Resources · Syllabus & Seven-Track Topics — YUSY Science+ · Greater Bay Area Youth Earth Science Contest

Syllabus

Seven Science Domains · Highlights

The knowledge framework spans seven Earth-science research domains. Expand each for a summary of its scope.

1 · Geology

Solid-Earth fundamentals (seismic waves & layered structure, composition and identification of crust, minerals and rocks, geologic time and index fossils); internal geological processes (tectonics, magmatism, metamorphism, earthquakes); external processes (weathering, rivers, oceans, lakes, glaciers and landforms, fossil formation); specimen identification, map reading, and basic field skills.

2 · Solid-Earth Geophysics

Surface heat flow and the Earth's internal temperature, gravity and geomagnetic fields, and paleomagnetism; seismology basics — wave propagation, source mechanisms, seismic evidence for the Earth's interior, seismic hazard and intensity.

3 · Earth & the Solar System

Earth's place in the universe (celestial coordinates, equator and ecliptic, phenomena and calendars); energy balance and tides in the Sun–Earth–Moon system; formation and evolution of the Earth and Solar System; telescopes and basic astronomical observation (magnitude, parallax, resolution).

4 · Atmospheric Physics & Meteorology

Atmospheric structure and composition, radiation and energy budget, clouds and aerosols, the boundary layer and observation; weather systems (frontal cyclones, typhoons, jets), weather-map and satellite-image reading, severe weather; the climate system and its natural and human-driven changes (ENSO, global warming, paleoclimate).

5 · Oceanography

Concepts of oceans and seas, physical and chemical properties of seawater, heat and water balance of the world ocean, ocean circulation, waves and tides, ocean acidification and air–sea interaction.

6 · Environmental Science

Composition of the four environmental components — atmosphere, water, soil and biosphere; human impact on each; air / water / soil pollution, its hazards and mitigation.

7 · Remote Sensing & Earth Observation

Electromagnetic radiation and atmospheric windows, spectral signatures of surfaces; satellite / aerial / drone platforms and sensors; visual interpretation of imagery (land-cover types, geologic landforms); imagery data processing — radiometric and geometric correction, enhancement and classification.

Note: the full, current syllabus is published on the official WeChat account "湾区青少年地球科学知识竞赛". The Primary Division is assessed on the foundational parts of the above.

Track Topics

Seven Tracks · Mapped to the Syllabus

The preliminary picks one of five subject tracks; the final picks one of two stream tracks. Their mapping to syllabus domains is below.

Track	Stage	Core topics	Syllabus domain
S1 Earth Ecology	Preliminary	Ecosystems, organisms & environment, natural resources, conservation, biodiversity	Environmental science · biosphere
S2 Geology & Paleontology	Preliminary	Rocks & minerals, soil, Earth's interior, volcanoes & earthquakes, fossils & evolution	Geology
S3 Cosmos & Sky	Preliminary	Solar system, Earth's rotation & revolution, Moon & phases, constellations, space	Earth & Solar System
S4 Plants & Insects	Preliminary	Plant organs, photosynthesis, reproduction; insect traits, metamorphosis, pollination	Biology · ecology
S5 Birds	Preliminary	Shared bird traits, beak & diet, migration, common-bird ID, conservation	Biology · ecology
S6 Geophysics	Final · 1 of 2	Forces & motion, seismic waves & early warning, magnetic field & compass, energy	Solid-earth geophysics
S7 Geochemistry	Final · 1 of 2	Elements & molecules, rock weathering, dissolution & solutions, soil acidity & pH	Geology · environmental chemistry

Core Skill

Data Processing & AI Data Analysis

Data processing is a universal Earth-science skill that runs through remote sensing, the atmosphere and the oceans — and is central to the contest's AI scenarios (CBT) and the final's "AI data analysis" questions.

📊 The data skills you'll need

From "reading the data" to "drawing conclusions from it" — the contest assesses how students read, organize and analyze data in real Earth-science scenarios, with AI tools as an aid.

Reading charts & graphs Interpreting data tables Comparing & interpreting satellite / remote-sensing imagery Basic statistics & trends Spotting anomalies & patterns AI-assisted data analysis

🛰️

Imagery processing

Compare, interpret and lightly enhance / classify satellite and drone imagery to identify water, vegetation, soil and geologic landforms.

📈

Chart & data analysis

Read tables and curves of meteorological, oceanographic and seismic data; summarize patterns and judge trends and anomalies.

🤖

AI data analysis

Use AI tools for data analysis and decisions in scenarios like seismic early-warning, water-quality monitoring and mineral composition (a focus of the final's Round 2).

Past Samples

Sample Walkthroughs · On Our Video Channel

Want to see past sample papers and how to approach them? Follow our official video channel for video walkthroughs of past sample papers, updated regularly.

📺 Video channel "盖亚和田小野"

Search "盖亚和田小野" in the WeChat Channels (视频号) to watch video walkthroughs of past sample papers and key prep tips; the latest samples, syllabus and notices are posted there too. You can also follow the WeChat account "湾区青少年地球科学知识竞赛".

How to Prepare

Preparation Tips

Does the Primary Division need the whole syllabus?

No. The Primary Division focuses on fundamentals and everyday application. Focus on the syllabus domain of your chosen preliminary track (one of five) — basic concepts and reading charts / identifying things is enough; then do basic prep for Geophysics / Geochemistry (one of two) for the final.

How do I practice data processing and chart reading?

Study charts, satellite / remote-sensing imagery and data tables, and practice "finding information in a figure and drawing conclusions from data." CBT embeds AI virtual scenarios; the paper version mirrors them with static images / data tables. Practicing with the sample papers is enough.

How can I see sample papers?

Follow the official video channel "盖亚和田小野" — video walkthroughs of past sample papers are updated regularly to help you learn the question styles and approaches. Free online training is also offered before the final.

Where can I get the latest syllabus and notices?

All the latest syllabi, samples and notices are published via the official WeChat account "湾区青少年地球科学知识竞赛", with the video channel "盖亚和田小野" as well.

Know the tracks, then prepare

Pick your preliminary track first, then prepare in tiers by syllabus and sample papers.

See the seven tracks →

Syllabus · Seven-Track Topics · Sample Papers