Science Bowl Preparation

Inspiration

While we were studying for the National Science Bowl, we needed a simple and efficient way to study science questions quickly and target our weaknesses to improve on. We scoured the web but we couldn't find the all-in-one tool we were looking for. So we experienced slower progress because of this. Because the theme of this hackathon is education, we decided it would be perfect to revisit this old idea. So we gathered our coding knowledge and got to work.

What it does

Through our program, you can pick what subject you want to work on (ex. Life Science, Math, Earth Science, etc,). Then, it will give you a science problem from that category for efficient studying. Once you want to switch subjects, you can simply press on a different category to improve in that area. There is also a quiz mode, where you can test yourself on all subjects for an all-around skill test.

How we built it

We decided to use python's Tkinter library for a visual experience rather than text-based. This way, it is easier to select modes and test yourself on the target material. This makes studying quick and productive.

Challenges we ran into

First, we tried to take on a bigger challenge than time permitted and had to decide what to remove and keep for optimum functionality. Some of the technical problems were the use of text boxes and window pop-up. We didn't let these technical challenges stop us and we persevered through the challenges. This hard work payed off in the end.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We made a fully-functional user interface for science bowl preparation. This was a giant leap from the text-based interface of repl.com. We are proud of the project we created and learned so much from coding it.

What we learned

From coding a hands-on project, we learned so much. We expanded our knowledge about tkinter and visual python. We learned about text boxes, pop-up windows, labels, entry fields, and grid positioning. The best way to learn is through experience from hands-on projects.

What's next for Science Bowl Preparation

We will add a new section for the high school Science Bowl, as it is much more difficult than the middle school level. We will also add more tests and exercises to add more variety.