Category Archives: Geography Bee

Social Studies Spark #55 The Largest River in Our World is in the Sky!

Geography Bee, Social Studies Enrichment

Learn about the Amazon Rainforest and how the Wampís Nation has been protecting the forest and the largest river in the world. Watch the video and keep track of all of the positive ways the Wampís people are helping our world.

To earn the mini spark, imagine you are a scientist studying the Amazon rainforest. Write a  journal entry describing the incredible biodiversity you have observed and explain why it is important to protect this unique ecosystem. Please use include these words in your journal entry.

  • Ecosystem: A community of living organisms, along with their non-living environment, interacting as a system.
  • Biodiversity: The variety of living organisms in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
  • Indigenous: Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place.

Social Studies Spark #54 Planting Trees

Geography Bee, Social Studies Enrichment

Can it be bad to plant a tree? Before watching the video spend a few minutes thinking about possible times/situations when you would not want to plant a tree.

Watch this TED EDU video about helping our environment by planting trees. This same video is also about how our environment can be hurt by planting trees. While you watch take notes tracking new, interesting, and important information.

After you are done write an interview between a reported and a tree. Choose at least 3 of the questions below to ask the tree.

Sample script

Reporter– Hello, Aspen. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. Will you please tell me the difference between afforestation and reforestation?

Aspen-Of course, I am glad to be here. The words sound similar, and they are but there is a difference between them. Afforestation is the planting of trees in places devoid of any forest, while reforestation is the practice of restoring recently degraded forests.

Question Choices

  1. Why are trees considered a solution to curb climate change?
  2. What is the Bonn Challenge and what is its goal?
  3. Why do companies plant trees?
  4. Why are natural forests better at carbon storage compared to plantations?
  5. Why is it important to consider the species of trees and the lands when planting trees?
  6. What are the unintended consequences of planting trees in regions that naturally reflect sunlight?
  7. What is the current approach of Chile in tree planting efforts?
  8. What are some methods mentioned in the video to re-green the planet?
  9. When is it bad to plant trees?

Geography Bee Practice Questions

Geography Bee

In addition to the daily practice tests on the National Geographic website and the app that many of you have requested to be downloaded on your iPads, here are a few more practice questions for next week’s Geography Bee.  Good luck!

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE SAMPLE QUESTIONS

1. Which state is known as the Peach State because peaches are one of its major crops—Hawaii or Georgia?

2. Which state is known as the Great Lakes State because it is bordered by four of the five Great Lakes—North Dakota or Michigan?

3. Which state, famous for its wealth and financial resources, is known as the Empire State—Idaho or New York?

4. A trumpet appears on the quarter of which state, known for its jazz music heritage—Louisiana or Pennsylvania?

5. The first successful airplane flight, at Kill Devil Hills, is commemorated on the quarter of which state—North Carolina or Iowa?

6. To walk in Lisbon’s Alfama district and to stay at a beach resort in the Algarve, you would travel to what country?

7. To bike around Stanley Park in Vancouver and see the northern lights near Yellowknife, you would travel to what country?

8. To take a rain forest tour and to dance at Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival celebration, you would travel to what country?

9. To see an acrobatics show in Beijing and walk along the Great Wall, you would travel to what country?

10. The threatened Canada lynx, which has large feet adapted for walking on top of deep snow, lives near Lake of the Woods in which state—Georgia or Minnesota?

1.  Georgia

2. Michigan

3. New York

4. Louisiana

5. North Carolina

6. Portugal

7. Canada

8. Brazil

9. China

10. Minnesota

Geography Bee Details

Geography Bee

geobeelogo

One way to ease a little anxiety before competing in a school competition like the Geography Bee is to understand the format.  Here are some basic details:

Everyone will participate in the first 7 rounds.  Last year, the content for the first 4 rounds was:

  1. U.S. Geography (multiple choice)
  2. U.S. Cities (multiple choice)
  3. U.S. Historic Places (multiple choice)
  4. Continents (must say one of the 7 continents as the answer)

The top 5 or so scorers from the first 4 rounds will move to the final round.  In the finals, it’s double elimination so a contestant isn’t eliminated until they miss 2 questions.

The championship round will start when there are only 2 contestants left.

There isn’t a district Geography Bee.  The winner from each elementary building will take a written test sometime in late January/early February.  The top 100 contestants from Nebraska will be invited to take a test at UNO.

Hope this information helps!

Image Source: http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2014/03/24/top-geography-students-state-geographic-bees-april-4/

 

Geo Bee Practice

Geography Bee

It’s never too early to start practicing for the Geography Bee!  Check out the resources below and get started!

1.  Click on the link to take a daily Geo Bee Quiz: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/quiz/today/?utm_source=NatGeocom&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=geobee_20141016&utm_campaign=Content

2.  We have access for the next 30 days (from Nov. 10-Dec. 10) to a website which contains several resources. Scroll down to the “Books” section and look for “How to Ace the National Geographic Bee Official Study Guide,” and the “Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas: Earth’s Astonishing Animals and Where They Live.” http://www.galesites.com/trial/geobee/district66

2. Are you a Geo Genius?  Try to answer these questions.

3.  There’s an app for that!  If you are interested in having a Geo Bee app on your iPad, let the EY coordinator in your building know and we will do our best to get it installed on your iPad.

4.  Stack the Countries and Stack the States are free apps that you can download on your iPad.

2014-15 Geography Bee

Events & Contests, Geography Bee, Uncategorized

During the week of November 10, 4th through 6th grade teachers will administer the qualifying geography bee test in the classroom.  The top 10-14 students will compete in a school geography bee which will be run a little different this year.

On Tuesday, December 9, Hillside, Westbrook, Swanson, Loveland, and Sunset will have their geography bees at Underwood Hills on 90th and Western.

On Friday, December 12, Westgate, Paddock Road, Oakdale, Rockbrook, and Prairie Lane will have their geography bees at the Community Conference Center (CCC) on 108th and Grover.

School vehicles will be used to transport the students to Underwood Hills and the CCC where they will compete in the geography bee.  Parents and family are welcome to attend.

Below is the tentative schedule for each day.

December 9 at Underwood Hills

  • Hillside 9:15-10:15
  • Westbrook 10:30-11:30
  • Swanson 11:45-12:45
  • Loveland 1:00-2:00
  • Sunset 2:15-3:15

December 12 at CCC

  • Westgate 9:15-10:15
  • Paddock 10:30-11:30
  • Oakdale 11:45-12:45
  • Rockbrook 1:00-2:00
  • Prairie Lane 2:15-3:15

Geography Bee Practice Links

Geography Bee

geoBee

Geography Bee qualifiers should use these links to prepare for the school Geography Bee!  Good Luck!

 

This is the official Geography Bee site.  A daily quiz is posted and you can take it by clicking on “Take the Quiz” on the top menu bar.

2. World Country Facts: http://www.theodora.com/wfb/abc_world_fact_book.html

This site contains facts about the countries of the world.

11. Where is That?  Funbrain Game: http://www.funbrain.com/where/index.html

12. Geography Quizzes: http://geography.about.com/library/quiz/blpreviss.htm