national geographic school bee 2015 · each year thousands of schools in the united states...

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National Geographic School Bee 2015 Copyright © 2014 National Geographic Society IMPORTANT DATES Now through the first week of February 2015: Hold your school Bee February 6, 2015, 11:59 pm EST: Deadline for submitting school champion’s qualifying test score online to the Bee Registration site February 7, 2015: Deadline for mailing qualifying test answer sheet to National Geographic for verification March 27, 2015: State Bees May 11-13, 2015: National Championship

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National Geographic School Bee

2015

Copyright © 2014National Geographic Society

IMPORTANT DATES

• Now through the � rst week of February 2015: Hold your school Bee

• February 6, 2015, 11:59 pm EST: Deadline for submitting school champion’s qualifying test score online to the Bee Registration site

• February 7, 2015: Deadline for mailing qualifying test answer sheet to National Geographic for veri� cation

• March 27, 2015: State Bees

• May 11-13, 2015: National Championship

Welcome to the 2015 National Geographic School Bee!

What’s inside...(click on the links below to jump to that section of the document)

School Bee Instructions & Rules ...................................3Study Tips for Students and Parents ............................ 11Question Material (Top Secret!) ..................................12 Preliminary Competition Questions Preliminary Tiebreaker Questions Final Competition Questions Final Competition Map State Bee Qualifying Test Questions and Answer Sheet State Bee Qualifying Test Answer Key (for teacher)

School Bee Certificate of Participation ....................... 72Raising Media Awareness ............................................ 73Bee Merchandise ......................................................... 79National Geographic Virtual Library Trial Offer .......... 81

Coming in the mail... (estimated arrival first week of December) —School Champion Medal —School Champion Certificate of Achievement —Reply Envelope for returning State Bee Qualifying

Test Answer Sheet

2

National Geographic School Bee

2015

INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES

(print pages 3-10)

Back to Top

3

Each year thousands of schools in the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society. The contest is designed to motivate students to learn about the world and how it works. Students in grades four through eight are eligible for this entertaining and challenging competition. With a top prize of a $50,000 college scholarship—plus other prizes—the contest is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography. Students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and the Department of Defense Dependents Schools are participating in the 2015 National Geographic Bee.

There are three levels of competition: school, state, and national. To compete for advancement from the school to the state level, the winning student at each school must take the written qualifying test. As many as 100 of the highest-scoring students in a state or territory advance to the state competition. The state Bee champion advances to the national championship in Washington, D.C.

Each school is responsible for conducting its own Bee, which must take place no later than the first week of February 2015. The school Bee coordinator conducts the school competition, administers the qualifying test to the school winner, scores the test, and communicates with National Geographic about the school champion and the qualifying test results. The following rules must be followed in order for a student to remain eligible for advancement to the state and national competitions, but schools may be flexible in the format for conducting their school Bees.

• The school Bee coordinator cannot be a relative or guardian of a student participating in the Nat Geo Bee at any school or homeschool.

• A minimum of six (6) students from any of the eligible grades must be physically present and participate in the school competition in order to submit the winning student’s qualifying test score for possible advancement to the state Bee. “Virtual” school Bees are not permitted.

• Bee materials are the property of the registered school and may not be transferred or used by another school.

• School Bee materials may not be shared in hard copy or electronic form with anybody who is not an employee of the registered school, either before or after the school Bee.

• The recording of school Bees is not permitted. Posting or sharing of videos of school Bees gives an unfair advantage to students at schools that have not yet held their Bees. The school Bee coordinator must ensure that the school Bee is not recorded in any form, including written notes, audio, or video, by participants or event attendees without prior permission from the National Geographic Bee executive director.

• Homeschools must follow all rules listed here, and must allow other homeschool students in their area to participate in their Bee.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE

SCHOOL BEE RULES

4

SCHOOL BEE RULES (continued)

Rules Regarding Student Eligibility

• Previous champions of National Geographic Bee scholarships are ineligible to participate, as are members of the immediate families of National Geographic Society employees. • Students must be in grades four through eight and must not have reached their 15th

birthday on or before September 1, 2014. A student is eligible to participate in the Bee for no more than fi ve years total.

• A student must be enrolled in a school that has registered for the Bee. Students can

only participate in one Bee per academic year. Homeschooled students must participate through a homeschool that has registered for the Bee. Students enrolled

in conventional public or private schools may not compete as part of a homeschool association’s Bee.

• Students in the eligible grade levels must be following a school schedule and academic course load comparable to the majority of the student’s grade mates and

age mates. A student may not be enrolled in more than three academic courses at the high school and/or college level during the academic year.

• Students and their parents, guardians, and relatives must not have obtained, have had

in their possession, or have seen copies of the school Bee question booklet or the qualifying test. Rules Regarding the State Qualifying Test

• The qualifying test must be administered by the school Bee coordinator to the one (1) student who has won the school Bee. • The test is to be administered in the school building and must be monitored by the

school Bee coordinator. A relative or guardian of the school champion may not administer the test and must not have had possession of or have seen the test. • The student is to work independently on the test, using no outside help or material.

• The school Bee coordinator agrees to grade the test fairly and accurately using the answer key provided. The winning student’s qualifying test score must be

submitted online by 11:59 p.m. EST February 6, 2015.

• The school Bee coordinator agrees to mail the original graded answer sheet to National Geographic for verifi cation of the test results. The test must be postmarked

by February 7, 2015. The coordinator will keep a copy of the answer sheet in his/her possession until June 30, 2015.

National Geographic reserves the right to disqualify a school or student if these rules have not been followed.

5

SCHOOL BEE PROCEDURES

National Geographic provides schools with these contest materials, and we encourage you to use the materials in a way that is engaging and appropriate for your students’ ages and skill levels. The suggested procedures below are the same as those used at the state Bee and should work well for most schools. However, schools may adapt the procedures to fi t their needs or the needs of their students. For example, a school may want to use fewer preliminary rounds or conduct the preliminary competition as a written test. If the school Bee coordinator chooses to conduct the preliminary competition as a written test, care must be taken to inform students of the rules outlined in the Instructions to Contestants in the Preliminary Competition Questions.

The school Bee coordinator should make every effort to accommodate students who have physical challenges, including medical conditions involving sight, hearing, speech, or movement. The school Bee coordinator has discretionary power to amend oral and/or written answer requirements on a case-by-case basis for students with diagnosed medical conditions involving sight, hearing, speech, or movement. Any questions regarding other accommodations for students with physical challenges can be directed to the National Geographic Bee offi ce by email at [email protected].

The preliminary competition at the school Bee consists of seven preliminary rounds of 35 questions each. The preliminary competition determines which students will advance to the fi nal competition of the school Bee. The preliminary competition may be held in individual classrooms. If more than 35 students in a class are participating, the class can be divided into groups and a separate competition can be conducted for each group. Or, again, a written test using the preliminary questions can be given to determine the students (no more than 10) that will advance to the fi nals.

prepArAtion: Print and distribute to each participating teacher the following sections of the school Bee contest resources: Instructions & Rules, Study Tips, Preliminary Competition Questions, Preliminary Tiebreaker Questions, and Certifi cate of Participation. Teachers can help students prepare for the Bee by sending home the Study Tips sheet, or by quizzing students for fun using the questions on the sheet. However, the actual contest questions should not be discussed with students before the competition. Teachers should preview the contest questions before the competition to become familiar with the pronunciation guides provided. Paper and markers should be available in case tiebreaker questions are needed.

Judging: Although every effort has been made to ensure that all acceptable answers toa question are listed, teachers may accept other answers if deemed appropriate. This includes variations on the acceptable answers. That is, if the answer is listed as “Rocky Mountains,” you should accept just “Rockies” even though it is not listed. Up-to-date resource materials—such as atlases and geographical dictionaries—should be available for consultation. A decision regarding whether a question has been answered correctly or not should be made within a minute or two. This decision is fi nal.

Asking the questions: The teacher should read aloud the Instructions to Contestants and then begin the preliminary competition. The questions should be read slowly and clearly. During the preliminary competition, each student should be asked one question per round. Each round should begin with the same student. Note: If you have fewer than 35 students in a group, you will not use every question within a round.

response time: A student has 15 seconds to answer each question. If a student wants a question repeated or a word spelled, he or she should ask the teacher immediately and the timer should be stopped. A student may interrupt each level of the school competition only twice to have either a question repeated or a word spelled. Once the question has been repeated or the

PRELIMINARY COMPETITION

6

word spelled, the student should be allowed the remainder of the 15 seconds to answer the question. The student must start to give his or her answer before the 15-second time limit is up. Only the fi rst answer given will be accepted and judged. If the student does not answer the question within the allotted time, the teacher should say “Time,” give the correct answer, and move on to the next student. If the student gives the correct answer, the teacher should acknowledge that the answer is correct and ask the next student the next question in the round. A student may say “Pass” if he or she does not know the answer and wishes to pass before time is up. Passes count as incorrect answers. If the student passes or answers incorrectly, the teacher should give the correct answer before asking the next student the next question.

sCorekeeping: A scorekeeper should be designated to keep a record of each student’s score. Each student should receive one point for each correct answer. Scores should be totaled at the end of the last preliminary round.

AdVAnCement to the FinAL Competition: No more than ten students should advance to the fi nal competition. Each school may decide how the fi nalists will be selected. The group of ten fi nalists could consist of the top ten highest scorers in the school. As a second option, it could consist of an equal number of top scorers from each class. A third option would be to choose the top scorer from each class and the next highest scorers overall if the maximum of ten is desired for the fi nal competition.

tiebreAkers: If there are ties in determining the fi nalists, ask the preliminary competition tiebreaker questions using a written, single-elimination procedure. If a student answers incorrectly, he or she is eliminated unless all the students miss the question. The seating arrangement of the students should ensure the confi dentiality of their written answers. The teacher should ask all students involved in the tie the same question simultaneously. Each tiebreaker question should be read twice, and students may not ask for another repeat. The students should write their answers on the paper provided. At the end of the 15 seconds, the teacher should call “Time” and tell the students to put down their markers and hold up their answers. Then each contestant, in turn, should read his or her answer aloud. Note: The correct answer should not be given until all answers have been read. The contestants should continue to show their written answers until the scorekeeper has recorded the scores. The judge should check to make sure that each contestant’s written answer matches his or her oral answer and that the scores are recorded correctly. A student should not be penalized for inaccurate pronunciations or spellings so long as it can be determined that an answer is correct. Follow this procedure for each question until the tie is broken.

