Road Scholar B

[laneyoung]

The bigger issue right now in IL seems to be less the road maps than getting properly sized USGS Topo maps for a reasonable cost. You can print out your own but they either come out small or the ES ends up having to tape together pieces. I had never heard of a state demanding teams bring their own road maps, but can understand that decision (even if I disagree).

[Shanta]

How is everyone else studying? I'm not sure where to start (as for a lot of events) anyone have any tips?

[Shanta]

Do you know any good places to find out info about satellite images? Last year I had a question about it and had no clue how to do it.

brayden box
personally I think the USGS satellite images are ok
google earth is ok too
but u cant really print those so...
here
this is usgs:
http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod/aerial.html#satellite

[brayden box]

Thanks

[mjjbv]

Does anyone know how to determine population by just looking at a State Map? Was on two invitational tests, and about to go to regionals. Just wanted to know so I can edit my notes before we go.

[Fanglin]

You can often tell by the size of the font, the type of "dot" marking the city/town, or sometimes the population can be found in the Index, besides the town's name. These three are the most common, and any map is probably gonna have one of those methods.

[brayden box]

How is everyone else studying? I'm not sure where to start (as for a lot of events) anyone have any tips?

One of the best ways to study is to print or buy topographic maps and get road maps, take tests on them (test exchange), have your coach grade them and then correct your answers and do it again. Also, write your own study sheet, and use this https://www.soinc.org/sites/default/fil ... ymbols.pdf on your study sheet. It will really help with map drawing.

[Fanglin]

How is everyone else studying? I'm not sure where to start (as for a lot of events) anyone have any tips?

One of the best ways to study is to print or buy topographic maps and get road maps, take tests on them (test exchange), have your coach grade them and then correct your answers and do it again. Also, write your own study sheet, and use this https://www.soinc.org/sites/default/fil ... ymbols.pdf on your study sheet. It will really help with map drawing.

Yeah, practice tests are definitely the way to go in this event. RS is not all about memorizing information like certain other events, but it is more of an application of what you have learned. Since you can bring a whole binder to the competition, just cram it with all sorts of keys, definitions, conversions, and any other things that you can find. I have a 30 page USGS packet in my binder which explains everything, which you can find somewhere in the USGS site.

[Fanglin]

Another really good strategy for studying and competition, is to divide and conquer depending on your strengths and weaknesses. Since you have a partner, I would have one person do all the topo maps, and have them get really good at them, while the other person works really hard to get good at the Road map, and profile/map drawing (the road map part is usually shorter than the topo part) This is obviously better than have each person spend their studying time on all aspects of RS

[vikch]

Hey I still don't understand how the PLSS part of the test could someone explain that to me?