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VPA/AAA Travel Geo-Bee Competition Guide 2007 - 2008 A Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Grade Geography Program for VPA Member Schools. VPA GEOGRAPHY COMMITTEE
Table of Contents Why
Vermont GEO-BEE?
Appendix
THE GEO-BEE COMMITTEE NEEDS YOUR HELP IN DEVELOPING GEOGRAPHY QUESTIONS FOR THE REGIONAL AND FINAL COMPETITIONS. WE ARE ASKING EACH SCHOOL TO SUBMIT UP TO 10 STUDENT GENERATED QUESTIONS THAT MAY BE USED. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION TO THE VPA, 2 PROSPECT ST., SUITE #3, MONTPELIER, VT 05602 BY FRIDAY, February 8, 2008 "I know this is a lot too late to be telling you. But I know nothing about maps. I mean absolutely nothing, not one thing. I don't know where the U.S. or L.A. is located . . . I don't know the difference between countries, cities or states. Can I have a little of your help please?" (10th grade student to her teacher -National Geographic Society) The problem of geographic ignorance is serious. We believe that geography is integral to our ability to understand and function in our world. In response, the Vermont GEO-BEE Program was created to support the effort to put Vermont students on an equal footing with their counterparts in other nations. This effort will require the active participation of all educational decision makers. The success of this effort begins with our individual teachers who work to broaden the geographic understanding of their students in Vermont. The Vermont
Geo-Bee Program is a team competition for Vermont Individual schools decide how to choose their team for this program. A team consists of four competing students and up to two alternates. Each supervisory union may send two school teams to the regional competition. Each team must represent one specific school. No more than one team can represent a school. If a school has fewer than 40 total students in the fifth through eighth grades, then two or more schools within the same supervisory union may combine to form a team. This is a local option. There will be 4 or 5 regional competitions, based on the geographical division of the State for regional meetings of the superintendents/headmasters and the # of schools that apply. Please refer to the Vermont School Regions map in the Appendix. If the number of teams competing in any region is excessively small or large, the VPA reserves the right to reorganize the regional competitions. At the regional competition, a regional winner (one team) is determined according to the procedures as outlined in "Description of Competition." Important Dates: Bob Johnson: Associate Executive Direcor - Vermont Principals' Association - 2 Prospect St., Suite 3 - Montpelier, Vermont 05602 If mailed, must be by certified mail. Or it may be faxed to: (802) 229-4801. Sender is responsible for confirming fax. Regional Competitions Central - South
- Northeast
-
Northwest
- Regional competitions may be adjusted due to number of schools participating, and other variables. Time of regional competitions to be determined by host Principal and regional VPA moderator. The regional winners, compete at a state site to determine state champions. STATE CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION IS ON SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2008, PLACE TBA. 1. The coaches will draw lots to determine which team sits in Row 1, Row 2, Row 3 etc. Students will stand while answering their questions. See page 9 for diagram. 2. Each student on a team will have an opportunity to answer questions. Students do not compete with other students for the opportunity to answer; this is not a Jeopardy-style competition. 3. The Quizzer selects questions from lists developed by the Geo Bee Committee (sample questions are provided in the Resource Material section of this guide). Questions will include skills at the first four of Bloom's six levels of learning taxonomy. Vermont's Framework of Standards will guide the construction of certain questions. Some questions may require an atlas, map, globe, charts, graphs, almanac or overhead projections. 4. The Quizzer will ask Player One of Team A the question. The student, while standing, will have a maximum of 30 seconds to answer the question. Within that time, the student may ask to have the question repeated no more than two times and/or the student may ask for assistance in locating a specific letter or number on a quiz map. The question will not be rephrased. 5. After the student answers the question, the quizzer will say "correct" or Incorrect". If the student is correct the team will score two points. If the student is wrong, the quizzer will give the correct answer and the team will receive zero points. Students are not eliminated for incorrect answers. 6. Player one of Team B is given the next question to answer. This rotation continues with the Quizzer going from one team to the next, left to right. 