The fi nal competition at the school Bee consists of a fi nal round and a championship round. The fi nal round questions will reduce the number of contestants to two. Starting with a clean slate, these two fi nalists will then compete in the championship round. The championship round determines the one student from the school who will take the written qualifying test to compete for advancement to the state Bee.

prepArAtion: Choose a moderator and a judge for the fi nal competition. These positions can be fi lled by the principal, teachers, local geographers, government offi cials, or other appropriate individuals. Print and distribute to the moderator and the judge the following sections of the school Bee contest resources: Instructions & Rules, Final Competition Questions, and Final Competition Map. Each fi nalist will also need a copy of the map. If you wish, you can also project the map for the audience by copying it as an overhead transparency or creating a digital slide. A meeting should be arranged with the moderator and the judge to make sure they understand all the procedures. It is important to have the moderator preview the questions before the competition to become familiar with the pronunciation guides provided. Paper, markers, and chairs for ten students will be needed, as well as the student awards if you have received them

FINAL COMPETITION

7

(medal and certificate for school champion). If possible, it would be appropriate to give a prize to each of the ten finalists. Local businesses may be willing to contribute these. You may also order Bee merchandise items from the flyer included with the school Bee contest resources.

Judging: The same procedures used in judging the preliminary competition should be followed in the final competition. Make sure the judge understands these procedures as well as those described below and on the next page. Decisions of the judge are final.

Asking the questions, response time: The school finalists (up to ten students, only) should be seated on stage, their order determined by a random drawing. (This is the procedure students will encounter at the state and national competitions.) The moderator should read aloud the Instructions to Finalists and then begin asking the final round questions. Each student, in turn, should stand to receive a question from the moderator and to answer it. The same procedures, described previously, for asking and answering questions in the preliminary competition apply to the final competition, with the following changes:

1. In the final round, a contestant is eliminated after answering two questions incorrectly. Those who give a second incorrect answer should be excused from the stage only after every finalist on stage has received a question in that series. The moderator should begin each new series of questions with the same student. If that student has been eliminated, questioning should begin with the next available student. Final round questions continue until the third-place winner and two finalists are determined. If all the remaining contestants would be eliminated because they each had given a second incorrect answer, all those remaining contestants should continue to receive final round questions until the third-place winner and two finalists have been determined. If, after a series of questions, only one student remains with no incorrect answers or only one incorrect answer (and all the others have missed two), that student automatically becomes one of the finalists. He or she should be asked no more questions. Those students who gave their second incorrect answer during that series will continue to receive questions until the third-place winner and the second finalist are determined. The third-place winner should be acknowledged, then asked to leave the stage so that the championship round can begin.

2. Two questions in the final round are designed to be answered in writing by all the contestants simultaneously, with 15 seconds allotted for writing the answer. The seating arrangement of the students should ensure the confidentiality of their written answers. Note: The correct answer should not be given until all students have given their answers aloud. A student should not be penalized for inaccurate pronunciations or spellings so long as the judge can determine that an answer is correct.

ChAmpionship round: The two finalists compete in the championship round to determine the school winner. The two finalists enter this round with a clean slate; previous scores must not be taken into consideration. The questioning procedure changes with the championship round. At this point, the moderator should take time to explain the changes.

The championship round consists of three questions. The student who answers the most questions correctly is the school champion. The moderator will ask both contestants the same question simultaneously. Each question should be read twice, and students may not ask for another repeat. They will have 15 seconds to write their answers on the paper provided. When time is up, both contestants will put down their markers and hold up their answers. Each, in turn, will read his or her answer aloud. Note: The correct answer should not be given until both students have answered aloud. Follow this procedure for each question.

tiebreAkers: If the championship round does not produce a school winner, begin the championship tiebreaker questions using a written, single-elimination procedure. Both students will write their answers to the same question. Again, the correct answer should not be given until both students have answered aloud. The student who answers correctly when the other one misses becomes the school champion. If necessary, continue this procedure asking unused final round questions until a champion is determined.

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AwArds Ceremony: The moderator, and other officials as appropriate, should conduct an awards ceremony to distribute the prizes. A medal and certificate for your school champion will be sent to your school, but these items will not begin shipping until late November. If your school Bee takes place prior to the first week of December, you may need to present these items to the school champion at a later date.

Once the school champion has been identified, the school Bee coordinator may administer the written qualifying test for the student to be considered for advancement to the state Bee. The school Bee coordinator must ensure that the student meets all eligibility requirements and must gather the necessary information about the school champion for reporting to National Geographic, including student’s grade, gender, birth date, parent/guardian name, home address, home phone number, and parent/guardian email address. This information will be needed when inputting the student’s score on the qualifying test. The winning student’s qualifying test score must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. EST February 6, 2015.

The school Bee coordinator must administer the qualifying test at the school building. The student has 60 minutes to complete the test in one session and must work independently, using no outside help or material. In preparation for administering the test, print the following sections of the school Bee contest resources to be given to the school champion: State Qualifying Test Questions and State Qualifying Test Answer Sheet. The school champion must use the answer sheet to record his or her answers.

Once the test is completed, print the State Qualifying Test Answer Key and use it to score the student’s answer sheet. The school Bee coordinator must score the test accurately and fairly, and must sign the certification statement on the cover of the answer sheet. Do not share the score or any answer key information with the student or parent/guardian. You MUST report the school champion’s information and test score online by logging into the school’s account on the National Geographic Bee registration site at geobee-registration.nationalgeographic.com by 11:59 pm EST February 6, 2015. Students will not be considered for advancement if you fail to submit the information online. Finally, you must retain a photocopy of the answer sheet for your records and mail the original answer sheet to National Geographic for verification of the test results. Send only the answer sheet—do not include the question booklet or answer key. Use the envelope provided with the mailed contest materials and be sure to affix appropriate postage. The envelope must be postmarked by February 7, 2015. If the envelope has been misplaced, mail the answer sheet to the following address: National Geographic Bee, c/o National Geographic Society, PO Box 98196, Washington, DC, 20090-8196. (This address is only to be used for qualifying test answer sheets—do not send any other correspondence to this address.)We reserve the right to disqualify a student if the above steps are not followed.

As many as 100 of the highest-scoring students will be invited to represent their school at their state Bee. Schools and parents/guardians will receive an email notification regarding whether or not the school champion qualified for the state Bee. If email notification is not received by March 9, 2015, the school Bee coordinator may email the National Geographic Bee office at [email protected], and provide the name of the school, complete school address, and name of the school champion.

State Bees will be held in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and participating U.S. territories on Friday, March 27, 2015. Transportation and accommodation expenses for the state competition are the responsibility of each student or school. Eligible students must appear in person to compete at the state Bee. The state champion receives a medal, cash award, and other prizes. The second- and third-place winners also receive cash awards and prizes. All students participating in the state competition will receive T-shirts. Competition at this level will be

STATE BEE

QUALIFYING FOR THE STATE BEE

9

managed differently for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools, the Atlantic territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and the Pacific territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The top scorers in each of these regions will take a written test to determine their one winner.

Each state champion will advance to the national championship, scheduled for May 11-13, 2015, in Washington, D.C. The Bee will pay the transportation and accommodation expenses for the state champion. On Monday, May 11, contestants will be divided into groups to take part in the preliminary competition. Ten students will advance to the final competition, held May 12-13. The televised final competition will be moderated by Soledad O’Brien. Check the Bee website at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee for broadcast information. Final round contestants will compete for the following prizes:

o First place: a $50,000 college scholarship, lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society, $500 in cash, and a trip to the Galápagos Islands

o Second place: a $25,000 college scholarship, and $500 in cash

o Third place: a $10,000 college scholarship, and $500 in cash

o Seven runners-up: $500 in cash for each runner-up

NATIONAL BEE

10

BEE PREPAREDFOR THE GEO BEE!

Keep Quizzing ONLINE:www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/quiz/today

»

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?

1. Georgia 2. Michigan 3. New York 4. Louisiana 5. North Carolina 6. Portugal 7. Canada 8. Brazil 9. China 10. Minnesota

ARE YOU A GEO-GENIUS?

STUDY ON THE GO!Download the Geo Bee Challenge app at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/apps. Check out these National Geographic books available for purchase online at www.shopng.com/geobee.

6. To walk in Lisbon’s Alfama district and to stay at a beach resort in the Algarve [al-GAHR-vee], 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?

National Geographic School Bee

2015

PRELIMINARY COMPETITION QUESTIONS

(print pages 12-39)

Back to Top

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TEACHER: Please read aloud the following instructions. They are based on the procedures suggested in the Instructions & Rules booklet.

INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTESTANTSYour first instructions are to relax and enjoy the Bee. Please remember that the Bee questions are designed to test your knowledge of geography—not to confuse you with trick questions.

The preliminary competition consists of seven rounds. I will ask each of you one question from each round. You will have 15 seconds to answer, and you must start to give your answer before the time limit is up. You may interrupt the preliminary competition only twice to have either a question repeated or a word spelled. If you want me to repeat a question or to spell a word in a question, you must ask me immediately. After I finish repeating the question or spelling the word, you will have the rest of your 15 seconds in which to answer. If you give the correct answer, I will acknowledge it, award you one point, and move on to the next contestant. If you give an incorrect answer, I will tell you so and give the correct answer. If you do not know the answer, you may say “Pass” before the time is up. A pass will be recorded as an incorrect answer in your score.

If you do not answer within 15 seconds, I will say “Time,” give the correct answer, and move on to the next contestant. You will not be penalized for inaccurate pronunciations or spellings as long as it can be determined that you know the correct answer.

Each preliminary round will begin with the same student. At the end of the seven preliminary rounds, your points will be totaled. (Note to teacher: The method your school uses for choosing as many as ten students to participate in the final competition should be explained here.) If there is a tie in determining up to ten finalists, we will have a tiebreaker round. I will explain the procedure for the tiebreaker questions at that time.

Remember to listen carefully to each question and use correct geographic terminology in your answers. For example, do not use “Holland” as a synonym for the country “Netherlands,” and do not use “England” for the country “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” as England is a political division. Give present-day names unless the question involves history and other names would be correct in the context of the question. As the Bee is conducted in English, wherever possible, conventional English place-names are used. Shortened forms of country names are acceptable, such as “United Kingdom,” “Great Britain,” or “Britain” for “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.” Bee questions follow the National Geographic Society’s policy of recognizing Europe and Asia as two continents. Oceania is considered a region rather than a continent, and it will not be accepted as a correct answer for the continent of Australia. In addition, the National Geographic Society recognizes four oceans—Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific.

