Sample Questions & Study Resources

Below you’ll find resources to help you prepare for competition in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl.

Sample Questions

To prepare for competition, review these sample buzzer and team challenge questions from previous regional and Finals competitions. For the buzzer questions, you will find examples of easy, moderate, and difficult questions within each category. Also included in the sample buzzer questions are questions specifically about the competition. These questions are meant to aid students in learning the rules of the game.

These sample questions are provided to you as a guide for the level of difficulty for which students should be prepared. These questions should NOT be used as a substitute for studying and preparing for the competition. Please see Team Information for preparation suggestions.

Please note, ALL competition questions are the property of the NOSB national office and cannot be released by anyone other than the national office staff.

Study Resources

These study resources are provided to help you and your team prepare for competition. These resources will guide you through general ocean science information, lesson plans, and recent research and exciting findings. The NOSB and Ocean Leadership also have marine policy resources to help teams complete their Science Expert Briefings. New resources are added regularly, so please check back from time to time for the latest.