7. Competition questions are grouped in multiples of five so that one row will get a question on the same topic and in the same general format. For example, there may be ten questions on African map locations, five questions on Vermont geography, etc. If there are fewer than five teams in the competition, the quizzer will use only that number of questions from that topic. If there are only three teams, the quizzer will ask only the first six questions on African map locations, three questions on Vermont geography etc. 8. If more than five teams are competing at the regional competition, an eight round elimination competition will be conducted (semi-final). Then the winners of each semi-final will compete in a 12-round completion to determine the regional championship. 9. When all four players on each team have had a question, there will be a bonus question. These are more difficult questions worth four points. The Quizzer will give a bonus question to Player One of Team A. Only this person has a chance at this question. If he/she misses, the Quizzer will give the correct answer. Player One of Team B will then receive a new bonus question. At the end of the second round, Player Two for each team receives a bonus question, etc. 10. When all four players on each team have had a turn and bonus questions have been given, the round will end. At the conclusion of a round, the total points for that round will be entered on a scoreboard. The scorekeeper will keep cumulative scores and announces them at the end of each round. 11. The team with the most points after twelve rounds will be declared the winner of the competition. 12. In case of a tie, the teams which are even will play one complete round, including the bonus question which will be asked of the students in Row 1. If the tie continues, a second complete round will be played with the bonus question asked of students in Row 2 and so on until the tie is broken. Substitutions will not be allowed after the regular competition is over. Tiebreak rounds will begin immediately after the regular competition. 13. Only the team's designated coach or advisor may appeal or challenge an answer. Any challenge it must be made to the quizzer before the next question is asked. 14. At the end of every fourth round there will be a five-minute break. The coach may allow a substitute to enter the contest at this time. Substitutions must be reported to the quizzer by the coach during the break. The Quizzer will then introduce the new contestant(s). In the event of illness, a substitute can be made immediately. When a substitute takes over for another player because of illness, the player who was replaced will stay out for the balance of the contest including tiebreaker rounds. 15. The quizzer shall remind the contestants to speak so others can hear and to stand when answering questions. The Quizzer should clearly indicate if the answer is correct or incorrect. If a question has two or more accepted answers, both will be accepted as correct. If there is any question relating to the correct answer or to the time limit, the Quizzer shall ask the judges for a decision. The judges' decisions are final. If the judges cannot agree, then the question is thrown out and a new question is asked. 16. Judges will keep score and act as a Court of Appeal. 17. In the event that an action of a participant, coach or team supporter is deemed inappropriate by the monitor, the monitor after consultation with the Quizzer, may disqualify the team(s) involved. 18. Any pupil with special needs, as designated by state & federal law may participate in the competition in whatever mode of communication is appropriate for his/her handicapping condition. Coaches shall notify the VPA well in advance of competition of these handicapping conditions so appropriate accommodations can be made. 19. Goodes' World Atlas, 21st Edition will be used for the 2008 Competition. 1. The VPA monitor
initiates contact with the host school and c) ensures that
there are enough personnel to take care of all
needs – judges, scorekeepers, janitors, etc. 2. The VPA monitor
will see that all necessary items are available for the Vermont
GEO-BEE Contest such as: 3. The VPA Monitor will introduce the Quizzer and Judges prior to the competition. 4.The Monitor
will review all rules and guidelines of the competition, explained
in 5. The VPA monitor
will make alternative arrangements if necessary by 6. The VPA monitor
will ensure that no one actively coaches when a student is 7. The VPA monitor
will be responsible for audience control with possible assistance 1. The Quizzer is the M.C. for this event. PLEASE BEGIN ON TIME. The Quizzer will ask contestants to stand and introduce themselves and their coaches. 2. The Quizzer will use a list of questions (including bonus questions) that are provided by the VPA. These questions should be reviewed by the Quizzer for correctness and pronunciation prior to the competition. 3. If a coach challenges a response during the competition the Quizzer will ask the judges for a decision. The decision of the judges shall be final. 4. The Quizzer must keep the contest moving. He/she may have to periodically remind the contestants to speak out so the Quizzer, judges and audience can hear, and to stand while being quizzed. 5. Remind teams at the start of the competition that any challenges (alternate answers, etc.) must be made BEFORE the next question is given. Only the coach may make an appeal or challenge. 6. At the end
of the competition, the Quizzer should thank all contestants and
officials. Seating Chart for Geo-Bee Competition Audience should be 45 degrees to 90 degrees angled from competition.