All information was current at the time the Bee questions were finalized in October 2014.

The rulings of the judge are final.

Best wishes for success in the preliminary competition.

Note to teacher: If you have an audience for the preliminary competition, advise people that they are not permitted to record the school Bee in any form or distract the contestants in any way. Ask everyone to turn off all electronic devices.

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PRELIMINARY COMPETITIONNote to teacher: Each of the following rounds of 35 questions should begin with the same student. If you have fewer than 35 students in your class, you will not need every question within a round. The answer follows each question. Other acceptable answers are shown in parentheses. If a student does not give the correct answer, read only the first answer, not those in parentheses. Although every effort has been made to list all acceptable answers, you may allow other answers that you feel are acceptable. This would include variations on the acceptable answers. That is, if the answer is “Rocky Mountains,” you should accept just “Rockies” even though it is not listed.

RoUNd 1: United StatesTeacher says: Questions in Round 1 are about the United States. You will have a choice of two states. You must choose which one is the correct answer.

1. Which state is located east of the Mississippi River—Michigan or Colorado?

Michigan

2. Which state has a coastline on the Gulf of Mexico—North Carolina or Louisiana?

Louisiana

3. Which state has a larger population—Wyoming or Texas?

Texas

4. Tornadoes occur more frequently in which state—Iowa or Vermont?

Iowa

5. Which state is made up of eight main islands—Hawaii or New Hampshire?

Hawaii

6. Which state is located in the Great Plains—Kansas or Washington?

Kansas

7. Tourists enjoy viewing colorful fall foliage in the Green Mountains in which state—Florida or Vermont?

Vermont

8. Which state lies east of the Rocky Mountains—Nevada or Illinois?

Illinois

9. The Black Hills and Badlands National Park are located in which state—Missouri or South Dakota?

South dakota

14

10. Which state includes Civil War battlefields—Montana or Virginia?

Virginia

11. Which state borders the Chesapeake Bay—Maryland or Ohio?

Maryland

12. A hurricane is more likely to make landfall in which state—Georgia or Michigan?

Georgia

13. Lake Okeechobee [o-kee-CHO-bee] is the largest freshwater lake in which state—Hawaii or Florida?

Florida

14. Which state has a shoreline on Lake Erie—Ohio or Georgia?

ohio

15. The Great Smoky Mountains lie on the border of North Carolina and which other state—Tennessee or Arizona?

Tennessee

16. Dairy farming is important to the economy of which state—Alaska or Wisconsin?

Wisconsin

17. Which state was one of the original 13 colonies—Rhode Island or Arkansas?

Rhode Island

18. The Continental Divide, or Great Divide, passes through which state—Wyoming or West Virginia?

Wyoming

19. The Savannah River forms most of the border between Georgia and which other state—Illinois or South Carolina?

South Carolina

20. Which state receives less average annual rainfall—Virginia or California?

California

21. Raising hogs is a major industry in which state—Rhode Island or Indiana?

Indiana

22. Which state has a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean—North Carolina or Minnesota?

North Carolina

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23. Which state is located farther north—Delaware or New Mexico?

delaware

24. The Appalachian Mountains cover much of which state—Pennsylvania or Kansas?

Pennsylvania

25. The Colorado River flows through the Grand Canyon in which state—Arizona or New Jersey?

Arizona

26. Which state was formed from land purchased from Russia—Massachusetts or Alaska?

Alaska

27. Which state is closer to the Pacific Ocean—Idaho or Kentucky?

Idaho

28. Which state borders Canada—Washington or Utah?

Washington

29. Corn is a major crop in which state—Nebraska or Maine?

Nebraska

30. Which state has a smaller area—New Hampshire or South Dakota?

New Hampshire

31. The St. Lawrence River forms part of the border between Canada and which state—New York or Indiana?

New York

32. The Great Salt Lake is in which state—Arkansas or Utah?

Utah

33. Which state has a panhandle—North Dakota or Oklahoma?

oklahoma

34. The Tennessee River flows across which state—Alabama or Texas?

Alabama

35. Colorado is in the same time zone as which other state—Mississippi or Montana?

Montana

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RoUNd 2: Team TurfTeacher says: Did you know you can learn about places by following your favorite sports teams? Round 2 is called Team Turf and will test your knowledge of U.S. cities and their professional teams. You will have a choice of two states, and you must choose which one is the correct answer.

1. Soldier Field, home to the Chicago Bears football team, is located on Lake Michigan in which state—Illinois or Missouri?

Illinois

2. Eight-time World Series champions, the Boston Red Sox, play baseball at Fenway Park, located near the Charles River in which state—Vermont or Massachusetts?

Massachusetts

3. The Thorns, a professional women’s soccer team, play home games in Portland near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers in which state—Nevada or Oregon?

oregon

4. The Coyotes play ice hockey at an indoor arena near Phoenix, located in the Sonoran Desert in which state—Arizona or Colorado?

Arizona

5. The Royals play baseball in Kansas City in which state that borders the Mississippi River—Missouri or New Hampshire?

Missouri

6. The Spurs play basketball at an arena in San Antonio, located in the Hill Country in which state—Mississippi or Texas?

Texas

7. The Titans play football in Nashville, a city located on the Cumberland River in which state—Tennessee or Virginia?

Tennessee

8. The Lynx are a professional women’s basketball team that play in Minneapolis near the Mississippi River in which state—Idaho or Minnesota?

Minnesota

9. Six-time Super Bowl champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, play football near the source of the Ohio River in which state—Alabama or Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania

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10. The Flash are a professional women’s soccer team that play in Rochester, located on Lake Ontario in which state—Wyoming or New York?

New York

11. The Anaheim Ducks play ice hockey at an arena nicknamed the Duck Pond, located near the Pacific Ocean in which state—South Dakota or California?

California

12. The Cleveland Browns play football at a stadium near the mouth of the Cuyahoga [KEI−uh−HO−guh] River in which state—Kansas or Ohio?

ohio

13. A women’s professional basketball team called the Atlanta Dream plays near the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in which state—Georgia or Alabama?

Georgia

14. Eleven-time Stanley Cup champions, the Detroit Red Wings, play ice hockey in which state that borders four of the Great Lakes—Illinois or Michigan?

Michigan

15. The roof retracts at the home stadium of the Seattle Mariners, a baseball team that plays near Puget Sound in which state—Montana or Washington?

Washington

16. The Jazz is the home basketball team in Salt Lake City, located near the Wasatch Range in which state—New Hampshire or Utah?

Utah

17. The Green Bay Packers, one of the oldest teams in the National Football League, play home games near the mouth of the Fox River in which state—Wisconsin or Nebraska?

Wisconsin

18. The Jaguars play football in Jacksonville at a stadium near the St. Johns River in which state that borders the Gulf of Mexico—Virginia or Florida?

Florida

19. The Fever is a women’s basketball team that plays in Indianapolis near the White River in which state —Kentucky or Indiana?

Indiana

20. Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles, was built on the site of a former railroad hub in which state—Maryland or Rhode Island?

Maryland

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21. The Charlotte Hornets, recently called the Bobcats, play basketball in which state that includes part of the Blue Ridge Mountains—Mississippi or North Carolina?

North Carolina

22. The Devils play ice hockey at an arena in Newark in which state that borders New York—Iowa or New Jersey?

New Jersey

23. The New Orleans Saints play football in the Superdome in which state that borders the Gulf of Mexico—Louisiana or Arkansas?

Louisiana

24. The Rapids play soccer near Denver in which state that includes part of the Rocky Mountains—Oklahoma or Colorado?

Colorado

25. Eleven-time World Series Champions, the St. Louis Cardinals, play baseball near the Gateway Arch in which state—Missouri or Kansas?

Missouri

26. The Memphis Grizzlies play basketball at an arena near the Mississippi River in which state—Delaware or Tennessee?

Tennessee

27. The home ballpark of the Houston Astros is located near the Buffalo Bayou, a slow-moving waterway in which state—Texas or New Mexico?

Texas

28. The Miami Heat play basketball at an arena along Biscayne Bay in which state—Alabama or Florida?

Florida

29. The San Diego Padres baseball team plays home games near the Coronado Bridge in which state—Utah or California?

California

30. The Buffalo Bills football team plays at a stadium near the easternmost part of Lake Erie in which state—Maine or New York?

New York

31. The Tulsa Shock is a professional women’s basketball team that plays near the Arkansas River in which state—Oklahoma or Iowa?

oklahoma

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32. The Philadelphia Flyers play ice hockey at an arena near the Delaware River in which state—West Virginia or Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania

33. Five-time World Series champions, the Cincinnati Reds, play near the Kentucky border with which state—Ohio or Kansas?

ohio

34. Three rivers drain into Lake Michigan near the home of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team in which state—North Dakota or Wisconsin?

Wisconsin

35. The Hurricanes play ice hockey in Raleigh, located in which state that borders the Atlantic Ocean—North Carolina or Arkansas?

North Carolina

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RoUNd 3: odd one outTeacher says: Round 3 is called Odd One Out, and you will be asked about characteristics of the United States. You will be given a choice of three answers, and you must choose the one answer that does not belong. Here is an example: Which state does not border the Gulf of Mexico—Montana, Mississippi, or Alabama? The answer is Montana. Both Mississippi and Alabama border the Gulf of Mexico, but Montana does not.

1. Which state was not crossed by the historic Santa Fe Trail—New York, New Mexico, or Kansas?

New York

2. The Ohio River does not border which of these states—West Virginia, Indiana, or Florida?

Florida

3. In which state would you not find grizzly bears in the wild—Alaska, Mississippi, or Montana?

Mississippi

4. Which state’s Native American population is not more than one percent of its total population—South Dakota, New Mexico, or New Jersey?

New Jersey

5. Visiting an oceanside beach is not a popular outdoor activity in which state—Florida, Hawaii, or Kentucky?

Kentucky

6. Which present-day state was not part of territory annexed as a result of the Mexican War—Nevada, Utah, or Connecticut?

