Academic Junior High Decathlon Guide

Logic Quiz
The Logic Quiz will include questions relative to verbal and mathematical logic. The test will
consist of questions valued at a total of 8,000 points. This is a team event.

Optional resources for this event include:

Mensa Guide to Solving Sudoku : Hundreds of Puzzles Plus Techniques to Help You
Crack Them All
Editors: Peter Gordon and Frank Longo
Publisher: Sterling Publishing
Publication Date: August 2006
ISBN-13: 9781402740114

The Great Book Of Mind Teasers & Mind Puzzlers
Author: George J. Summers
Publisher: Sterling Publishing
Publication Date: March 1986
ISBN-13: 9780806963204
IQ Challenge: The Fun Way to Sharpen Your Mental Skills
Editor: Deborah Hercun (Editor)
Publisher: Barnes & Noble
Publication Date: October 2004
ISBN-13: 9780760759561

Super Quiz
The Super Quiz is a fifty (50) question oral examination that includes five sections of subject
matter. Each of the five sections will consist of 10 questions valued at 160 points each for a
grand total of 8,000 points for the Super Quiz. This is a team event.

Social Studies
The social studies questions will relate to the American Civil Rights Movement. The following
websites may be useful for study material. In addition to these sites, the students should be
familiar with the terms, people, legislation and references below.

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761580647/civil_rights_movement_in_the_united_states.h
tml

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/civilrightstimeline1.html

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/civilrights/Civil_Rights_Movement.htm

Segregation
Sit-ins
Integration
School Desegregation
Sweat v. Painter (1950)
Brown v. Board of Education
Loving v. Virginia
Governor Orval Faubus
Resistance
Protest
Medgar Evers
Poor People's Campaign
Malcolm X
Eugene “Bull” Connor
Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth
Stokely Carmichael
Emmett Till
Rosa Parks
Ella Baker
George C. Wallace
Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC)
The Freedom Riders
“Little Rock Nine”
Ross Barnett
Fannie Lou Hamer
Edgar D. Nixon
James Meredith
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Lyndon Johnson
Urban League
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
(SCLC)
Dwight Eisenhower
John F Kennedy
Harry Truman
Little Rock Nine
Hugo Black
A Philip Randolph
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Charles K. Steele
Fred L. Shuttlesworth
W.E.B. Du Bois
Thurgood Marshall
NAACP
Fair Employment Practices Committee
Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
Ku Klux Klan
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Civil Rights Act of 1968

Literature
The literature questions will relate to the novel Bud Not Buddy written by Christopher Paul
Curtis. Students should also know general information about the author.

Bud Not Buddy
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publication Date: September 2004
ISBN-13: 9780553494105
Age Range: Young Adult 272pp
Edition Description: First Dell Laurel-Leaf Edition
Winner of the 2000 Newbery Medal
Winner of the 2000 Coretta Scott King Award
Synopsis: Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint,
Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home
and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the
renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids.

Religion
The religion questions will focus on the Gospel of John.

Science
The human body contains more than 650 individual muscles which are attached to the skeletal
system and allow humans to move. Students should know all of these muscles and the three
different types of muscle tissue: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth. Students should also know the
differences between voluntary and involuntary muscles.

Anatomy of the Moving Body: A Basic Course in Bones, Muscles, and Joints
Editor: Theodore Dimon
Paperback, 272 pages
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Publication Date: May 27, 2008
ISBN: 155643720X

Fine Arts
The fine arts test will focus on the Impressionist Claude Monet who lived from 1840 – 1926.
Students should study his paintings including the history associated with each painting presented
in the book. Students should also study general information about the author’s life.

Claude Monet 1840-1926 by Christopher Heinrich
Paperback, 96 pages
Publisher: TASCHEN
Publication Date: May 01, 2000
ISBN: 3822859729

Individual Event Study Guides
The individual event tests will consist of 50 questions. Each test is worth up to a total of 1,000
points.

Current Events
This subject area test will focus on articles found within the US News and World Report
magazine issues dating from Monday, December 1, 2008 through Friday, February 6, 2009.
While the magazine has discontinued the classroom program and guide, they continue to offer
subscriptions to teachers and schools at a reduced price. The classroom study guides are no
longer available with this subscription. Students should independently read each magazine and
take notes on the articles related to the United States, the world, health, education, and science
(the environment and plants & animals).

A) Go to http://www.usnews.com/usnews/classroom/

B) Individual subscriptions for Educators and Students are available at a special reduced price of
$12 for one year. Press on “Click here” for more information. The current events exam will
focus on the weekly magazine from the week of Monday, December 1, 2008 through
Friday, February 6, 2009.

English
This subject area test will focus on English grammar and the mechanics of writing. Students
will be required to identify all parts of speech, types of sentences, and structure of sentences.
Students will be required to demonstrate the mechanics of writing including punctuation,
capitalization, and spelling.

