2025 Lubbock-Cooper ISD
UIL Academic Competition - Elementary
Mission
The academic programs of the University interscholastic League motivate students:
∙ To find new excitement in learning;
∙ To work with others in a competitive atmosphere;
∙ To achieve mastery of essential knowledge and skills;
∙ To test their skills and knowledge;
∙ To know the satisfaction of a successful performance; and
∙ To achieve recognition for academic excellence.
Events Offered
Elementary students may participate in only one event. Exception: Students selected for a writing team may participate in one regular event plus a writing event.
Art (grades 4-5)
The art contest involves the study of paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and paintings from Texas art galleries and museums. As part of their study, students will demonstrate an understanding of art history, interpret ideas and moods in original artworks and make informed judgments about the artwork. The contest consists of multiple choice and true/false questions and fill-in-the-blank test.
Chess Puzzle (grades 2-5)
Chess teaches problem solving, hones concentration and encourages analytical and strategic thinking. Students will take a 30-minute objective test containing approximately 20 chess puzzles, plus a separate tiebreaker section. Answer formats may include fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice and/or true/false.
Creative Writing (grade 2)
Creative writing is designed to promote creativity in an academic format and to encourage writing skills at an early grade level. Through preparation for the contest, students will be able to evaluate their own writing and the writing of others. Students are given five captioned pictures and 30 minutes to write their story about one or more of those pictures.
Dictionary Skills (grade 5)
Thorough knowledge of the dictionary is a way to increase a student’s ability to find the information that is needed for classwork as well as everyday living. Students are given 20 minutes to answer 40 objective and short-answer questions.
Listening (grade 5)
The listening contest helps students recognize the importance of effective listening skills and to identify problems they may have in listening effectively. Students are read a script 7-10 minutes long and then must answer 25 objective questions.
Maps, Graphs, & Charts (grade 5)
The 75-question objective test that students must complete in 45 minutes measures skills such as using a reference book to locate information,
making comparison, estimating and approximating, using scale and interpreting legends and keys.
Music Memory (grades 2-5)
Contestants study pieces of music literature taken from a wide spectrum of music genres. Students listen to a portion of each selection on the music list and recall the composer, the name of the major work and the name of the selection.
Number Sense (grades 4-5)
Being able to perform quick mathematical calculations is the premise behind this contest. The test covers functions appropriate for the grade level, including algebra and geometry. Students are given 10 minutes to complete the fill-in-the-blank test.
Oral Reading (grades 2-5)
As students prepare a piece of prose or poetry to read out loud, they learn to analyze the text as a literary critic, to grow and to develop as a performer, to communicate a message to an audience and to perform an artistic creation.
Ready Writing (grades 3-5)
Given up to two hours to write an essay on one of two topics, ready writing helps students refine their writing abilities. This contest helps them to learn to write clearly and correctly a paper that is interesting and original, regardless of the topic area.
Social Studies (grade 5)
In this contest, students will be given an objective test containing approximately 40 questions which must be answered in 30 minutes. Test content is specifically correlated to the TEKS curriculum.
Spelling (grades 3-5)
The spelling contest gives students exposure to a wide variety of vocabulary words. It is not a contest of memorization. Depending on their grade level, students must spell
between 65 and 140 words in 30-60 minutes.
Storytelling (grades 2-3)
To tell a story, the participant must develop skills in listening, interpretative thinking and speaking. Students are read a story, which they must then tell back to the judges.
Eligibility Requirements
Students must meet UIL eligibility requirements to participate in UIL practices and academic contests.
Web Site
http://www.uiltexas.org/aplus/events