Connecticut

7. In which state would you not find native desert plants—Arkansas, California, or Nevada?

Arkansas

8. Which state is not partially located in the Mississippi River drainage basin—Vermont, Oklahoma, or Wyoming?

Vermont

9. Which state is not located south of the Missouri River—Oklahoma, Minnesota, or Louisiana?

Minnesota

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10. Which state does not border at least four other states—Missouri, Kansas, or Washington?

Washington

11. Which state does not include a major peninsula—Massachusetts, Wisconsin, or Tennessee?

Tennessee

12. Which of these states is not known for mountain glaciers—Texas, Montana, or Oregon?

Texas

13. In which state are you not likely to see prairie dogs in the wild—South Dakota, Nebraska, or New Hampshire?

New Hampshire

14. Alligators are not native to which of the following states—Georgia, Wisconsin, or Alabama?

Wisconsin

15. Which state does not have any cities with more than 300,000 residents—North Dakota, New York, or Pennsylvania?

North Dakota

16. In which state would you not find a mountain with an elevation over 10,000 feet—Alaska, Ohio, or Washington?

Ohio

17. Which state is not named after a European king—Georgia, Hawaii, or Louisiana?

Hawaii

18. In which state would you not find a canyon more than 3,000 feet deep—Idaho, Arizona, or Alabama?

Alabama

19. Which state does not border an ocean—Connecticut, Arizona, or Maryland?

Arizona

20. Which state does not have an active volcano—Maryland, Alaska, or Washington?

Maryland

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21. Mountaineering is not a popular outdoor activity in which of the following states—Oregon, Colorado, or Rhode Island?

Rhode Island

22. Which of these states is not located in New England—Vermont, West Virginia, or Maine?

West Virginia

23. In which state would you not find dozens of colleges and universities located in a single metropolitan area—Idaho, California, or Massachusetts?

Idaho

24. Which state is not one of the three smallest in the United States in terms of area—Delaware, Rhode Island, or New Mexico?

New Mexico

25. In which state would you not be able to travel to work by commuter rail—Illinois, South Carolina, or New York?

South Carolina

26. Skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports are not major recreational activities in which state—Oklahoma, Vermont, or Colorado?

Oklahoma

27. Which state is not a major producer of oranges—California, Florida, or Maine?

Maine

28. Which state is not part of the Pacific Time Zone—Michigan, Oregon, or Washington?

Michigan

29. Which state does not have a major international shipping port—Nevada, New Jersey, or Massachusetts?

Nevada

30. Which state was not part of the Confederacy during the American Civil War—California, Alabama, or Louisiana?

California

31. Which state does not border the Atlantic Ocean—Utah, South Carolina, or Virginia?

Utah

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32. Which state does not contain major coal deposits—Georgia, Kentucky, or Pennsylvania?

Georgia

33. Which state does not have an international border—Vermont, Kansas, or Montana?

Kansas

34. Which state does not have a large Asian population—South Dakota, Hawaii, or Washington?

South Dakota

35. River barges are not a major means of transportation in which state—Iowa, Illinois, or Nevada?

Nevada

24

RoUNd 4: Weird But True!Teacher says: Did you know that in Italy you can buy fresh pizza from a vending machine? Round 4 features fascinating facts about the world taken from the popular National Geographic Kids book series called Weird But True. You will answer a geographic question related to the fact. The answer to each question in this round is one of the seven continents.

1. A rock python can live for a year without a meal. It’s weird, but it’s true! One species of rock python lives south of the Sahara, a desert located on which continent?

Africa

2. The world’s largest known crystal is 37.4 feet long. It’s weird, but it’s true! This crystal is located in a cave beneath the Chihuahuan [chee-WAH-wahn] Desert on which continent?

North America

3. Kangaroos can jump more than 30 feet in one hop. It’s weird, but it’s true! Red kangaroos live in the Great Sandy Desert on which continent?

Australia

4. Robot jockeys race camels in Saudi Arabia. It’s weird, but it’s true! These races take place on which continent that borders the Persian Gulf?

Asia

5. The world’s largest swimming pool, in Chile, stretches for half a mile. This pool is located along the Pacific Ocean on which continent?

South America

6. Couples in Finland can get married in a chapel built out of snow. This chapel is located in the Nordic region on which continent?

Europe

7. A tiger’s skin is striped like its fur. The Bengal tiger lives in India and Bangladesh on which continent?

Asia

8. The dwarf gecko, one of the world’s tiniest lizards, can fit on your fingernail. Dwarf geckos can be found in Zimbabwe and Botswana, which are countries located on which continent?

Africa

9. Penguins swim up to 3,100 miles in a year. Emperor penguins live in colonies along the Ross Sea on which continent?

Antarctica

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10. There’s a forest of crooked trees in Poland. These oddly shaped pine trees are located near the Baltic Sea on which continent?

Europe

11. The Mississippi River sometimes flows backward during powerful hurricanes. This river, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico, is located on which continent?

North America

12. Nepal is the only country in the world that doesn’t have a rectangular flag. Nepal is located south of China on which continent?

Asia

13. Alpaca moms hum to comfort their babies. This animal is native to the Andes Mountains on which continent?

South America

14. The world’s biggest frog is the size of a house cat. The goliath frog lives in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea on which continent?

Africa

15. Some tarantulas are blue. The cobalt blue tarantula is native to Myanmar and Thailand on which continent?

Asia

16. Some wallabies have light purple fur. The purple-necked rock wallaby can be found in Queensland near the Great Artesian Basin on which continent?

Australia

17. There are volcanoes inside some glaciers. It’s weird, but it’s true! Some of these subglacial volcanoes are located in Ellsworth Land and Marie Byrd Land on which continent?

Antarctica

18. A 14-pound pearl was found in a giant clam. It’s weird, but it’s true! This pearl was discovered off the coast of the Philippines, an island country that is part of which continent?

Asia

19. A platypus swims with its ears and nostrils shut. It’s weird, but it’s true! This egg-laying mammal can be found on Tasmania, an island that is part of which continent?

Australia

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20. Some butterflies have ears on their wings. It’s weird, but it’s true! One such species, the blue morpho, lives in the Amazon rain forest on which continent?

South America

21. It gets so cold in Siberia that your breath can turn to ice in midair. Siberia is located east of the Ural Mountains on which continent?

Asia

22. A volcano in Italy has been erupting for 2,000 years. This volcano, called Stromboli, is located in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of which continent?

Europe

23. The world’s tallest waterfall, called Angel Falls, is taller than five Washington Monuments stacked up. This waterfall is located in Venezuela on which continent?

South America

24. An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain. This bird can be found in the Kalahari and Namib Deserts on which continent?

Africa

25. It takes 65 tons of paint to cover the Eiffel Tower. This landmark is located in Paris, France, on which continent?

Europe

26. Red diamonds are some of the rarest stones in the world. These diamonds are mined on which continent that borders the Coral and Timor Seas?

Australia

27. There is cell phone reception at the summit of Mount Everest. It’s weird, but it’s true! This mountain, the highest on Earth, is located in the Himalayas on which continent?

Asia

28. The city of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, has more bikes than people. It’s weird, but it’s true! This city is located near the North Sea on which continent?

Europe

29. Whales have belly buttons. It’s weird, but it’s true! Several species of whales live in the Weddell Sea near the Ronne [ROH-nuh] Ice Shelf on which continent?

Antarctica

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30. The world’s biggest flower—found in the Indonesian rain forest—can grow wider than a car tire. It’s weird, but it’s true! Indonesia is an island country that is part of which continent?

Asia

31. Crocodiles sometimes walk on the backs of hippos. The Nile Crocodile can be found in lakes and rivers in Sudan and Egypt on which continent?

Africa

32. It can take ten years for a saguaro cactus to grow an inch. This cactus grows in desert areas near the Gulf of California on which continent?

North America

33. More than 950 beetles can live in a sloth’s fur at one time. One species of sloth, called the maned sloth, lives in the Atlantic coastal forests of Brazil on which continent?

South America

34. Koalas stay awake for only four hours a day. Koalas live in areas near the Great Dividing Range on which continent?

Australia

35. The oldest known pine tree is more than 4,700 years old. It’s weird, but it’s true! The bristlecone pine grows in the Rocky Mountains on which continent?

North America

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RoUNd 5: World ComparisonsTeacher says: Round 5 is called World Comparisons. You will have a choice of two countries, and you must choose which one is the correct answer.

1. Which country borders the Pacific Ocean—Peru or Jamaica?

Peru

2. Which country is located on the Arabian Peninsula—Thailand or Yemen?

Yemen

3. Which country is crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn—Australia or Poland?

Australia

4. Which country is more mountainous—Latvia or Ecuador?

Ecuador

5. Which country is more likely to experience a tropical cyclone—Iceland or India?

India

6. Which country has a larger population—Dominican Republic or Spain?

Spain

7. Which country borders Finland—Netherlands or Russia?

Russia

8. Which country is crossed by the Alps—Indonesia or Italy?

Italy

9. Which country is closer to the Equator—Papua New Guinea or Greece?

Papua New Guinea

10. Which country consumes more energy—Germany or Paraguay?

Germany

11. Which country has more land area covered by desert—Algeria or Honduras?

Algeria

12. Which country experiences more earthquakes—Chile or Sweden?

Chile

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13. Which country has a larger Muslim population—Turkey or Bolivia?

Turkey

14. Which country has more seaports—Costa Rica or Czech Republic?

Costa Rica

15. Which country grows more rice—China or Croatia?

China

16. Which country produces more oil—Israel or Venezuela?

Venezuela

17. Which country is composed of more islands—Equatorial Guinea or Philippines?

Philippines

18. Which country is closer to the prime meridian, also called the Greenwich meridian—Nicaragua or Nigeria?

Nigeria

19. Which country borders the Mediterranean Sea—Egypt or Eritrea?

Egypt

20. Which country is larger in area—Angola or Cuba?

Angola

21. Which country borders China—Sri Lanka or Vietnam?

Vietnam

22. Which country has French as an official language—Canada or Singapore?

Canada

23. Which country is landlocked—Ecuador or Ethiopia?

Ethiopia

24. Which country has a wetter climate—Cameroon or Jordan?

Cameroon

25. Which country raises more livestock—Argentina or Luxembourg?

Argentina

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26. Which country has the larger number of people who speak Spanish—Colombia or Syria?

