Academic Games
Monday, Aug 30, 2021
Academic Games will begin virtually September 27th for grades 5-12. We will begin the season with Propaganda and will be learning it virtually online and competing online regionally in the month of October. For those that are not familiar with our Academic Games program it is a Regional, State, and Nationally competitive academic program covering Language Arts, Mathematics and History.
Our season will start with Propaganda. Propaganda is a game where students learn to recognize techniques of persuasion that are often used by advertisers, politicians, editorial writers, and in normal human interaction. Students increase their ability to discern the truth from smokescreens; they learn to figure out the reality of situations rather than getting duped by the techniques. Students become critical thinkers.
We will then begin Presidential history where students will learn about and develop an understanding of the personalities, historical contexts, political decisions, and other events of the Presidents of the United States of America. Students learn how presidents developed personally and professionally, how they reacted to or changed the times in which they served, what types of families they came from, and how they were affected by the political climate surrounding them. Students also learn about other major events that may have happened during a presidential term. They learn to assimilate all these different facts into a unified whole for a better understanding of how the United States government has worked in different historical times.
The third part of the season will be world events which is a combination of all Current Events of the year 2021 and a historical theme chosen by the national committee which for this year is “The Gilded Age”. While preparing for and playing Current Events and Theme , students learn about the major political and cultural events of the most recent calendar year. They learn to be aware of what is happening to them, their country, and their world. The knowledge gained from playing Current Events leads to more informed and responsible future citizens.
When we return from Winter Break, we will be starting with LinguiSHTIK which challenges students to improve their grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and writing skills. Players learn to compose better sentences with proper grammar application. They also use richer vocabulary as they compete against others and are rewarded. All grade levels play with the same set of procedural rules. However, each division level of competition introduces increasingly more difficult grammatical concepts for the players to use. Students are challenged to enhance their vocabulary and grammar skills in increasingly creative ways.
Our final regional competition will be Equations which is a Game of Creative Mathematics. Equations involves authentic learning experiences and problem solving at the highest levels. All grade levels play with the same set of procedural rules. However, each division level of competition introduces increasingly more difficult mathematical concepts for the players to use. Students are challenged to use their mathematical knowledge and ability and to develop new skills in progressively more competitive ways.
Students can play as many or as few as they would like of the five different games. Students who wish to qualify for the National Team must play at least three different games at regionals in order to have a chance to qualify to compete at Nationals. For more information, please contact Mrs. Palumbo.
Academic Games Practice & Competition Schedule |
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| Monday 9/27 | Propaganda Practice and Learning | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Monday 10/4 | Propaganda Practice and Learning | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Monday 10/11 | Prop Competition | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Friday 10/15 | Prop Competition | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Friday 10/22 |
Extra Presidents Practice and Learning (Optional) |
Elementary, Middle & High School 4-5 PM | |
| Monday 10/25 | Presidents Practice and Learning | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Monday 11/1 | Presidents Practice and Learning | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Monday 11/8 | Presidents Competition | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Monday 11/15 | Presidents Competition | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Friday 11/19 | Current Events and Theme | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Monday 11/29 | Current Events and Theme | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Tuesday 11/30 | Current Events and Theme Extra (Optional) | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Wednesday 12/1 | Current Events and Theme Extra (Optional) | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Friday 12/3 | Current Events and Theme Extra (Optional) | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Monday 12/6 |
Current Events Competition |
Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |
| Monday 12/13 | Theme Competition | Elementary / Middle 4-5 PM | High School 5-6 PM |