Dear Virginia Educators:
Each year, the invitation for Blue Crab Bowl opens in September. Visit again for information on upcoming dates and registration deadlines. Pre-registrations (Statements of Intent) for participation in Blue Crab Bowl will be accepted per the dates posted in the Fact Facts box.
The Blue Crab Bowl — Virginia’s regional competition leading to the National Ocean Science Bowl (NOSB®) — remains a popular way for high school science teachers to engage motivated students. The challenge of competition can stimulate and enrich student mastery of science in many marine-related subjects: biological, physical, chemical, earth and environmental sciences, marine engineering and technology, geography, maritime history, as well as current issues in marine research, economics and policy. Moreover, the team structure of the Bowl encourages cooperative learning and problem-solving. Watch a video that demonstrates aspects of a competition match and interviews students.
Blue Crab Bowl staff and volunteers at the Old Dominion University (ODU) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) encourage your participation. Sixteen teams will be selected by lottery to participate each year. Other teams will remain on the waiting list, in order of their lottery drawing.
If you are a high school teacher and haven’t considered coaching a team, please think about what this investment offers your students. Veteran coaches credit the National Ocean Sciences Bowl for sparking student interest in sciences and for helping to win administration support for courses in marine-related sciences and technology.
The next Blue Crab Bowl dates and location will be posted in the FAST FACTS box on the right. Download last year's Blue Crab Bowl event program in the Fast Facts sidebar to see who participated and get a feeling for the event.
If you need documentation to present to your school administration or other supporters, you can download a BCB flier or, see the most current event program for an overview of the event. NOSB’s extensive website has all the latest information about this national competition, its objectives and sponsoring agencies. Plus, NOSB offers resource lists and great tips on preparing a team for competition.
Feel free to share this information with science teachers at your school. If you have questions about BCB, don’t hesitate to contact us.
We look forward to working with you and your team!
Sincerely,
Blue Crab Bowl Coordinators
Bethany Smith (VIMS) & Bill Dunn (ODU)
Using an academic quiz bowl format, the Blue Crab Bowl tests competitors’ knowledge of the marine sciences. In each match, two teams of four students face off to earn points and wins. Using a buzzer system, competitors respond individually to rapid-fire multiple choice questions. They can collaborate on short answer questions and work cooperatively to produce written answers to complex analytical questions. Points are earned from three types of questions: toss-up questions, worth four points; bonus questions, worth six points; and team challenge questions, worth up to 20 points.
Sixteen teams begin competition in round-robin divisions; all proceed to elimination tournaments that determine which teams will enter the trophy rounds. These final rounds determine the top four placing winners. The first place team represents Virginia at the national competition.
Competition officials manage the matches, enforce rules and determine answer acceptability.
See the Game in a Crab Shell handout for more detail about questions, points, officials, timing, and competition structure.
Download the official NOSB rules, practice questions, study resources and more from the "Learn" page on the NOSB website.
There's More to NOSB Than Just the Competition!
The Center for Ocean Leadership is committed to providing exceptional opportunities for students and coaches participating in NOSB competitions. For more information visit the NOSB website.
Scholarships for Blue Crab Bowl students:
The NOSB's National Ocean Scholar Program (NOSP) is available to students interested in ocean and marine science.
NOSB and Ocean Science News - visit the NOSB website
Play the NOSB Online Ocean Sciences Quiz
Developed by MIT, this online version of NOSB competition lest you test your ocean science knowledge. A single person can play, or you can compete against a friend. Check it out!
Blue Crab Bowl 2024 Timeline
August 30, 2023: invitation opens for Pre-Registration (Statement of Intent).
November 2, 2023: last day to submit Pre-registration form. Participants will be selected by lottery.
November 6, 2023: Teams selected to compete are notified; waitlisted teams are notified.
December 15, 2023: Selected teams' complete registration forms.
February 2024:
Blue Crab Bowl
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
February 9-10, 2024Inclusive event times:
Friday TBD
Saturday TBD
There will be no team registration fee this year.
Who can compete in the Blue Crab Bowl?
Virginia* high schools and secondary level education organizations are eligible to compete.
*Public and private high schools in the following cities and counties near Washington, DC, should apply to the Chesapeake Bay Bowl: Alexandria; Annandale; Arlington; Ashburn; Falls Church; Leesburg; McLean; Sterling; and Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. Contact: Regional Coordinator
David Christopher at dmchrist@udel.edu or 302-645-4193.
A Blue Crab Bowl team consists of four competitors (a captain and three team mates), plus one alternate player and an adult coach. The coach must be a teacher, official or designate from the team’s school or an employee, official or designate with an education program that is sponsoring a team. The Coach of Record serves as the primary and official contact for the team in all communications with the Blue Crab Bowl/National Ocean Sciences Bowl.
Please review the Blue Crab Bowl complete policy on team composition, coach responsibilities and sportsmanship, as well as competitor behavioral expectations.
Team Participation ExpectationsWho else can attend?
Classmates, teachers and parents are encouraged to support their school team. There are, however, space limitations in some competition venues and activities. Space permitting, spectators are welcome in competition rooms, but special guidelines apply.
Please review the Blue Crab Bowl policy on event spectator participation and behavioral expectations.Click here for a list of the 2022 competing teams.
NOSB® offers
Visit the Bridge. Use the more powerful search function, the "Background Information" section and filter to locate resources for content preparation. DATA Series offer practice with data analysis skills.
Keep up with NOSB news and announcements via Facebook, Twitter & RSS feed
Track breaking news stories in the ocean sciences
Play the NOSB Online Ocean Sciences Quiz
Developed by MIT, this online version of NOSB competition lest you test your ocean science knowledge. A single person can play, or you can compete against a friend. Check it out!
BLUE CRAB BOWL 2024
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
February 9-10, 2024
Questions?
The Blue Crab Bowl wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of national, regional and local sponsors. Donations support the planning and implementation of the competition, as well as event awards for participating teams.
Want to help support this exciting science event?
Please, contact the Blue Crab Bowl Coordinators. We can use:
Where are you now?
The Blue Crab Bowl and NOSB would like to know if students who have participated in past bowl competitions have benefited from the experience, gone on to higher education or careers in ocean sciences. Just send us a note!
If you participated in a past Blue Crab Bowl, let us know what you're up to now.
If you spot the name or a photo of a classmate, former student or child in our archive files, let them know we'd like to reconnect with them!
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