
b)
c)
d)
The tests are separated in four different levels:
Level 1: intended for students regularly enrolled from 1st to 2nd grades of Primary School. Test duration: 2 hours;
Level 2: intended for students regularly enrolled from 3rd to 4th grades of Primary School. Test duration: 2 hours;
Level 3: intended for students regularly enrolled from 5 th to 8th grades of Primary School. Test duration: 2 hours;
Level 4: intended for students regularly enrolled in any grade of Secondary School, or for those who graduated less than two
years before the test date of the OBA and are not currently enrolled in any institution of higher education. Test duration: 3 hours.
6. PARTICIPANTS.
Students from Primary and Secondary Schools in Brazil, regularly enrolled in such institutions,
and students who graduated from Secondary school in the last two years and are not currently enrolled in any institution of higher
education until the date of the test are allowed to participate. There are no restrictions on the minimum or maximum number of
participating students per school. If the school a student attends is not registered to participate in the OBA, the student can take the
test in another registered school or institution. The registering of students is the responsibility of the representative teacher. Students
will be allowed to use black or colored pencils, erasers, rulers and pens during the test. Students will not be allowed to consult
materials or people or to use calculators.
7. TEST’ S SUPERVISORS.
The test will be given to the were previously registered by the representative teachers of
the OBA. The supervisors must maintain the secrecy of the test, comply with the instructions and deadlines of the CO-OBA, and
observe basic ethical principles.
8. TEST’S PLACES.
Testing will take place in the supervisor’s institution. In order for this to happen, the teacher will
need to reserve a classroom in advance with the school principal and make certain that there are not other events on the same date.
9. TEST’S CONTENTS.
The tests’ questions preferentially aim to give correct and up-to-date information to students rather
than extract information from them. The tests will be compatible with the contents found in most didactic books of Primary and
Secondary schools. The tests’ contents in every one of the levels will be:
*
The translation of this rules was done by Bruno Lopes L’Astorina de Andrade and Camila Batista Canalle
Level 1: (1st to 2nd grades). Earth: origin, internal structure, shape, changes on its surface, tides, atmosphere, rotation, poles,
equator, cardinal points, compass, day and night. Moon: Moon’s phases, month and eclipses. Sun: Earth’s revolving movement,
year, seasons. Solar System’s objects.
b) Level 2: (3rd to 4th grades). Earth: origin, internal structure, shape, changes on its surface, tides, atmosphere, rotation, poles,
equator, cardinal points, compass, day and night, hours and time zones. Moon: Moon’s phases, month and eclipses. Sun: Earth’s
revolving movement, ecliptic, year, seasons. Solar System’s objects, galaxies, stars, light year, origin of the Universe, geometric
optics, dark chamber, reflection, refraction, artificial satellites and Astronomy’s history.
c) Level 3: (5th to 8th grades). In addition to the contents of level 2: Earth: rotation, cardinal points, geographic coordinates, seasons,
tides, solstice, equinox, thermal zones, daylight savings time. Solar System: description, origin, Earth as a planet. Celestial
bodies: planets, satellites, asteroids, comets, stars, galaxies. Origin and development of Astronomy. The conquering of space.
Origin of the Universe. Physical and chemical phenomena: chemical elements and their origin. Gravitation: gravitational force
and weight. Astronomical Unit, light year, light month, light day and light second.
d) Level 4: (Secondary School). In addition to the contents of level 3: Universal Gravitation Law, Kepler’s laws, Hubble’s law,
Astronomy’s history, electromagnetic spectrum, waves, wavelength, frequency, propagation speed, Doppler Effect, heat,
magnetism, Earth’s magnetic field, solar spots, stellar evolution, final stages of stellar evolution (black holes, pulsars, white
dwarfs), origin of the Solar System and of the Universe.
a)
10. TESTS’ CORRECTION.
The tests will be corrected by the representative teacher of each school, based on a
detailed test key to be sent by the CO-OBA right after the test. The tests with the ten highest grades of each level must be sent to the
CO/OBA, immediately after their correction, and within the time limit stipulated by the CO/OBA. A list (layout to be distributed)
comprising the names of all participating students, their levels, birth dates, grades and the tests with the ten highest grades of each
level must be sent by the representative teachers to the CO-OBA by a pre-determined date, which is annually chosen and disclosed.
