Academic Competitions – Elementary

1. Each school may bring ONLY six (6) students, four of whom play at any one time, to a competition.
ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS ARE ALLOWED! These six (6) students comprise the school’s 5th
grade Academic Team and must be enrolled in the 5th grade for the current school year. Team
members, transferring within the county during the area competitions are not eligible to become
members at their new school until the next round of competition. A student may only compete on the team from the school in which he/she is enrolled.

2. Teams are allowed to change any of the six members for any particular competition; however, the six members chosen to compete on the day of a scheduled competition are the only six who may represent the school that day.

3. The maximum number of players during a round of the competition is four. A team may compete with less than four members. Alternates may be substituted during the two-minute breaks that follow the five- and ten-point question rounds. Substitutions are allowed following the fifteen-point question round if scores are tied for the winning places thereby necessitating tie-breaker question(s).

4. A first-response, electronic lockout system is used for the game box in the tournament.

5. Each team begins the competition with one hundred (100) points. When a team answers a question correctly, the value of the question is added to the score. If the answer is incorrect, the value of the question is subtracted from the score. The competition then continues to the next question. There are no “second chances,” and there is no negative scoring.

6. Any playing member may push the team button. Any playing member may give the answer to the
question. However, if more than one answer is heard by the reader and/or the judge(s) and one answer is correct while the others are incorrect, the response is considered incorrect. Once a team gives a response, the response cannot be changed.

7. Team members may confer before and/or after the button has been pushed. However, stalling is not permitted. There are two types of stalling:

(a) Three-second rule: The team must begin to answer the question within three seconds of being
recognized by the reader. This three seconds is controlled by the reader with a timer built into the
game box.

(b) Once begun the response must continue in a timely manner. Interpretation of this rule lies solely with the reader.

Violation of either of these rules is considered an incorrect response.

8. A team may request that a question be repeated only if a team button has not been pushed. A team member should simply say loudly, “Repeat” and the reader will begin to reread the question. A team member should not raise his/her hand or push the button to request a question be repeated. Repeating the question does not extend the sixty-second time period to answer.

9. If a team pushes its button before the question is completely read, the reader does not finish reading the question but expects a response from that team. If a team pushes its button before the first word of the question has been read, the reader begins again.

10. A question not answered within sixty (60) seconds is discarded. Pass option: If in the opinion of the
reader a question will go unanswered, this option is implemented. The reader asks, “Do the teams wish to pass?” If all teams wish to pass, the timer is disengaged, the correct answer is given, no points are awarded and the competition continues to the next question.

11. Some of the questions may be multi-part questions requiring answers to all parts of the question. When a team answers, it is expected that answers to all parts of the question be given without a reminder from the reader. If a team fails to answer all parts correctly, the answer will be considered incorrect and points will be lost.

12. Pencil and paper are provided. Books, notes, calculators, etc. are not permitted during a competition.

13. A competition consists of three rounds:

Five-point round:

• • twenty (20) questions valued at five (5) points each
  • two-minute break during which coaching and substitutions are permitted

Ten-point round:

• • scores announced
  • twenty (20) questions valued at ten (10) points each
  • two-minute break during which coaching and substitutions are permitted

Fifteen-point round:

• • scores announced
  • twenty (20) questions valued at fifteen (15) points each
  • scores announced
  • two-minute break, if scores for placement to advance to the next level are tied,
    during which coaching and substitutions are permitted
  • scores announced

14. Coaching is permitted only during the two-minute breaks. Coaching is not permitted during competition play.

15. No audience interference is permitted. Video and cassette taping are permitted only during the final round, not during the area competitions or semifinal competitions.

16. Any of the four playing members on any team may challenge the ruling of the correctness of its
response or the ruling of the correctness of another team’s response. Only the team that answered the question can gain or lose points. The challenge must be made before the first word of the next question is read or before the two-minute break is announced. A playing team member simply says loudly “Challenge.” The reader asks for the challenge. The playing team member states the challenge, and the reader and/or judge(s) make the final decision on a challenge.

17. The reader/judge(s) have the final authority during a competition. Among other situations, rulings are made on the following:

• failure to follow the written rules
• wrong team responds
• question is read incorrectly
• questionable team response is given
• a school plays an ineligible student
• poor sportsmanship is shown
• audience interferes

18. Possible penalties include:

• subtraction of points (for the question on which the infraction occurs)
• restricting a certain team or teams from having the opportunity to answer the next question or
questions
• dismissal from the competition of player(s), coach(es), observer(s) or an entire team

19. If a team button malfunctions, it is the responsibility of the playing team members to notify the reader immediately.

20. The team with the highest score wins. If a tie-breaker question is needed, only the teams whose scores are tied will compete for the tie-breaking point. One point is awarded for a correct answer to the tiebreaker question, or one point is subtracted for an incorrect answer.

One team of six fifth-grade students and a coach is selected from each elementary school.

The tournament is an academic, quiz-bowl type competition. Each school team consists of six members (four players and two alternates) and a coach. This is not a quick response, trivial-pursuit contest. Instead, it is a slower-paced tournament in which players are asked questions from the subject areas of mathematics, science, language arts, social studies, music and economics.

The tournament begins with area competitions in January. The final round will be scheduled in March or April. The public is invited and encouraged to attend this competition. There is no charge for admission.

The goal of this academic tournament is to provide an arena of competition in which fifth-grade students are challenged to display their knowledge.

Polk County’s Fifth-Grade Academic Team Tournament is sponsored by the School Board of Polk County. We are currently seeking additional sponsors. If interested, please use the contact us button at the top of this page.