Colombia

27. Which country is more frequently affected by volcanic activity—Iceland or the United Kingdom?

Iceland

28. Which country has a larger Buddhist population—Iran or Laos?

Laos

29. Which country has a longer coastline—Brazil or Lebanon?

Brazil

30. Which country has a warmer climate—Finland or Democratic Republic of the Congo?

democratic Republic of the Congo

31. Which country grows more wheat—Ukraine or Mauritania?

Ukraine

32. Which country has higher mountains—Afghanistan or the Bahamas?

Afghanistan

33. Which country grows more bananas—Namibia or Guatemala?

Guatemala

34. Which country has a larger number of people who speak German—Albania or Austria?

Austria

35. Which country has a larger area of rain forest—Malaysia or Oman?

Malaysia

31

RoUNd 6: Nat Geo Wild Animal AtlasTeacher says: Amazing animals live all over the world! In Round 6, you will be asked questions about animals featured in the Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas. You will have a choice of two countries, and you must choose which one is the correct answer.

1. The fishing cat can be found in wetland habitats near the Andaman Sea in which country—Myanmar or Belarus?

Myanmar

2. Poison dart frogs, one of the most toxic animals on Earth, can be found along the Amazon River in which country—Yemen or Brazil?

Brazil

3. The pine marten is a member of the weasel family and lives in the Alps in which country—Switzerland or Pakistan?

Switzerland

4. The cheetah, the fastest land mammal on Earth, can be found near the Okavango [oh-kuh-VAHN-goh] Delta in which country—Botswana or Latvia?

Botswana

5. The Iberian lynx, the most endangered member of the cat family, lives on the Iberian Peninsula in which country—Spain or Gabon?

Spain

6. The endangered giant panda eats bamboo and lives mainly in the Sichuan [SICH-WAHN] province of which country—Kazakhstan or China?

China

7. The pink-toed tarantula has weak venom that is harmless to humans and lives in which country that borders Suriname—Jamaica or Guyana?

Guyana

8. The polar bear hunts seals in the icy waters of Hudson Bay in which country—the Netherlands or Canada?

Canada

9. Giant anteaters have two-foot-long tongues and live in the Llanos [YAH-nohs], or tropical grasslands, of which country—Venezuela or Germany?

Venezuela

10. The chamois [SHA-mee] is a goatlike animal that lives in the Carpathian Mountains in which country—Iceland or Slovakia?

Slovakia

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11. Gorillas live in groups called troops and can be found near the Congo Basin in which country—New Zealand or Cameroon?

Cameroon

12. Dingoes are wild dogs that hunt mainly at night in the Great Victoria Desert in which country—Vietnam or Australia?

Australia

13. Llamas are used as pack animals in the rugged terrain of the Andes Mountains in which country—Peru or Costa Rica?

Peru

14. Zebras are grass-eaters and live in the tropical savannas near Lake Tanganyika in which country—Iraq or Tanzania?

Tanzania

15. The arctic fox uses its bushy tail to stay warm and lives in the tundra and mountainous regions near the Arctic Circle in which country—Italy or Norway?

Norway

16. The caiman [KAY-men], a member of the alligator family, can be found in the wetlands of the Guiana Highlands in which country—Suriname or Lithuania?

Suriname

17. The spiny-tailed lizard basks in the sun in the rocky terrain of the Atlas Mountains in which country—Morocco or Zambia?

Morocco

18. The nightingale, a bird known for its beautiful song, lives in the forests of which country that borders the Mediterranean Sea—Japan or Italy?

Italy

19. Caribou, also known as reindeer, migrate hundreds of miles in search of food and live in the tundra regions near the Barents Sea in which country—Oman or Russia?

Russia

20. Chimpanzees, the animal that is most closely related to humans, live in forested areas along the Gulf of Guinea in which country—Azerbaijan [ah-zer-BYE-jahn] or Nigeria?

Nigeria

21. The yellow-footed tortoise eats insects, fruits, and flowers in the tropical rain forests of which country that borders the Pacific Ocean—Ecuador or Haiti?

Ecuador

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22. The bactrian camel relies on fat stored in two humps on its back and lives in the Gobi, a desert located in which country—Papua New Guinea or Mongolia?

Mongolia

23. Eurasian otters live in dens along freshwater streams, such as the Loire [LWAR] River in which country—South Sudan or France?

France

24. Lions spend as much as 20 hours a day sleeping and can be found in the grassland regions of which country that borders the Indian Ocean—Mozambique or Croatia?

Mozambique

25. The lesser rhea [REE-uh] is a large bird that can run up to 37 miles per hour and lives in the Patagonia region of which country—Belize or Chile?

Chile

26. The endangered greater one-horned rhinoceros lives along the Brahmaputra River in which country—Japan or India?

India

27. The alpine marmot spends much of the year in hibernation and lives in the mountains south of the Danube River in which country—Austria or Turkmenistan?

Austria

28. The giraffe, Earth’s tallest animal, grazes on tree leaves and lives near the Zambezi River in which country—Algeria or Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe

29. Monarch butterflies, known for their mass migration thousands of miles each year, can be found near the Orinoco River in which country—Angola or Venezuela?

Venezuela

30. Eagle owls hunt mice and rabbits in rocky areas such as the Balkan Mountains in which country—Bulgaria or Laos?

Bulgaria

31. Hyenas are scavengers that eat the scraps left by other hunters in savanna regions in which country that borders the Atlantic Ocean—Ukraine or Angola?

Angola

32. Grizzly bears fish for salmon in the Rocky Mountains in which country—Nicaragua or Canada?

Canada

34

33. Tapirs use their trunklike snouts to eat grass in wetland regions such as the Pantanal [PAHN-tah-nahl] in which country—Brazil or Cuba?

Brazil

34. Yaks live at elevations up to 19,000 feet in the mountains and in the Plateau of Tibet in which country—China or Sudan?

China

35. The endangered olive ridley turtle has a heart-shaped shell and lives in the waters of the Bay of Bengal off the coast of which country—Chad or India?

India

35

RoUNd 7: Pop Artists on TourTeacher says: Did you know that your favorite music artists are also globetrotters? Round 7 is called Pop Artists on Tour and will test your knowledge of major world cities. You will be asked to name a country and you will not receive a choice of answers.

1. Eleven-time Grammy nominee Katy Perry recently played a concert in London, located on the Thames River in which European country?

United Kingdom

2. Actress and musician Miley Cyrus, known for her role in the television series Hannah Montana, gave a concert in Vancouver on the Pacific coast of which North American country?

Canada

3. Justin Bieber’s Believe Tour included a concert in St. Petersburg, a city formerly known as Leningrad and located on the Gulf of Finland in which country?

Russia

4. The boy band Big Time Rush performed several concerts in South America, including one in Santiago, a capital city located near the Andes Mountains in which country?

Chile

5. Pharrell Williams performed songs from his album Girl at a concert in Copenhagen, a city primarily located on the island of Zealand in which European country?

denmark

6. Actor and musician Darren Criss, who plays Blaine Anderson in the television series Glee, performed in Dublin, located at the mouth of the River Liffey in which European country?

Ireland

7. Hilary Duff, known for her role in the television series Lizzie McGuire, played a concert in the city of New Delhi, located near the Yamuna River in which Asian country?

India

8. On her Diamonds World Tour, Rihanna performed in Zurich, located north of the Alps in which European country?

Switzerland

9. The 2014 Billboard Artist of the Year winner Justin Timberlake recently gave a concert near Reykjavík [REY-kyuh-veek], a capital city located in which European island country?

Iceland

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10. Kanye West, one of the most awarded artists of all time, recently performed in Melbourne, located in the state of Victoria in which country?

Australia

11. Taylor Swift performed songs from her album Red last summer in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of which Asian country that borders the South China Sea?

Malaysia

12. Demi Lovato performed the smash hit “Let It Go” at a concert in Buenos Aires, a capital city located on the Río de la Plata in which South American country?

Argentina

13. Known for his retro showmanship, Bruno Mars entertained concert goers in the city of Marseille [mar-SAY], located on the Mediterranean coast of which European country?

France

14. Seventeen-time Grammy winner Beyoncé concluded one of her recent world tours in Lisbon, a capital city located on the Atlantic coast of which European country?

Portugal

15. Ariana Grande, who recently had three top ten hits simultaneously, performed in Toronto, Ontario, in which North American country?

Canada

16. Actress and singer Selena Gomez, known for her role in the television series Wizards of Waverly Place, gave a concert in Shanghai, located on the Yangtze River in which Asian country?

China

17. Known for her flamboyant fashion, Lady Gaga performed in Seoul, a capital city located on the Han River in which Asian country?

South Korea

18. The boy band One Direction is scheduled to perform in Cape Town in a stadium built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. Cape Town is located near Table Bay in which country?

South Africa

19. Cher Lloyd performed at a festival in Rio de Janeiro on the Atlantic coast of which South American country?

Brazil

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20. As part of her Viva Tour, Latina artist Kat DeLuna performed in Yokohama, located on the island of Honshu in which Asian country?

Japan

21. The Band Perry, composed of siblings Kimberly, Reid, and Neil, gave a concert in Oslo, a capital city located near a strait called the Skagerrak [SKAG-uh-rak] in which European country?

Norway

22. Prince Royce, winner of 19 Billboard Latin Music Awards, performed in Tegucigalpa [teh-goo-see-GAL-pah], a capital city located in which Central American country?

Honduras

23. Nicki Minaj [mih-NAHZ], known for her hit single “Anaconda,” performed in Manila, located on the island of Luzon in which Asian country?

Philippines

24. Rapper Jay-Z performed as an opening act for the band U2 in the port city of Auckland, located on North Island in which South Pacific country?

New Zealand

25. Britney Spears performed songs from her Femme Fatale album in Budapest, a city located on the Danube River in which European country?

Hungary

26. Alicia Keys, who won five Grammys in one night, played a concert in Tel Aviv, a city located on the Mediterranean coast of which southwest Asian country?

Israel

27. Maroon 5, known for their recent single “Maps,” performed in Madrid, the capital of which European country that borders the Pyrenees?

Spain

28. Singer Carrie Underwood, recently named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, performed in Sydney on the Tasman Sea in which country?

Australia

29. Known for his smash hit “Gangnam [GANG-nahm] Style,” the South Korean singer Psy [SI] recently performed in Beijing, home to the Forbidden City in which Asian country?

China

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30. Known for their recent hit single “A Sky Full of Stars,” the band Coldplay performed in Berlin, the capital of which European country that borders the North Sea?