Fine Arts
The Fine Arts individual subject area test has two parts: Art and Music
Twenty-five questions within the individual fine arts test will cover the history of American art
and artists from the eighteenth century to the present. Questions will encompass the visual arts,
including painting, photography, and sculpture, and will feature prominent movements.

American Art and Artists: The Ultimate Question and Answer Book
Author: Tricia Wright
Paperback, 218 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published Date: August 01, 2007
ISBN: 0060891246
Edition: Illustrated
Series: Smithsonian Q and A Series
Twenty-five questions within the individual fine arts test will cover the ragtime jazz and jazz
songs sung by Nat King Cole the The Very Best of Nat King Cole (as digitally re-mastered and
released in 2006). Questions will relate to the Cole’s biography, the time period in which he
performed, and general information about ragtime jazz and jazz music. Research in this area can
be done in your local library or on the Internet. No source will be recommended for the
biography, time period, or for general information about ragtime jazz music. Students will also
be required to identify songs from this audio CD including the title, and the original recording
date.

The Very Best of Nat King Cole
Sung by: Nat King Cole
Audio CD (May 2, 2006)
Original Release Date: May 2, 2006
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Capitol
ASIN: B000F2CAMY

Literature
The individual Literature test will focus on the novel Elijah of Buxton written by Christopher
Paul Curtis. Students should also know general information about the author.

Elijah of Buxton
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Publisher: Gale Group
Publication Date: April 2008
ISBN: 0439023440
Winner of the 2008 Coretta Scott King Author Award
Synopsis of the novel from Amazon.com:
Eleven-year-old Elijah is the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, a
settlement of runaway slaves just over the border from Detroit. He’s best known in his
hometown as the boy who made a memorable impression on Frederick Douglass. But
things change when a former slave steals money from Elijah’s friend, who has been
saving to buy his family out of captivity in the South. Elijah embarks on a dangerous
journey to America in pursuit of the thief, and he discovers firsthand the unimaginable
horrors of the life his parents fled—a life from which he’ll always be free, if he can find
the courage to get back home.

Mathematics
The Mathematics subject area test will be based upon the content standards for Algebra I as
found at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/BE/ST/SS/mthalgebra1.asp . Any Algebra I textbook
appropriate for instruction in grade 8 will serve as a resource for this test.
Symbolic reasoning and calculations with symbols are central in algebra. Through the study of
algebra, a student develops an understanding of the symbolic language of mathematics and the
sciences. In addition, algebraic skills and concepts are developed and used in a wide variety of
problem-solving situations.
1.0 Students identify and use the arithmetic properties of subsets of integers and rational,
irrational, and real numbers, including closure properties for the four basic arithmetic
operations where applicable:
1.1 Students use properties of numbers to demonstrate whether assertions are true
or false.
2.0 Students understand and use such operations as taking the opposite, finding the
reciprocal, taking a root, and raising to a fractional power. They understand and use the
rules of exponents.
3.0 Students solve equations and inequalities involving absolute values.
4.0 Students simplify expressions before solving linear equations and inequalities in one
variable, such as 3(2x-5) + 4(x-2) = 12.
5.0 Students solve multistep problems, including word problems, involving linear
equations and linear inequalities in one variable and provide justification for each step.
6.0 Students graph a linear equation and compute the x- and y- intercepts (e.g., graph 2x +
6y = 4). They are also able to sketch the region defined by linear inequality (e.g., they
sketch the region defined by 2x + 6y < 4).
7.0 Students verify that a point lies on a line, given an equation of the line. Students are
able to derive linear equations by using the point-slope formula.
8.0 Students understand the concepts of parallel lines and perpendicular lines and how
those slopes are related. Students are able to find the equation of a line perpendicular to a
given line that passes through a given point.
9.0 Students solve a system of two linear equations in two variables algebraically and are
able to interpret the answer graphically. Students are able to solve a system of two linear
inequalities in two variables and to sketch the solution sets.
10.0 Students add, subtract, multiply, and divide monomials and polynomials. Students
solve multistep problems, including word problems, by using these techniques.
11.0 Students apply basic factoring techniques to second-and simple third-degree
polynomials. These techniques include finding a common factor for all terms in a
polynomial, recognizing the difference of two squares, and recognizing perfect squares of
binomials.
12.0 Students simplify fractions with polynomials in the numerator and denominator by
factoring both and reducing them to the lowest terms.
13.0 Students add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational expressions and functions.
Students solve both computationally and conceptually challenging problems by using
these techniques.
14.0 Students solve a quadratic equation by factoring or completing the square.
15.0 Students apply algebraic techniques to solve rate problems, work problems, and
percent mixture problems.
16.0 Students understand the concepts of a relation and a function, determine whether a
given relation defines a function, and give pertinent information about given relations and
functions.
17.0 Students determine the domain of independent variables and the range of dependent
variables defined by a graph, a set of ordered pairs, or a symbolic expression.
18.0 Students determine whether a relation defined by a graph, a set of ordered pairs, or a
symbolic expression is a function and justify the conclusion.
19.0 Students know the quadratic formula and are familiar with its proof by completing
the square.
20.0 Students use the quadratic formula to find the roots of a second-degree polynomial
and to solve quadratic equations.
21.0 Students graph quadratic functions and know that their roots are the x- intercepts.
22.0 Students use the quadratic formula or factoring techniques or both to determine
whether the graph of a quadratic function will intersect the x-axis in zero, one, or two
points.
23.0 Students apply quadratic equations to physical problems, such as the motion of an
object under the force of gravity.
24.0 Students use and know simple aspects of a logical argument:
24.1 Students explain the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning
and identify and provide examples of each.
24.2 Students identify the hypothesis and conclusion in logical deduction. 24.3
Students use counterexamples to show that an assertion is false and recognize that
a single counterexample is sufficient to refute an assertion.
25.0 Students use properties of the number system to judge the validity of results, to
justify each step of a procedure, and to prove or disprove statements:
25.1 Students use properties of numbers to construct simple, valid arguments
(direct and indirect) for, or formulate counterexamples to, claimed assertions.
25.2 Students judge the validity of an argument according to whether the
properties of the real number system and the order of operations have been applied
correctly at each step.
25.3 Given a specific algebraic statement involving linear, quadratic, or absolute value
expressions or equations or inequalities, students determine whether the statement is true
sometimes, always, or never.

