**First Academic Meet is Saturday, November 1st at Pflugerville High School**

 

 

MAP, GRAPHS & CHARTS - Coached by Ms. Russel

The maps, graphs & charts contest is designed to help students learn to get information from a variety of maps, graphs and charts including world maps, pie charts, bar charts and local area maps.  The objective test will measure skills such as using a reference book to locate information, making comparisons, estimating and approximating, using scale and interpreting grid systems, legends and keys.  Students will be given an objective test containing approximately 75 multiple choice, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank questions which must be answered in 45 minutes.

 

EDITORIAL WRITING - Coached by Mr. Andis

The Editorial Writing Contest is designed to develop the persuasive writing skills of the participants. Students must advocate a specific point-of-view in response to a prompt.  Sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students have 45 minutes in which to complete their editorials.

READY WRITING - Contestants are given a choice between two prompts which define the audience, and provide the purpose for writing. Students should be encouraged to analyze the prompts for the purpose of writing, the format, the audience and the point of view.  Various writing strategies may be stated or implied in the prompt. Some of these include: description to inform -- describe the happening or person/object from imagination or memory; narration -- write a story; persuasion -- describe and argue just one side of an issue; describe both sides of an issue then argue only one side; write an editorial; write a letter to persuade, etc.  There is no minimum or maximum number of words the contestants must write.

 

ORAL READING (Prose) - Coached by Ms. Williams

 Reading literature out loud provides opportunities for students to analyze the text, to grow and to develop as a performer, to communicate a message to an audience and to perform an artistic creation.  Prose readings may include sketches, fables, tales, science fiction, fantasy, mysteries and the like. The maximum time for each presentation is six minutes. The selection may be a cutting from a short story or novel and may be nonfiction.

 

MODERN ORATORY - Coached by Ms. Williams

Contestants will select one of the topics, determine the critical issues in the topic, and acknowledge both pro and con points citing support discovered in their research.  Students will choose a side they will defend and support that side with additional evidence.  The skills of analysis, research, note-taking, documentation, evaluation and decision-making are utilized along with those of public speaking and the skill of memorization.  Students write their own speech, three to six minutes in length, and the speech must be memorized (notes may not be used.)

IMPROMPTU SPEAKING - Contestants will draw three topics and have three minutes to prepare a speech, which must be presented without any notes.  The contest gives participants experience in thinking, organizing, formulating clear thoughts, and delivering those thoughts to an audience effectively.  The maximum time limit for each speech is five minutes.  There is no minimum time limit.

 

 

CALCULATOR APPLICATIONS - Coached by Ms. Turner

Students will take a test containing 80 problems in 30 minutes.  The contest consists of problems which may include calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, roots, and powers.  It also includes straight-forward calculation problems, and simple geometric and stated problems similar to those found in recently adopted textbooks.

 

MATHEMATICS - Coached by Ms. Turner

This contest includes problems covering, but not limited to: numeration systems, arithmetic operations involving whole numbers, integers, fractions, decimals, exponents, order of operations, probability, statistics, number theory, simple interest, measurements and conversions.  Geometry and algebra problems may be included as appropriate for the grade level.

 

NUMBER SENSE - Coached by Ms. Turner

Concepts covered include, but are not limited to: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, proportions, and use of mathematic notation.  Students will be given a 10-minute, fill-in-the-blank test which they must complete without doing calculations on paper or on a calculator. Erasures and mark-outs are not permitted.

 

SCIENCE I & II – Coached by Ms. Bergman

Science I is intended for 7th graders, Science II for 8th graders.  (If you are a 6th grader and really want to try the Science I test, please see Mr. Bergmaan.)  The contest was designed to test not only memory but the ability to critically think about science and scientific processes and concepts.  Such concepts include, but are not limited to: matter and energy, equilibrium, force and motion, physical and chemical properties, the relationship between organisms and the environment, the components of our solar system, the composition of matter and genetics.  The contest will build upon the vast body of changing and increasing knowledge described by physical, mathematical, and conceptual models.  Each test will consist of approximately 35 multiple choice questions which will be taken from current state-adopted science textbooks and the curriculum.

 

CHESS PUZZLE - Coached by Mr. Gregory

Chess puzzle competition is very different from tournament chess play.  Contestants in a chess puzzle contest receive a paper-and-pencil test that includes a series of chess boards with pieces in particular positions.  Questions are based on analysis of material or possible moves in each given diagram.

 

LISTENING - Coached by Mrs. Jones

Through preparation for the contest, participants will listen actively to a variety of material and learn to analyze and evaluate a speaker's message critically.  Tests will include, but not necessarily be limited to, language arts, fine arts, natural sciences and social studies.  The objective tests will measure skills such as identifying the main idea and supporting ideas, drawing conclusions, distinguishing fact from opinion, and mastering other listening and thinking skills.  Contestants will listen to a script ranging from seven to ten minutes in length, take notes as needed, and use their notes to answer 25 multiple choice, true/false and short answer test questions.  A variety of subject matter will be used for the listening tests.

 

SOCIAL STUDIES - Coached by Ms. Kees

40 questions, 30 minutes.  Test topics are defined by a study outline, to be updated yearly.  Questions are based on the TEKS for social studies.  Test content is taken from state adopted text books and identified primary sources.

 

SPELLING - Mrs. Gregory

Preparation for this contest will include instruction in the rules of the English language, meanings and definitions, and root words.  In addition to learning to spell proficiently, contestants will learn to write clearly and to capitalize words properly.  At the academic meet, students will write down words given by the pronouncer on their paper at a rate of approximately five words per minute.