Germany

31. Kelly Clarkson, an artist who rose to fame after winning the first season of American Idol, performed in São Paulo, the largest city in which South American country?

Brazil

32. The singer known as Pink sang her hit single “Just Give Me a Reason” during a concert in Prague, located on the Vltava [VUHL-tuh-vuh] River in which European country?

Czech Republic (Also acceptable: Czechia)

33. The band OneRepublic, known for their hit single “Counting Stars,” performed a concert in Vienna, a capital city located near the Alps in which European country?

Austria

34. Actress and singer Bridget Mendler, known for her role in the television series Good Luck Charlie, gave a concert in Lima, a capital city located on the Pacific coast of which South American country?

Peru

35. The Australian boy band 5 Seconds of Summer performed as an opening act for One Direction in Milan, a city located in the Po Valley in which European country?

Italy

39

National GeographicSchool Bee

2015

PRELIMINARY TIEBREAKER QUESTIONS

(print pages 40-42)

Back to Top

40

Preliminary Competition Tiebreaker Questions

Note to teacher: The following tiebreaker questions may be needed if there are ties in determining the finalists.

Teacher says: I will use a single-elimination procedure to break the tie. This means one miss and you are out of the competition unless everyone misses the question. Each of you will be asked the same question at the same time. You will have 15 seconds to write your answer on the paper provided. When the timekeeper calls “Time,” each of you will put down your marker and hold up your answer. When I call on you, read your answer aloud. I will wait to give the correct answer until all the answers for that question have been read. Please continue to hold up your answer until the scorekeeper has had a chance to record each score. The judge will be responsible for verifying that each contestant’s written answer matches his or her oral answer and that the scores have been recorded correctly. We will follow this procedure for each question. I will continue asking tiebreaker questions one at a time until the tie is broken. You will not be penalized for inaccurate pronunciations or spellings as long as it can be determined that you know the correct answer. I will read each question twice, so you may not ask for a repeat. Please listen carefully before writing your answer.

1. Kangaroo Island, south of the Yorke Peninsula, is the third largest island in which country?

Australia

2. Amazonas [a-muh-ZOH-nuhs], Paraná [par-uh-NAH], and Rondônia [rawn-DAW-nyah] are all states in what Portuguese-speaking country?

Brazil

3. The coiffe [KWAHF] is a traditional headdress worn by women in Brittany in which European country?

France

4. El Salvador is the only Central American country that does not border which sea?

Caribbean Sea

5. What is the term for a hot spring through which jets of heated water and steam erupt?

geyser

6. More than four-fifths of the population of the world’s largest island are Inuit. Name this island.

Greenland

7. Singapore is located near the southernmost part of the Malay Peninsula on which continent?

Asia

41

8. Which European country that borders France and Italy is divided into political units called cantons?

Switzerland

9. The Celebes [SEL-uh-beez] Sea is bounded by the Philippines to the north, and which country to the south?

Indonesia

10. Gondolas are a type of boat used for transportation on the Grand Canal in which Italian city?

Venice

11. Which large lake is bordered by Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya?

Lake Victoria

12. Guatemala and Belize share the Yucatán Peninsula with which other country?

Mexico

13. A country that has one of the lowest population densities in the world shares its entire southern border with China. Name this country.

Mongolia

14. What is the largest freshwater lake in Central America?

Lake Nicaragua

15. Eritrea was once part of which country in Eastern Africa?

Ethiopia

42

National Geographic School Bee

2015

FINAL COMPETITION QUESTIONS

(print pages 43-57)

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I would like to ask everyone in the room to turn off all electronic devices. The audience may not record the school Bee in any form, and any activity that could be distracting to the contestants is not permitted.

The final competition consists of a final round and a championship round. Final round questions will reduce the number of contestants to two. These two finalists will then compete in the championship round.

In the final round, a contestant is eliminated after answering two questions incorrectly. I will begin each series of questions with the same student. If this student has been eliminated, questioning will begin with the next available student. After each student on stage has responded to a question in a series, those who gave their second incorrect answer will be excused from the stage unless all are eliminated. If this happens, those students who gave their second incorrect answer during that series will continue to receive final round questions until two finalists and the third-place winner are determined. If only one student remains after a series of questions, that student automatically becomes one of the finalists and will be asked no more questions. Those students who gave their second incorrect answer during that series will continue to receive questions until the second finalist and the third-place winner are determined.

The procedures will change for the championship round. I will announce those procedures at that time. Other rules remain the same as those that were followed in the preliminary competition. As a reminder, you will have 15 seconds to answer, and you must start to give your answer before the time limit is up. You may interrupt the final competition only twice to have either a question repeated or a word spelled. Also, remember to listen carefully to each question and use correct geographic terminology in your answers. For example, do not use “Holland” as a synonym for the country “Netherlands,” and do not use “England” for the country “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” as England is a political division. Give present-day names unless the question involves history and other names would be correct in the context of the question. As the Bee is conducted in English, wherever possible, conventional English place-names are used. Shortened forms of country names are acceptable, such as “United Kingdom,” “Great Britain,” or “Britain” for “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.” You will not be penalized for inaccurate pronunciations or spellings so long as it can be determined that you know the correct answer. Bee questions follow the National Geographic Society’s policy of recognizing Europe and Asia as two continents. Oceania is considered a region rather than a continent, and it will not be accepted as a correct answer for the continent of Australia. In addition, the National Geographic Society recognizes four oceans—Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific.

All information was current at the time the Bee questions were finalized in October 2014.

The rulings of the judge are final.

Good luck!

MODERATOR:Please read aloud the following instructions.

FINAL COMPETITIONFOR UP TO TEN FINALISTS

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Note to moderator: The number of final round questions needed to produce the two finalists will vary from school to school. When two finalists remain, begin the championship round on page 55. Make a note of the last final round question used, as you may need unused final round questions if there is still a tie after asking the championship tiebreaker questions.

FINAL ROUNDModerator says: The first set of questions is about the United States and will require oral answers. Each of you will answer a different question, and you will have 15 seconds to give me your answer.

1. Bethlehem, Scranton, and State College are home to universities in which state?

Pennsylvania

2. Which Rocky Mountain state with a northern panhandle is a leading producer of potatoes?

Idaho

3. Cape Ann, located northeast of Salem, is in which state?

Massachusetts

4. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, just west of the Pecos River, is located in which state?

New Mexico

5. Gallatin National Forest is located in the Rocky Mountains near Bozeman in what state?

Montana

6. Mark Twain’s birthplace is located in Mark Twain State Park, southwest of Hannibal in which state?

Missouri

7. Camp David, a presidential retreat in Catoctin [kuh-TOCK-tin] Mountain Park, is located in which state that borders Delaware?

Maryland

8. The Adirondack Mountains, a southern extension of the Canadian Shield, are located in which state?

New York

9. Grand Teton National Park and Devil’s Tower are physical features located in which state?

Wyoming

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10. Saginaw [SAG-uh-naw] Bay, an arm of Lake Huron, is located in which state?

Michigan

Moderator says: All of you will respond to the next question by writing an answer on the paper provided for you. You will have 15 seconds to write your answer. When I call “Time,” put down your markers and hold up your answers. When I call on you, please read your answer aloud. You will not be penalized for inaccurate pronunciations or spellings so long as it can be determined that you know the correct answer. I will give the correct answer after all answers have been given. Please keep your answers visible until the scorekeeper has recorded the scores. I will read this question twice, so you may not ask for another repeat.

11. The movie Dolphin Tale is based on a true story about a bottlenose dolphin named Winter. The dolphin was injured by a crab trap and rescued near Cape Canaveral off the coast of which Atlantic state?

Florida

Moderator says: We will pause for a moment while the scorekeeper records the scores.

Note to moderator: The next set of questions requires the distribution of copies of the map at the back of this question booklet on page 57 to the finalists. If possible, project the map for the audience and invite them to follow along. An alternate question is provided if a problem arises and a question must be dropped. If it is used, the alternate should be the last in the series.

Moderator says: The next set of final round questions involves a map that shows youth soccer participation in the United States. Each of you, in turn, will use the information on the map to answer your question. I will give all of you a moment now to look at your maps. (Pause while they do this.) When it is your turn, look at your map while I read your question. You will have 15 seconds to answer.

12. Which state that borders the Pacific Ocean has the highest percentage of youth participating in soccer?

Washington

13. Which state that borders the Gulf of Mexico has between 3 and 3.9 percent of its youth population participating in soccer?

Texas

14. Which state that borders Canada has the lowest percentage of youth participating in soccer?

Montana

15. Which New England state has a youth soccer participation rate between 5 and 7 percent?

Vermont

16. Which state bordering Lake Michigan has the lowest youth soccer participation rate?

Illinois

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17. Which state that borders Kentucky has more than 7 percent of its youth population playing soccer?

Virginia

18. Which state that borders Mexico has a youth soccer participation rate between 4 and 4.9 percent?

New Mexico

19. Which state west of the Mississippi River has the highest youth soccer participation rate?

South Dakota

20. Which state just west of New Mexico has a youth soccer participation rate of less than 3 percent?

Arizona

21. Which state that borders Kansas has the highest youth soccer participation rate?

Colorado

Alternate:

Which state that borders Pennsylvania has a youth soccer participation rate of more than 7 percent?

New Jersey

Note to moderator: Be sure the maps are picked up before proceeding to the next question.

Moderator says: Once again, each of you will respond to the next question by writing your answer on the sheet of paper provided for you. When I call “Time,” put down your markers and hold up your answers. As before, I will wait to give the correct answer until all the answers have been given. I will read this question twice, so you may not ask for another repeat.

22. Visitors to Legoland theme parks can explore huge replicas of famous landmarks, including Times Square and the Empire State Building. The real-life versions of these landmarks are located in Manhattan in which city?

New York City (Also acceptable: New York)

Moderator says: We will pause for a moment while the scorekeeper records the scores.

Moderator says: The remaining final round questions will require oral answers. Each of you will answer a different question. You will have 15 seconds to answer the question.

23. The Gila [HEE-luh] River flows south of Phoenix and is a tributary of what major river?

Colorado River

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24. Which state that is bordered by Louisiana to the south and Missouri to the north is the leading producer of rice in the United States?

Arkansas

25. What river forms much of the western border of New Hampshire?

Connecticut River

26. Which present-day state, bordered by Montana to the north and South Dakota to the east, was the first to give women the right to vote in 1869?

