Spicewood Elementary UIL A+ Academics Competitionround Rock ISD

Spicewood Elementary UIL A+ Academics CompetitionRound Rock ISD

The program of academic competition for elementary,middle school and junior high officially became "A+Academics" in 2008. A+ Academics includes 20 differentevents for grades 2-8. These events span the curriculum -they are designed to complement and expand upon whatstudents learn in the classroom, both through learningspecific subject knowledge, and through learning skills thatare valuable in many disciplines. Approximately 3,000Texas schools participate in A+ Academics, competing inmore than 300 district meets each year.

Spicewood Elementary will participatein the following events for the2014-15 School Year:

Storytelling

To tell a story, the participant must develop skills in listening, thinking and speaking.This contest also allows for the development of creative expression, something beinggiven more attention in the professional world. For practice, teachers can use storiesfrom any good children's books or magazines.Contestants in the second and third grades shall listen to a storyteller read a brief story(between 600 and 1100 words long) only once, and then retell that story in their ownwords before a judge or judges.There are no time restrictions on the length of the story the student creates.

Spelling

The spelling contest is designed to give students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 exposureto a wide variety of vocabulary words. It is not a contest of memorization. For themost educational value, preparation for this contest should include instruction in therules of the English language, meanings and definitions, and root words. In addition tolearning to spell proficiently, contestants will learn to write clearly and to capitalize words properly. Students will write down words given by the pronouncer on their paper at a rate ofapproximately five words per minute.

(A) Grades 3 and 4: 50 words; tiebreaker, 15 words.

(B) Grades 5 and 6: 80 words; tiebreaker, 20 words.

The tiebreaker is given to all contestants immediately following the initial test.

Number Sense

Individuals are called upon every day to use their ability to makequick mental calculations to make decisions. The development ofsuch 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 ofmathematic notation.Students will be given a 10-minute, fill-in-the-blank test which theymust complete without doing calculations on paper or on a calculator.Erasures and mark-outs are not permitted.

Materials Provided

•A+ Handbook for 2014-15

•Spelling List for Grades 3-5

•Elementary Study Booklet (w/ sample tests from 2013-14) for:

-Number Sense for Grades 4-5

-Storytelling for Grades 2-3

•T-Shirts will be provided to all participants for contest

Timeline

January 16, 2015 – Final event and grade level participant list

End of February – Spicewood preliminary competition for choosing the school representatives (3 representatives for each category)

March 7 – RRISD Inaugural A+ Academic UIL Competitionat Walsh Middle School (Time TBA)

Coaches

If you are interested in participating as a coach for any category, please contact to the following e-mail address :

•Learn the rules

Coaches should carefully read the rules for each contest for which they are responsible. Current rules can be found in the A+ Handbook and on the UIL web site. They are also in the Constitution and Contest Rules, which is posted on the UIL web site and which may be purchased using the Academic Study Materials Order Form found on the UIL web site. The principal or campus coordinator should see that every coach has a copy of the appropriate rules. In addition, coordinators should regularly check the A+ web site for any notices, corrections or clarifications. Updates and online Leaguer articles concerning A+ academic programs are posted on the web throughout the year.

•Attend invitational meets

Attend and/or host an invitational meet. It’s the best way to learn the format of the contests and how to run the contests. It’s also a great chance to network with other coaches.

•Use study materials

Utilize study materials published by UIL. An Academic Study Material Order Form is available on the web. Materials may also be purchased through the UIL online store.

•Be the initiator

Someone must initiate the process that can provide an academic competitive experience for students. Coaches should expect an enthusiastic response from almost every student and parent, but they have to be prepared to provide the time and resources it takes to have a successful program.