1. Coach is
responsible for competition challenges to assure that there is fairness,
equity and good sportsmanship. It is widely recognized that a geographically literate student (citizen) must be able to do much more than just locate the nations of the world or the states of the United States of America on a map. The geographically literate student demonstrates knowledge, skills and critical analysis as they apply to the five central themes of geography : location, place, relationships within places, movement and regions.
The Vermont GEO-BEE Program will generally focus on world geography to include:
The program will also generally focus on the geography of the United States, New England and Vermont. (Questions will include the significance of the history of the state as it relates to Vermont geography.) B. Geographic Terms and Concepts (This list is not all inclusive)
1. Students
should be able to use map and globe skills: 2. Students should be able to read and interpret graphs and charts. 3. Students should be able to use and interpret maps to evaluate current events. 4. Students
should be able to use a variety of geographic resources: atlases,
5. Students should be able to relate Vermont history to its geographical context. 6. Students
should be able to identify photos in the media
and answer questions 7. Students
should be able to identify and match flags to corresponding D. These are sample questions only. They are not used in the regionals or finals. The following sample questions are provided for guidance and are not all inclusive. The nature of the questions that will be utilized will include skills in recall, application, analysis, and the first four levels of Bloom's taxonomy of learning. 1. What is the term used to refer to the region of the state that includes Orleans, Caledonia and Essex Counties? 2. The first point in Vermont to be occupied by Europeans was a fort built by the French Military in 1666 on Lake Champlain. Name the place where Fort St. Anne was built. 3. The first large cash crop in Vermont emerged in the 1780's. It was made from the ashes of burned logs. What is its name? 4. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman are some of the countries located on this peninsula. 5. The largest tropical rain forest in the world occupies this continent that also contains an area which is the driest in the world. 6. This continent is the only one that has every kind of climate. 7. This lake in Siberia is the deepest in the world. 8. Describe the Greenhouse Effect. 9. How could global warming affect coastlines and farming? 10. What is the name of the only colonial possession located on the South American Continent? 11. What is the largest state by land area in New England? 12. This river is the longest permanently flowing river in Australia. 13. When areas affected by drought for long periods of time are subjected to high winds, they form hills of windblown sand. What are these hills called? 14. What is the term used to identify the crest line of a ridge or mountain range separating the flow of water into opposite directions? 15. What term is used to describe cutting a series of horizontal steps into a hillside to provide more favorable land and to reduce soil erosion? 16. What bay is found on the northern coast of Spain and the western coast of France? 17. What is the term used to describe the temperature and precipitation of a place over a long period of time? 18. What lines of latitude determine the tropics? 19. Would you most likely find a scale of 1 inch equals 1,500 miles on a map of your city, state or world? 20. If it is twilight in the western United States, what is it in the eastern United States? Why? 21. What river runs west to east across the northern part of Italy? 22. Which continent has the larger land area, North or South America? 23. Name the major peninsula in Southeast Asia that was the setting for a war between Vietnam and the United States. 24. What is a person who moves from place to place in search of food and water. 25. ISLAM is a major religion that is not dominant on which continent? a. Africa b. Asia c. South America 26. The largest language minority in Latin America lives in one country. Name the country and the language spoken there. 27. Canada possesses more physical coastline than any other country in the world with the exception of Russia. Historically, why hasn't this asset been of great value to the Canadian people? 28. Why was the Hydro Quebec James Bay project controversial? 29. What term is used to generally describe the surface features of a place or region? 30. Name the term which describes the upward or downward movement of the earth's crust, accompanied by continental drift when the earth's crust moves over the mantle . 31. What is the name of the man-made feature which is located where Asia and Africa end (meet). 32. The end of political power for many Vermont towns occurred when the House of Representatives of the General Assembly was redistricted from 246 to 150 members. How was the number of 246 established prior to redistricting? 33. Which two Vermont counties are completely surrounded by other Vermont counties? 34. The Berkshire Hills are in which New England state? 35. What is the name of the seasonal winds in India. E. Answers to the Sample Questions 1. Northeast
Kingdom A. GEO-BEE Forms Geo-Bee
Application pdf
word B. Reference Maps and Other Materials d.
e.
f. g.
i.
j.
k.
l.
n. o & p. Projections q. Canada r. Mexico |
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