Wyoming

27. The Red River forms a border between Oklahoma and which state?

Texas

28. The Eel River empties into the Pacific Ocean just south of Eureka in which state?

California

29. Beaufort and Hilton Head Island are located in a region known as the “Lowcountry” in which state that borders Georgia?

South Carolina

30. The city of New Haven, which was founded by English Puritans in the 1630s, is located north of Long Island Sound in which present-day state?

Connecticut

31. The Juan de Fuca Strait separates Vancouver Island from which U.S. state?

Washington

32. The Great Lakes’ main outlet to the sea is through what river?

St. Lawrence River

33. Lewes [LOO-iss], located just west of Cape Henlopen, was founded in 1631 as a Dutch settlement in which mid-Atlantic state?

Delaware

34. What river forms New Mexico’s only natural border with the surrounding states?

Rio Grande

35. Which island commonwealth in the Caribbean Sea is home to a Spanish fortress called Castillo de San Felipe del Morro?

Puerto Rico

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36. The Near Islands, including Attu and Agattu, are part of what larger chain of Alaskan islands?

Aleutian Islands

37. To visit Tombstone, site of the famous showdown at the O.K. Corral, you would travel to which state?

Arizona

38. Lassen Peak has numerous hot springs and mud geysers, and lends its name to the national park that is located in the northern part of which state?

California

39. The Dry Tortugas, named by Ponce de León after the numerous sea turtles found there, is now a national park in which state?

Florida

40. The Kauai [kuh-WAH-ee] Channel, about 70 miles wide, separates the island of Kauai from which other Hawaiian island?

Oahu

41. Balboa Park, with more than ten museums, performing arts centers, and gardens, is located in which southern California city?

San Diego

42. What U.S. state capital is located at the confluence of the Bad and Missouri Rivers?

Pierre

43. Uncompahgre [un-come-PAH-gray] Peak is one of approximately 55 peaks with an elevation above 14,000 feet in which Rocky Mountain state?

Colorado

44. What is the name of the arid U.S. valley that lies between the Panamint Range and the Amargosa Range?

Death Valley

45. What country that includes Andros Island is located southeast of the state of Florida?

Bahamas

46. Mount Sinai, where religious tradition tells that Moses received the Ten Commandments, is found in what present-day country?

Egypt

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47. The Skagerrak [SKAG-uh-rak], a deep and narrow waterway, separates Norway from what peninsular country to the south?

Denmark

48. Murmansk, the most populous city north of the Arctic Circle, is located in which country?

Russia

49. Argan trees are farmed for their oil-rich nuts in which North African country that is separated from Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar?

Morocco

50. Aquitaine, a region known for its fine wines from the area around the city of Bordeaux, is located in what country?

France

51. L’Anse aux Meadows [LANCE-oh-MEE-dohs], believed to be the first European settlement in the New World, is located on what large eastern Canadian island?

Newfoundland

52. Skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts flock to resorts near Sapporo on the northernmost of Japan’s four main islands. Name this island.

Hokkaido [ho-KAI-doh]

53. Tar sands, found near Fort McMurray, are often extracted by surface mining and are creating jobs and economic growth in which province west of Saskatchewan?

Alberta

54. Which African capital city is located at the confluence of the White Nile and Blue Nile Rivers?

Khartoum

55. Angkor Thom, a temple complex built by the Khmer empire, is located in what present-day country?

Cambodia

56. In what country would you find the 16th-century Cloth Hall, the centerpiece of Krakow’s main square?

Poland

57. The Limpopo River valley and Kruger National Park are found in the northern part of which African country?

South Africa

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58. Haiphong [hi-FONG], a major port at the mouth of the Red River delta, is found in what Southeast Asian country?

Vietnam

59. Christopher Wren designed and oversaw the rebuilding of St. Paul’s Cathedral after it was destroyed during the Great Fire of 1666 in what European city?

London

60. Ramadan, a holy month of prayer and fasting, is observed by adherents of what religion?

Islam

61. Home to sultans for four centuries, the Topkapi [TOP-kah-puh] Palace is now a popular museum in which Mediterranean country?

Turkey

62. The Strait of Dover connects the English Channel to what sea?

North Sea

63. The uninhabited island of Hunga Ha‘apai [HOON-guh ha-AH-pie] has grown in size due to recent volcanic eruptions. This island, part of the country of Tonga, is located in which ocean?

Pacific Ocean

64. Khyber Pass, a centuries old caravan route, connects Pakistan with which other country?

Afghanistan

65. Johnston Atoll, Midway Islands, and Wake Island are all Pacific territories of what country?

United States

66. What sea is located at the northeastern end of the Bosporus?

Black Sea

67. The Sulu Sea separates Malaysia from what island country?

Philippines

68. Mount Fitz Roy, known as the “Smoking Mountain” because the summit is often covered in clouds, is located in Patagonia in what country?

Argentina

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69. Foxe Basin, a body of water on the Arctic Circle between Baffin Island and the Melville Peninsula, is found in what country?

Canada

70. Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul [REE-oo GRAHN-di doo SOOL] are the two southernmost states in what large country?

Brazil

71. What river, flowing through Lough [LOCK] Ree and Lough Derg, is the chief river of Ireland?

River Shannon

72. Batik [buh-TEEK], a method of dyeing cloth, is an important art form on the island where Indonesia’s capital city is located. Name this island.

Java

73. Tula, believed to be the site of the capital of the Toltec civilization, is located in what present-day Latin American country that borders the Pacific Ocean?

Mexico

74. Name the cold ocean current that meets the warmer Gulf Stream along the east coast of North America.

Labrador Current (Also acceptable: Arctic Current, Arctic Stream)

75. Bukhara [bOO-kuh-ruh], a city known for its bazaars and mosques, is located in which Central Asian country that shares the Aral Sea with Kazakhstan?

Uzbekistan

76. Cherbourg-Octeville, a seaport and naval arsenal on the English Channel, is located in what country?

France

77. The Jos [JAWS] Plateau is an area of temperate climate located near the center of a leading oil producer in western Africa. Name this country.

Nigeria

78. What capital city, located approximately 470 miles southwest of Moscow, is found on the Dnieper [NEE-per] River?

Kiev

79. Tongariro [ton-guh-REE-roh] National Park, established in 1887, was the first national park in New Zealand. This park is located on which island?

North Island

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80. The Chaparé [chap-uh-RYE] River basin is located north of the city of Sucre [SOO-cray] in what landlocked country?

Bolivia

81. Odessa, a major seaport and industrial center, is located northeast of the mouth of the Dniester [NEE-stur] River in what country?

Ukraine

82. What large channel separates Madagascar from the mainland of Africa?

Mozambique Channel

83. In 1980, a British colony in Africa, formerly known as Southern Rhodesia, gained independence and changed its name. What is the present-day name for this country?

Zimbabwe

84. Perugia [puh-ROO-zhee-uh], home to medieval churches and the National Gallery of Umbria [OOM-bree-uh], is located in the rolling hills of what present-day country?

Italy

85. What landlocked country shares a border with Mauritania and Niger?

Mali

86. The Vistula River, rising in the Carpathian Mountains in southwest Poland, flows north into what sea?

Baltic Sea

87. Tennant Creek, located in a region rich in copper and uranium ore, is located east of the Tanami Desert in which country?

Australia

88. Agra, a former capital of the Mughal Empire, is located on the Yamuna River in what present-day country?

India

89. The Dominica Passage separates the island of Dominica from an overseas department of France to the north. Name this department.

Guadeloupe [gwahd-el-OOP]

90. Khone [CONE] Falls, a cataract on the Mekong River, has acted as a barrier preventing an upstream country from using the river as a major trade route. Khone Falls is located in which landlocked country?

Laos

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91. Puntland, a region on the Horn of Africa, declared its autonomy from which country in 1998?

Somalia

92. Lake Katwe [KAHT-why], a source of salt, is in which landlocked African country that borders Lake Victoria?

Uganda

93. Chogha Zanbil [SHOG-uh zahn-BEEL], the site of a ziggurat, is located near the Zagros Mountains in what present-day country?

Iran

94. What empire, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe during its zenith in the 13th century a.d., used the ancient city of Karakorum [kahr-uh-KOR-uhm] as one of its headquarters?

Mongol Empire

95. The Rideau [ree-DOE] Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage site that connects Ottawa to what city on Lake Ontario?

Kingston

96. Sarajevo [sar-uh-YAY-voh], a capital and industrial city, became the center of fighting after what country declared independence in 1992?

Bosnia and Herzegovina

97. Serra dos Carajás [kuh-rah-HAHS] is an important area for mining in a country that is one of the world’s leading producers of iron. Name this South American country.

Brazil

98. Gamla Stan is the 800-year-old medieval center of what Scandinavian city?

Stockholm

99. The Spreuerbrücke [SPROO-er-bruh-kuh] is a bridge located in the city of Lucerne and crosses the Reuss [ROYCE] River in what European country?

Switzerland

100. Palau, Nauru, and Guam are just a few of the numerous islands that make up which of the three main divisions of the Pacific islands?

Micronesia

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CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

Moderator says: Congratulations to our two finalists, who will now compete in the championship round. You will be competing with a clean slate. The championship round consists of three questions. I will ask both of you the same question at the same time, and you will have 15 seconds to write your answers. When I call “Time,” you will put down your markers and hold up your answers. Then I will ask each of you, in turn, to read your answer out loud. I will wait to give the correct answer until both answers have been read. Whoever correctly answers the most questions in the set of three will be the school champion. As before, you will not be penalized for inaccurate pronunciations or spellings as long as it can be determined that you know the correct answer. If there is a tie after the set of three questions, I will explain the tiebreaker procedure. I will read each question twice, so you may not ask for another repeat. Listen carefully before writing your answers.

1. Jack London’s classic novel The Call of the Wild tells the story of a pet dog that learns to survive in the wild after being kidnapped. This story takes place in the Yukon in which country?

Canada

2. Disney’s blockbuster movie Frozen is set in the fictional land of Arendelle, which was largely inspired by the country of Norway. Norway is located on which European peninsula?

Scandinavian Peninsula

3. National Geographic Explorer Shivani Bhalla [shih-VAH-nee BAH-lah] works with warriors in the local Samburu community to protect lions south of Lake Turkana in which African country?

