Middle School UIL
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5th Grade UIL Academic Competition Pine Tree 2019-2020
Art
(1) Summary. This contest involves the study of paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and paintings from selected Texas museums. The Art Smart Bulletin is the source for test material of history and art elements relative to the art selections. As part of their study, students will demonstrate an understanding of art history and interpret ideas and moods in original artworks while making informed judgments about the artwork.
(2) Contest Format. Part A requires contestants to identify the artist’s name, as it appears on the official list, and the title of 15 paintings selected randomly from the official list of 40 paintings as published in the Art Smart Bulletin and on the UIL website. Part B consists of 30 questions about art elements and art history characteristic of the 40 art selections. Both Parts A and B of the contest shall be conducted. Approximately 30 minutes will be allotted for Part A and 30 minutes for Part B of the contest exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Boswell
CHESS
(1) Summary. The study of chess teaches analytical thinking, pattern recognition and creativity, which in turn improve student performance in reading, writing, history, geography, and math.
(2) Contest Format. Students will take an objective test containing approximately 20 chess puzzles, plus a tiebreaker section. Answer formats may include fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice and/or true/false. Thirty minutes will be allotted for the testing period and an additional five minutes will be allotted for the tiebreaker, exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Sims
DICTIONARY SKILLS
(1) Summary. Thorough knowledge of the dictionary is a way to increase a student’s ability to find the information that is needed for class work as well as everyday living. The subject matter of all tests is taken from Merriam Webster’s Intermediate Dictionary. Contestants may use other dictionaries in the contest. In preparation for this contest, students will develop skills to communicate effectively.
(2) Contest Format. Each test consists of 40 objective questions. Contestants use dictionaries in the competition. Twenty minutes will be allotted for the testing period exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Wilcox
LISTENING
(1) Summary. This contest is designed to help students recognize the importance of effective listening skills and to identify problems they may have in listening effectively. It also provides a challenging format to test the improvement of their listening abilities. Through preparation for the contest, participants will listen to a variety of material and learn to evaluate and critically analyze a speaker’s message. The objective tests will measure skills such as identifying the main idea and supporting ideas, listening for details, drawing conclusions and distinguishing fact from opinion.
(2) Contest Format. Contestants will listen to a script ranging from approximately seven to 10 minutes in length, take notes as needed, and use their notes to answer 25 objective questions. Ten minutes will be allotted for the testing period.
Coach: Wilcox
MAPS, GRAPHS AND CHARTS
(1) Summary. This 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 an atlas as a reference book to locate information, making comparisons, estimating and approximating, using scale and interpreting grid systems, legends and keys.
(2) Contest Format. Some subject matter will be taken from the designated official sources(s). Students will be given an objective test containing approximately 75 objective questions. Contestants may use an atlas during the contest; an atlas will be needed to answer some test questions. Forty-five minutes will be allotted for the testing period exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Wood
MUSIC MEMORY
(1) Summary. The focus of this contest is an in-depth study of fine pieces of music taken from a wide spectrum of genres to expose students to great composers, their lives and their music. In the course of preparing for the contest, students should be given the opportunity to describe and analyze the music, relate the music to history, to society and to culture, and to evaluate musical performance. The UIL will publish each year the official UIL Music Memory List and provide sources for obtaining recordings of the music and information on the pieces and composers.
(2) Contest Format. Students in grade 2 will listen to and identify short excerpts of 10 musical selections. Additional optional components may be available for district consideration. There is no tiebreaker section for the grade 2 contest. Students in grades 3 and 4 will complete a matching section and will listen to and identify short excerpts of up to 20 musical selections. Students in grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 will listen to and identify short excerpts of up to 20 musical selections. Specific test formats for grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 may differ by grade level and may include tiebreaker sections or optional components for district consideration. The current A+ Handbook includes complete rules and instructions.
Coach: Hicks
NUMBER SENSE
(1) Summary. Individuals are called upon every day to use their ability to make quick mental calculations to make decisions. The development of such abilities should be an integral part of the math curriculum. Concepts covered include, but are not limited to: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, proportions, and use of mathematic notation.
(2) Contest Format. Students will be given a fill-in-the-blank test which they shall complete without doing calculations on paper or on a calculator. Erasures, mark-overs and mark-outs are not permitted. Requirements for numeric forms shall be as specified in official contest procedures. Exactly 10 minutes shall be allotted for the testing period exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Randall
READY WRITING
(1) Summary. Texas has put a great emphasis on writing skills at all levels of school and all levels of statewide testing. Ready Writing builds upon those skills and helps students refine their writing abilities. In particular, this contest helps them learn to write clearly and correctly a paper that is interesting and original.
