Students will not have to meet each week for this writing event. To receive feedback on practice essays, email your writing to Mrs. Dodson, hdodson@nisdtx.org. UPCOMING MEETING DATES: Friday, JANUARY 13, at 8:00 and Friday, Jan 20th at 8:00. Our UIL judging day has been set for Saturday, February 11th at Medlin, but we will spend the morning of Wednesday, February 8th writing. I will send an email to teachers the day before letting them know they will release you during second period. When you are released, report to room B214.

BRING YOUR CHROMEBOOK. If you are a Ready Writer, you will have a maximum of 2 hours to write. If you are an Editorial Writer, you will have a maximum of 45 to write. Please read this prompt and answer it based on the UIL Ready Writing rules by next Thursday. You can do this at home, school, wherever. Enjoy and happy writing! You may have heard the old saying, 'Actions speak louder than words.'

How often do you think this saying rings true? Write a paper explaining your opinion and give specific experiences from your own life or someone you know that support your opinion. Copy the above prompt onto a word document, type your writing, save onto your desktop, then submit it in the forum above. Television and the Internet are flooded with advertisements promising the latest and greatest of all kinds of products. These include some very popular products that essentially replace something people could be doing for free, such as video games that are used for exercise.

In your opinion, are products such as these inventive and good for society, or is it unfortunate that people are spending money on something they could do 'the old-fashioned way' at no cost? Write a paper explaining your opinion and give specific examples and experiences that support your position. Please read this prompt and answer it based on the UIL Ready Writing rules by next Thursday. You can do this at home, school, wherever. Enjoy and happy writing! Abraham Lincoln once said that, 'Most folks are as happy as they make upo their minds to be.' How can you apply this quote to a real life experience?

Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Provide specific example(s) from your own life or someone you know to prove your opinion about this quote. Copy the above prompt onto a word document, type your writing, save onto your desktop, then submit it in the forum above. Human beings face numerous difficulties throughout their lifetimes. Maya Angelou, author and activist, said, 'You may encounter defeats, but you must not be defeated. Please remember that your difficulties do not define you.

They simply strengthen your ability to overcome.' Think about your own life when a trial or difficulty you faced did not end the way you wanted- but instead of feeling defeated, you grew as a person. Write a paper that explains your experience and describes how you overcame the defeat. Leaguetown Middle School is located in Central Texas and has an enrollment of 1, 150 students in grades 6, 7 and 8.

Leaguetown ISD includes the city of Leaguetown, as well as a growing number of surrounding developments and communities. Current school district policy prohibits students from using any type of electronic devices while riding school buses. A group of parents of middle and high school students is advocating for a change in this policy to allow students to use their mobile phones, tablets and laptops on the bus rides to and from school. You are writing for the issue of the Press to be distributed onn Monday. Either write to support or oppose the idea as an editor of the paper.

Created Date: 12/4/2013 1:47:11 PM. Creative Writing (1 & 2) Dictionary Skills (4/5. Ready Writing (3,4,5,6,7,8) Science (6,7,8). Rules for PSIA Participants.

If you are considering participating in PSIA this year, we need your registration by February 1st. Extraordinary Education PSIA Team Registration Please check out the contest descriptions on the PSIA website and let us know ASAP if your student is interested in filling any slots on our team. There are a limited number of slots available for each event, and slots are filled on a first come basis. Participation fees must also be paid to hold your child’s spot.

The following events are FULL, but most events are still open. Mathematics - 4th & 5th (Grades 6, 7, 8 are still open) Listening Skills - 4th/5th (Grades 6-7-8 are still open) Storytelling - 2nd (Grades 1 & 3 are still open) Creative Writing - 1st (Grade 2 is still open) Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA) Academic Contests for Private Schools & Home Schools With 19 contest categories covering a wide range of disciplines, PSIA is an exciting opportunity for students to engage in academic competition with their peers throughout the state of Texas. PSIA contests span all levels from Grade 1 to Grade 8 —and PSIA is open to homeschoolers, too! PSIA programs are designed to support the basic academic curriculum.

Contest preparation is easily implemented into daily studies, and participation in academic meets serves to enrich skills. PSIA academic contests are designed to motivate students to find new excitement in learning, achieve a higher mastery level, and receive recognition and awards for academic excellence. Several local homeschoolers have even won scholarships through their involvement with PSIA! Extraordinary Education's group membership allows us to send up to 3 students per grade/age level per event to the local District 10A competition. Students who do well at the District level may go on to the State tournament. It is time to register students for these competition slots!

