Category Archives: Other Events & Contests

The Scholastic (Try Your) Hardest Math Problem Contest!! Grades 5 – 8!

Other Events & Contests

The 2022 Contest is now OPEN!

ABOUT THE CONTEST

The Hardest Math Problem Student Contest is an annual competition presented by Scholastic, The Actuarial Foundation, and the New York Life Foundation that challenges grades 6–8 students to solve multistep, grade-appropriate math problems with real-world situations and engaging characters. Plus, 5th graders are eligible to participate by reaching to a higher grade level! This year’s theme is food access.

Enter Challenge 1! – Click HERE to download the entry packet!

Challenge #1 is due on or before December 5th!

Puzzle It Out!

Writing a Math Argument

Practice, practice, practice explaining clear math reasoning so you can show other people how you found your solution!

Why is this important? Many people use math in
their jobs. For example, an actuary uses complicated
math to help businesses make decisions, so they
have to be able to clearly explain their calculations
to people who aren’t math experts.

Click HERE to practice your math arguments!

Click HERE & scroll all the way to the bottom to view past questions & answer keys!

**Turn your completed entry form into your EY teacher at your school on or before December 5th!** 

 

 

Peculiar Pets 2022 | Poetry Contest for Elementary

Other Events & Contests

Peculiar Pets poetry writing contest is now open to 

elementary school students ages 6-12 years old.

What would your perfect peculiar pet be? An acrobatic bunny? A tech-savvy puppy? A vegan crocodile? A bird that’s scared to fly? A giraffe that likes to race? A superhero cat?

You can create an animal mash-up, be inspired by your perfect pet, or make your own awesome animal to write a poem about.

Visit the website for more information!

Download the Entry Form HERE!

Deadline:  Friday, October 28, 2022.

United States Academic Pentathlon: Grades 6-8

MS Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

What:

Academic Pentathlon tests students in five different subject areas.  Students can choose to compete in 1, 2, 3, 4 or all 5 subject areas. All tests are online.

Where and When:

The 2022 Regional Competition (for Westside Community School students in grades 6-8) will be on Thursday, Feb. 17 at Westside Middle School.

Why?

Academic Pentathlon isn’t about demonstrating how good a student you already are. It’s about daring to push your limits.

If you are interested in participating in the Academic Pentathlon, please email Dr. Spady by Friday, Jan. 21.  She will provide you with additional details.

The 2021-22 United States Academic Pentathlon theme is:
Water: A Most Essential Resource.

Below is a brief summary of the topics covered.

SCIENCE: The science topic will be an introduction to marine biology.

LITERATURE: The literature curriculum will include critical reading, one long work of literature, and selected shorter works. The long work of literature will be the novel A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park ISBN 978-0-547-57731-9.

FINE ARTS: The fine arts curriculum is a combination of art and music. The guide will focus on the impact of water on art and will explore the many ways water has influenced music.

SOCIAL SCIENCE: The social science curriculum will be the impact of water on human history.

MATHEMATICS: The mathematics curriculum will cover an overview of probability, permutations and combinations, statistics and algebra.

For more information, visit:  https://www.usad.org/Pentathlon.aspx

Math+: Advanced Math Learning Opportunity

Learning Opportunities, MS Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests
Math+ is an advanced math class that will be taught this spring by Jake Moore, a math instructor at Duchesne Academy.  Students in 6th-8th grade are invited to participate in this course which will focus on Logic and Proofs.

Starting on Wednesday, Feb. 2, the course will run for 6 weeks from 5:30-6:30 at St. Thomas More.  The program costs $250 and families can sign up at www.RedwoodPrep.com

For more information, check out the flyer linked below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dT0HZJ2kfvEQ3Wb1JLLLc9ZdIWfLFEGr/view?usp=sharing

Westside Community Schools does not sponsor or endorse the organization or activity described in this material. The distribution of this material is provided as a community service.

This Is Me | Poetry Contest

Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

‘This is Me’ Poetry Contest

It’s your time to shine!  YoungWriters is sponsoring a poetry contest and you have the  opportunity to explore and celebrate who you are and express yourself through poetry.  You can write about your dreams for the future or about someone that inspires you.  You can write about your emotions and even create an acrostic (using your name or a word that describes you).

Check out the link below for some free resources including a video, example poems, and a word bank to help you as you write your ‘This Is Me’ poem.

DEADLINE:  February 11, 2022

https://youngwritersusa.com/contest/elementary/me

Westside Community Schools does not sponsor or endorse the organization or activity described in this material. The distribution of this material is provided as a community service.

Speech and Debate Opportunity…STARTING SOON!

MS Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

WHAT: Guided by Kids is a non-profit which offers speech and debate education free of charge.

WHO:  Omaha area students in grades 5-8

WHEN:  Weekly meetings are on Thursdays, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., except for our first two classes, which meet on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 and Tuesday, December 14, 2021.

WHERE:  Sump Memorial Library in Papillion in the largest meeting room,

Class size is limited to 12 students in order to practice social distancing.  Guided by Kids also asks that all students who are part of Guided by Kids attend classes masked and be fully vaccinated (if vaccines are available for their age group).  Both instructors are fully vaccinated.

Find out how to apply here:  https://www.guidedbykids.org/application

Westside Community Schools does not sponsor or endorse the organization or activity described in this material. The distribution of this material is provided as a community service.

2021-22 EY Challenge #4

Current Challenge, MS Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

There are several writing contests happening in the next few months.  For this EY Challenge, check out the writing contests below and find one (or two or three) to enter!

Image Source: https://publicdomainvectors.org/en/free-clipart/Hand-writing-letter/36281.html