Religion
The individual subject area test for Religion will focus on The Second Vatican Council.
Students should know about the preparation for the Council and the Commissions, about John
XXIII, the dates of the Council, Cardinal Montini, and the changes to the Liturgy. Students
should also be familiar with the documentary work of the Council as follows:
Constitutions
"On the Sacred Liturgy" (Dec. 4, 1963)
"On the Church" (Nov. 21, 1964)
"Divine Revelation" (Nov. 18th, 1965)
"The Church in the Modern World" (Dec. 7, 1965)
Nine Decrees
"The Instruments of Social Communication" (Dec. 4, 1963)
"Ecumenism" (Nov. 21, 1964)
"The Eastern Catholic Churches" (Nov. 21, 1964)
"The Pastoral Duty of Bishops," (Oct. 18, 1965)
"On Priestly Formation" (Oct. 28, 1965)
"On the Apostolate of the Laity" (Nov. 18, 1965)
"On the Missionary Activity of the Church" (Dec. 7, 1965)
Declarations
"On the Relationship of the Church to non-Christian Religions" (Oct. 26, 1965)
"On Christian Education" (Oct. 28, 1965)
"On Religious Freedom" (Dec. 7, 1965)

Optional Resources:

http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/v1.html

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vatii_
const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html

A Concise Guide to the Documents of Vatican II
Editor: Edward P. Hahnenberg
ISBN-13: 9780867165524
Publication Date: March 2007

The Basic Sixteen Documents Vatican Council II: Constitutions, Decrees,
Declarations
Editor: Austin Flannery
Publisher: Costello Publishing Co
Publication Date: May 1996
ISBN-13: 9780918344373

Science
The individual subject area test for Science will focus on the skeletal system of the body
including the bones in the body and the tissues such as tendons, ligaments, and cartilage that
connects them. The test will also include the teeth, dentin, and enamel. Students should be able
to identify bones and their functions. They should also be able to respond to how the skeletal
system helps the body function, whether the bones are alive and how the bones break or heal.

Anatomy of the Moving Body: A Basic Course in Bones, Muscles, and Joints
Editor: Theodore Dimon
Paperback, 272 pages
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Publication Date: May 27, 2008
ISBN: 155643720X

Social Studies
The individual subject area test for Social Studies will focus on a portion of the History-Social
Science Content Standards for Grade 8 as they relate to the Civil War.
8.10 Students analyze the multiple causes, key events, and complex consequences of the
Civil War.
1. Compare the conflicting interpretations of state and federal authority as emphasized in
the speeches and writings of statesmen such as Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun.
2. Trace the boundaries constituting the North and the South, the geographical differences
between the two regions, and the differences between agrarians and industrialists.
3. Identify the constitutional issues posed by the doctrine of nullification and secession and
the earliest origins of that doctrine.
4. Discuss Abraham Lincoln's presidency and his significant writings and speeches and their
relationship to the Declaration of Independence, such as his "House Divided" speech
(1858), Gettysburg Address (1863), Emancipation Proclamation (1863), and inaugural
addresses (1861 and 1865).
5. Study the views and lives of leaders (e.g., Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E.
Lee) and soldiers on both sides of the war, including those of black soldiers and
regiments.
6. Describe critical developments and events in the war, including the major battles,
geographical advantages and obstacles, technological advances, and General Lee's
surrender at Appomattox.
7. Explain how the war affected combatants, civilians, the physical environment, and future
warfare.