The remaining tests must be kept by the schools’ representative teachers for one year, when they can then be thrown away or be
returned to the respective students.
11. AWARDS.
a) National awarding: After receiving all the lists with the names and grades of the participants, the CO-OBA will make four
lists, in decreasing order, with the grades of the four levels. Certificates will be sent in October or November, or even before,
if possible, to all the participating students. About 5000 medals, among gold, silver and bronze ones will be distributed,
among the four levels, to the students with the highest grades. We strongly recommend that schools organize an award
ceremony with the presence of students, teachers, parents, authorities etc to hand over medals and certificates,.
b) School awarding: The school’s representative teacher and his/her assistant teachers, pedagogic coordinators and the school
principal will decide the date and the most convenient way to hand over certificates and medals they receive from the COOBA. If a school does not receive any medals, or receive only a few of them we recommend that the school purchase more
medals (any model) and perform an award ceremony for the participating students.
c) Certificates to teachers: The school’s representative teacher, his/her assistants and the school principal will receive
certificates of participation from the CO-OBA.
12. SELECTION FOR THE BRAZILIAN INTERNATIONAL TEAM.
The CO-OBA will select the members of the
Brazilian Team, respecting the rules stipulated by the International Astronomy Olympiad. The Brazilian team’s participation in the
International Olympiad is conditional on the availability of financial resources for that purpose.
13. COSTS.
No fees will be charged from schools or students who want to participate in the OBA. Marketing material, posters,
circulars, tests and test keys are totally free, as is their mailing. However, packages containing medals, certificates for students,
teachers and principals, and gifts (in 2003 we sent CDs, diskettes, astronomy articles, magazines, folders, etc) will be sent via “snail
mail” with previous payment of the shipping charge only. Each school will be previously informed as to how much the shipping of
its package will be. If we have sufficient sponsorship, even the shipment of the package will be free. Shipping charges (valid on
September 17th, 2003) for packages weighing up to one kilogram sent from Rio de Janeiro via “snail mail” are as follows: to RJ
(capital): R$ 5.50; RJ (other areas): R$ 6.00; ES, MG, SP (capitals): R$ 6.00; ES, MG, SP (other areas): R$ 6.50; DF, GO, PR, SC
(Capitals): R$ 7.00; DF, GO, PR, SC (other areas): R$ 7.50; BA, MS, RS, SE (Capitals): R$ 7.50; BA, MS, RS, SE (other areas): R$
8.00; AL, MT, PE, TO (Capitals): R$ 8.00; AL, MT, PE, TO (other areas): R$ 8.50; CE, MA, PB, PI, RN (Capitals): R$ 8.50; CE,
MA, PB, PI, RN (other areas): R$ 9.00; AP, PA, RO (Capitals): R$ 9.00; AP, PA, RO (other areas): R$ 9.50; AM (Capital): R$ 9.50;
AM (other areas): R$ 10.00; AC e RR (Capitals): R$ 10.50 e AC e RR (other areas): R$ 11.00. In addition to the shipping charges
listed above, the post office will collect R$2,50 for the postal order. There is a slight increase in shipping charges to send packages
weighing up to 2 kilograms but, generally, the packages sent weigh less than 2 kg.
14. TRADEMARK.
The OBA trademark is property of the Brazilian Astronomical Society (SAB) and its use for
commercial purposes must be authorized in writing.
Brazilian Astronomy Olympiad Organizing Committee - CO/OBA
Committee of Astronomy Education of Brazilian Astronomical Society – CESAB