(2) Contest Format. Contestants are given a choice between two prompts, each of which defines the audience and provides the purpose for writing. Students should be encouraged to analyze the prompts for purpose, format, audience and point of view. The format may be, for example, a letter, an article for the newspaper or an essay for the principal. Various writing strategies may be stated or implied in the prompt. Some of these include:
(A) description to inform – describe the happening or person/object from imagination or memory;
(B) narration – write a story;
(C) 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 may write. Two hours are allowed for writing the composition. The District Executive Committee may shorten the length of the contest period to conform to the needs of the grade level.
Coach: Schulik
SOCIAL STUDIES
(1) Summary. This contest is designed to encourage students to expand their knowledge of social studies, particularly in the areas of history, government systems, economics, citizenship and culture. Subject matter used for the test will be taken from currently adopted social studies textbooks and identified primary sources.
(2) Contest Format. Students will be given an objective test containing approximately 40 questions. Thirty minutes will be allotted for the testing period exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Smith
SPELLING
(1) Summary. This contest is designed to give students exposure to a wide variety of vocabulary words. It is not a contest of memorization. For the most educational value, preparation for this contest should 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. Words will come from the appropriate UIL spelling list, state adopted textbooks and words of common usage. Approximately 20 percent of the test words will come from sources other than the UIL spelling lists. The source designated in official contest procedures will serve as the authority for all words in the contest
(2) Contest Format. Students will write down words given by the pronouncer on their paper at a rate of approximately five words per minute.
(A) Grades 3 and 4: 50 words; tie breaker, 15 words.
(B) Grades 5 and 6: 80 words; tie breaker, 20 words.
(C) Grades 7 and 8: 110 words; tie breaker, 30 words.
The tiebreaker is given to all contestants immediately following the initial test. Contestants who do not take the tiebreaker shall be disqualified.
Coach: Wood
Oral Reading
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. The oral reading competition should be an extension of the classroom literary and language arts activities in poetry, short stories and children's fiction. See the link below for frequently asked questions about oral reading.
Coach: Schulik
(1) Summary. This contest involves the study of paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and paintings from selected Texas museums. The Art Smart Bulletin is the source for test material of history and art elements relative to the art selections. As part of their study, students will demonstrate an understanding of art history and interpret ideas and moods in original artworks while making informed judgments about the artwork.
(2) Contest Format. Part A requires contestants to identify the artist’s name, as it appears on the official list, and the title of 15 paintings selected randomly from the official list of 40 paintings as published in the Art Smart Bulletin and on the UIL website. Part B consists of 30 questions about art elements and art history characteristic of the 40 art selections. Both Parts A and B of the contest shall be conducted. Approximately 30 minutes will be allotted for Part A and 30 minutes for Part B of the contest exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Boswell
CHESS
(1) Summary. The study of chess teaches analytical thinking, pattern recognition and creativity, which in turn improve student performance in reading, writing, history, geography, and math.
(2) Contest Format. Students will take an objective test containing approximately 20 chess puzzles, plus a tiebreaker section. Answer formats may include fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice and/or true/false. Thirty minutes will be allotted for the testing period and an additional five minutes will be allotted for the tiebreaker, exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Sims
DICTIONARY SKILLS
(1) Summary. Thorough knowledge of the dictionary is a way to increase a student’s ability to find the information that is needed for class work as well as everyday living. The subject matter of all tests is taken from Merriam Webster’s Intermediate Dictionary. Contestants may use other dictionaries in the contest. In preparation for this contest, students will develop skills to communicate effectively.
(2) Contest Format. Each test consists of 40 objective questions. Contestants use dictionaries in the competition. Twenty minutes will be allotted for the testing period exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Wilcox
LISTENING
(1) Summary. This contest is designed to help students recognize the importance of effective listening skills and to identify problems they may have in listening effectively. It also provides a challenging format to test the improvement of their listening abilities. Through preparation for the contest, participants will listen to a variety of material and learn to evaluate and critically analyze a speaker’s message. The objective tests will measure skills such as identifying the main idea and supporting ideas, listening for details, drawing conclusions and distinguishing fact from opinion.
(2) Contest Format. Contestants will listen to a script ranging from approximately seven to 10 minutes in length, take notes as needed, and use their notes to answer 25 objective questions. Ten minutes will be allotted for the testing period.