PSIA DISTRICT 10A CONTEST Saturday, March 23, 2013 Host site: San Jacinto College North A few students are registered for the EE team, but we have room for lots more! NOTE: PSIA rules allow students to compete up to two grade levels above their current grade level but they can never compete below level. Also, a homeschooled student’s grade placement is determined according to their age on September 1st (the grade they would be in public school.) It can benefit an advanced student to compete with their age-mates in academic contests. PSIA EVENTS OFFERED LANGUAGE ARTS: • (Grades 1-2) Using a prompt of several pictures, students have 30 minutes to create an original story based on the pictures. • (Grades 3-8) Students are given a choice between two prompts.

Each prompt defines the audience and provides or implies the purpose for writing. Time limits vary by grade level. • (Grades 2-8) As spelling words are pronounced contestants may either write or print each word. Test words come from the current PSIA Spelling List (80%) and from outside sources (20%). • (Grades 4-8) Students use all elements of the dictionary as they learn practical techniques for extracting and applying resource information.

• (Grades 5-8) SAT preparation skills, including word usage, reading comprehension, and analogies, are honed through this challenging multiple choice, 30-minute contest. • (Grades 4-8) Contestants may take notes as they listen to the contest script on CD, and then use these notes as they answer objective test questions in 10 minutes.

MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE: • (Grades 4-8) In a multiple choice 30-minute math test students are challenged beyond their grade levels in a variety of general math questions including algebraic equations. • (Grades 4-8) Contestants find high-speed solutions to math problems in this exciting and challenging 10-minute contest in mental mathematics. • (Grades 6-8) This 30-minute contest develops mathematical reasoning and knowledge and requires application of problem solving skills toward realistic problems. • (Grades 4-8) Students are challenged to obtain information from visual sources. Tests include maps, graphs & charts needed to answer multiple choice questions derived from the 2003 or newer editions of the Nystrom Desk Atlas. • (Grades 6-8) Earth, Life and Physical Science information are tested in this 30-minute, multiple choice contest, which usually consists of 50 test questions. FINE ARTS: • (Grades 3-8) Students identify composers and selections from some of the world’s best known classics.

Contestants write answers as they hear 15-second segments of the music and also take a 20-item test over information found in the current PSIA Music Memory Student Handbook. • (Grades 4-5) Students are challenged to identify the artist and the work and answer questions about the art and the artists found in the current Art Smart Bulletin (paintings are from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D. Install Fallout 3 Prostitution Mod.

And museum in Texas.) • (Grades 6-8) Using a display still life model consisting of from 4 to 7 objects, contestants produce a rendering on regular drawing paper using any drawing media. Contestants have 45 minutes at the contest site to produce their work of art. SPEECH EVENTS: • (Grades 1-3) Contestants hear a story that they retell before an audience.

Contestants will have approximately 6 minutes to retell the story in their own words. • (Grades 4-8) Students select, prepare and read a literary prose selection, with introduction, within a six-minute time limit. • (Grades 6-8) Students are challenged to organize their thoughts on a topic for three minutes, then speak for five or fewer minutes without notes. • (Grades 6-8) A challenge in writing and speaking, students prepare a short speech to examine the pros and cons of an issue (choice of 5) and defend their points of view. Contestants take a convincing stand on only one side of the issue. For more details and rules about specific contests and events, please refer to the PSIA website links above.

Registration Information: • Please plan to attend the Information Meeting on Tuesday, January 15th at 7:00 if you are considering registering for the team. If you cannot attend, on the EE website to let us know the events in which you are interesting in competing.

• Registration with the EE Team is $20 per student per event. • Registrations and fees must be received in the EE office at least 4 weeks prior to the contest date. • There is a limit to the number of students we can enter.

Students must be registered and PAID to fill a slot. • We can enter up to 3 students per grade level per event. Some events have combined grade levels, and we may only enter 3 students in those grades combined.

• Students may only compete in non-conflicting events. There are special rules for double-entry that only apply to specific events. Please refer to the for more information. • Families who participate are expected to fill judge/grader slots on the day of the contest. Our group is required to provide one volunteer judge or grader for every 2.25 entries.

Your family should plan to fill one slot for each 2.25 contests in which your own students compete. Volunteer slots may be filled by either or both parents, another family member, friend, neighbor or even a high school or college student. Our team will be penalized if we do not fill our assigned slots, so volunteers must be reliable.