Coach: Wilcox
MAPS, GRAPHS AND CHARTS
(1) Summary. This 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 an atlas as a reference book to locate information, making comparisons, estimating and approximating, using scale and interpreting grid systems, legends and keys.
(2) Contest Format. Some subject matter will be taken from the designated official sources(s). Students will be given an objective test containing approximately 75 objective questions. Contestants may use an atlas during the contest; an atlas will be needed to answer some test questions. Forty-five minutes will be allotted for the testing period exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Wood
MUSIC MEMORY
(1) Summary. The focus of this contest is an in-depth study of fine pieces of music taken from a wide spectrum of genres to expose students to great composers, their lives and their music. In the course of preparing for the contest, students should be given the opportunity to describe and analyze the music, relate the music to history, to society and to culture, and to evaluate musical performance. The UIL will publish each year the official UIL Music Memory List and provide sources for obtaining recordings of the music and information on the pieces and composers.
(2) Contest Format. Students in grade 2 will listen to and identify short excerpts of 10 musical selections. Additional optional components may be available for district consideration. There is no tiebreaker section for the grade 2 contest. Students in grades 3 and 4 will complete a matching section and will listen to and identify short excerpts of up to 20 musical selections. Students in grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 will listen to and identify short excerpts of up to 20 musical selections. Specific test formats for grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 may differ by grade level and may include tiebreaker sections or optional components for district consideration. The current A+ Handbook includes complete rules and instructions.
Coach: Hicks
NUMBER SENSE
(1) Summary. Individuals are called upon every day to use their ability to make quick mental calculations to make decisions. The development of such abilities should be an integral part of the math curriculum. Concepts covered include, but are not limited to: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, proportions, and use of mathematic notation.
(2) Contest Format. Students will be given a fill-in-the-blank test which they shall complete without doing calculations on paper or on a calculator. Erasures, mark-overs and mark-outs are not permitted. Requirements for numeric forms shall be as specified in official contest procedures. Exactly 10 minutes shall be allotted for the testing period exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Randall
READY WRITING
(1) Summary. Texas has put a great emphasis on writing skills at all levels of school and all levels of statewide testing. Ready Writing builds upon those skills and helps students refine their writing abilities. In particular, this contest helps them learn to write clearly and correctly a paper that is interesting and original.
(2) Contest Format. Contestants are given a choice between two prompts, each of which defines the audience and provides the purpose for writing. Students should be encouraged to analyze the prompts for purpose, format, audience and point of view. The format may be, for example, a letter, an article for the newspaper or an essay for the principal. Various writing strategies may be stated or implied in the prompt. Some of these include:
(A) description to inform – describe the happening or person/object from imagination or memory;
(B) narration – write a story;
(C) 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 may write. Two hours are allowed for writing the composition. The District Executive Committee may shorten the length of the contest period to conform to the needs of the grade level.
Coach: Schulik
SOCIAL STUDIES
(1) Summary. This contest is designed to encourage students to expand their knowledge of social studies, particularly in the areas of history, government systems, economics, citizenship and culture. Subject matter used for the test will be taken from currently adopted social studies textbooks and identified primary sources.
(2) Contest Format. Students will be given an objective test containing approximately 40 questions. Thirty minutes will be allotted for the testing period exclusive of time required for instructions.
Coach: Smith
SPELLING
(1) Summary. This contest is designed to give students exposure to a wide variety of vocabulary words. It is not a contest of memorization. For the most educational value, preparation for this contest should 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. Words will come from the appropriate UIL spelling list, state adopted textbooks and words of common usage. Approximately 20 percent of the test words will come from sources other than the UIL spelling lists. The source designated in official contest procedures will serve as the authority for all words in the contest
(2) Contest Format. Students will write down words given by the pronouncer on their paper at a rate of approximately five words per minute.
(A) Grades 3 and 4: 50 words; tie breaker, 15 words.
(B) Grades 5 and 6: 80 words; tie breaker, 20 words.
(C) Grades 7 and 8: 110 words; tie breaker, 30 words.
The tiebreaker is given to all contestants immediately following the initial test. Contestants who do not take the tiebreaker shall be disqualified.
Coach: Wood
Oral Reading
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. The oral reading competition should be an extension of the classroom literary and language arts activities in poetry, short stories and children's fiction. See the link below for frequently asked questions about oral reading.
Coach: Schulik
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