Kenya

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CHAMPIONSHIP TIEBREAKER QUESTIONSNote to moderator: If there is a tie at the end of the championship round, proceed with the following tiebreaker questions using a single-elimination procedure.

Moderator says: Now we will have a tiebreaker round using a single-elimination procedure. You will continue to write an answer for each question asked. The first contestant who correctly answers a question that the other one misses will be the school champion. As before, I will read each question twice.

1. The Garden Ring, with its eight lanes of traffic, crosses Gorky Park in which European capital city?

Moscow

2. Which Mediterranean country, located at the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula, is Europe’s largest exporter of cotton?

Greece

3. The country located between Togo and Nigeria shares its name with a bight, or very wide-mouthed bay. Name this country.

Benin

4. What is the largest island by area in the Netherlands Antilles?

Curaçao [Koo-ruh-sau]

5. Bicycles are a common form of transportation in the most populous city along the east coast of China. Name this city.

Shanghai

6. New Zealand’s native people arrived from other Pacific islands hundreds of years before Europeans. Name these Polynesian people.

Maori [MAU-ree]

Note to moderator: If a winner has not been determined, ask unused final round questions using the written, single-elimination procedure.

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National GeographicSchool Bee

2015

STATE BEE QUALIFYING TEST & ANSWER SHEET

(print pages 58-67)

NOTE: You may want to print or photocopy the Answer Sheet front-to-back to save postage when mailing the graded Answer Sheet to National Geographic.

Please read instructions on next page before administering test to student.

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58

2015 QUALIFYING TEST ANSWER SHEET

School Bee Coordinator: Before administering this test to the student, please read these rules and instructions carefully, and then sign the Certification Statement below. Also fill out the student and school information on the next page.

• The student must have competed in and won the school Bee in which at least six (6) students competed together, in person. If homeschooled, the student must have won the registered homeschool Bee.

• The student must be enrolled in a school that is registered for the Bee.

• The student cannot be a previous winner of a National Geographic Bee scholarship or an immediate family member of a National Geographic Society employee.

• The student must be in grades four through eight (4-8) and must not have reached his/her

15th birthday on or before September 1, 2014. A student is eligible to participate in the Bee for no more than five (5) years total.

• The student must be following a school schedule and academic course load comparable to

the majority of the student’s grade mates and age mates. A student may not be enrolled in more than three (3) academic courses at the high school and/or college level during the academic year. • Students and their parents, guardians, and relatives must not have obtained, have had in their

possession, or have seen copies of the school Bee question booklet or the qualifying test.

• The test is to be administered in the school building, or predetermined location in the case of homeschools, and must be monitored by the school Bee coordinator. A relative or guardian of the school champion may not administer the test.

• The student is to work independently on the test, using no outside help or material. The student has 60 minutes to complete the test, and it must be completed in one session.

• The school Bee coordinator agrees to score the test fairly and accurately using the answer key provided. The winning student’s qualifying test score must be submitted online at geobee-registration.nationalgeographic.com by 11:59 p.m. EST February 6, 2015.

• The school Bee coordinator agrees to mail the original graded answer sheet to National Geographic for verification of the test results. You may use the provided envelope, or mail

to the National Geographic Bee, c/o National Geographic Society, PO Box 98196, Washington, D.C., 20090-8196. Be sure to affix proper postage. The test must be postmarked by February 7, 2015. The coordinator will keep a copy of the answer sheet in

his/her posession until June 30, 2015.

Certification Statement:I certify that the student named on this form meets all eligibility requirements as outlined above. I also certify that all rules and procedures have been followed in the administering of this qualifying test.

School Bee Coordinator’s name (please print)

School Bee Coordinator’s signature Date

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SCHOOL INFORMATION

School Name

Street Address

City State ZIP Code

School Phone NumberTeacher E-mail

STUDENT INFORMATION

Student Name

Home Address

City State ZIP Code

Home Phone NumberParent/Guardian E-mail

Parent/Guardian Name

Date of Birth

For teacher use only.

SCORE INFORMATIONOnce student has completed test and test has been scored, transfer scores from each section here for tallying:

+ + + =

Multiple Choice Section

Short Answer Section

Long AnswerQuestion 41

Long AnswerQuestion 42

TOTAL

1) Log on to your Bee account at geobee-registration.nationalgeographic.com and submit the total score.2) Photocopy this answer sheet and mail original to National Geographic in provided envelope.

Month Day Year

0-35 0-5 0-10 0-10 0-60

60

Instructions to student: Use this answer sheet to record your responses. Do not mark any answers inthe separate question booklet.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

Answer questions 41 and 42 on the next pages.

For teacher use only. Enter student score for multiple choice section in white box (maximum score is 35).

For teacher use only. Enter student score for short answer section in white box (maximum score is 5).

Fill in the circle of the answer you think is correct. If you fill in more than one answer for any questions, your answer cannot be counted.

Section 1: Multiple Choice Questions

These questions require one-word answers. Please print your answers neatly using the lines below nextto the corresponding question numbers.

Section 2: Short Answer Questions

61

For teacher use only. Enter student score for Question 41(maximum score is 10).

Section 3: Long Answer QuestionsQuestions 41 and 42 require long answer responses. Please print your answers neatly using the lines next to the corresponding question number.

41.

62

For teacher use only. Enter student score for Question 42(maximum score is 10).

42.

63

2015 QUALIFYING TEST QUESTION BOOKLET

Instructions: You must record your responses to the following questions on the separate answer sheet. The numbers on the answer sheet correspond to the questions in this test. There is a multiple choice section (35 questions), a short answer section (5 questions), and a long answer section (2 questions). You will have 60 minutes to complete the test. Answers marked in this test booklet will not be scored. You will not be penalized for inaccurate spelling, punctuation, or grammar.

1. Which urban area reached a population of 10 million people in 1950, making it the first megacity in the Western Hemisphere?

Los Angeles .............................................................. 1Mexico City .............................................................. 2New York City .......................................................... 3Tokyo ........................................................................ 4

2. Apple, Facebook, Google, and many other technology companies have their headquarters in which region?

Beltway ..................................................................... 1Research Triangle ..................................................... 2Rust Belt ................................................................... 3Silicon Valley ............................................................ 4

3. The introduction of Burmese pythons in which region concerns scientists because these snakes are eating huge numbers of native mammals and birds?

Death Valley .............................................................. 1Everglades ................................................................. 2Great Plains ............................................................... 3Pacific Northwest ...................................................... 4

4. If it is 6 p.m. in San Diego, what time is it in Minneapolis?

4 p.m. ........................................................................ 15 p.m. ........................................................................ 27 p.m. ........................................................................ 38 p.m. ........................................................................ 4

5.Which type of American music is most often performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee?

opera ......................................................................... 1country ...................................................................... 2hip-hop ...................................................................... 3jazz ............................................................................ 4

6. Which of the following is NOT an official language of a country on the mainland of North America?

English ...................................................................... 1Spanish ...................................................................... 2French ....................................................................... 3Dutch ......................................................................... 4

7. Which regions have been the largest sources of U.S. immigrants since the 1970s?

Asia and Latin America ............................................ 1Northern and Western Europe ................................... 2Southern and Eastern Europe .................................... 3Western Europe and Africa ....................................... 4

8. Which of the North American Great Lakes—the only one downstream from Niagara Falls—has the lowest surface elevation?

Lake Michigan .......................................................... 1Lake Erie ................................................................... 2Lake Ontario ............................................................. 3Lake Superior ............................................................ 4

9. The famous Hollywood sign is on a hillside overlooking which city that has long been home to many movie studios?

Las Vegas .................................................................. 1Los Angeles .............................................................. 2New York .................................................................. 3San Diego .................................................................. 4

10. How is most natural gas transported in the United States?

trucks ......................................................................... 1trains ......................................................................... 2ships .......................................................................... 3pipelines .................................................................... 4

Section 1: Multiple Choice Questions (35 points)Using the answer sheet, fill in the circle that corresponds to the number of the answer choice you think is correct.

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11. What young Jewish girl became known around the world for the diary she kept while her family hid from the Nazis in the 1940s?

Laura Ingalls Wilder ................................................. 1Beatrix Potter ............................................................ 2Jane Austen ............................................................... 3Anne Frank ............................................................... 4

12. Which of these languages is written using the Cyrillic alphabet?

Arabic ....................................................................... 1Russian ...................................................................... 2French ....................................................................... 3Korean ....................................................................... 4

13. In which country is Pripyat, a city that was once home to thousands of Chernobyl nuclear power plant workers but was abandoned after a nuclear accident in 1986?

Myanmar ................................................................... 1Romania .................................................................... 2North Korea .............................................................. 3Ukraine ..................................................................... 4

14. Due to a lengthy drought, which lake located in the Sahel region has shrunk significantly in the past 50 years?

Lake Malawi ............................................................. 1Lake Victoria ............................................................. 2Lake Chad ................................................................. 3Lake Tanganyika ....................................................... 4

15. What religious building includes towers called minarets from which people are called to prayer five times each day?

mosque ...................................................................... 1pagoda ....................................................................... 2synagogue ................................................................. 3church ....................................................................... 4

16. Goulash, a famous Hungarian dish made with meat and vegetables, is seasoned with what spice?

oregano ..................................................................... 1nutmeg ...................................................................... 2paprika ...................................................................... 3cinnamon ................................................................... 4

17. If you are looking at a map on a computer screen and zoom in to see more details about an area, what happens to the map scale?

becomes larger .......................................................... 1becomes smaller ........................................................ 2stays the same ........................................................... 3depends on the screen size ........................................ 4

18. Repeated thawing and freezing of water in small cracks that eventually breaks up a rock is an example of which process?

transpiration .............................................................. 1deposition .................................................................. 2folding ....................................................................... 3weathering ................................................................. 4

19. Bollywood, a major part of the film industry in India, produces movies primarily in which language that is India’s most widely spoken?

Bengali ...................................................................... 1English ...................................................................... 2Hindi ......................................................................... 3Persian ....................................................................... 4

20. Pokémon games and a type of animation called anime are two cultural exports of what East Asian country known for its extensive use of technology?

Cambodia .................................................................. 1North Korea .............................................................. 2Japan ......................................................................... 3Vietnam ..................................................................... 4

21. Amber, which sometimes contains preserved insects, is formed from which material?

ice sheets ................................................................... 1fossilized tree resin ................................................... 2petrified wood ........................................................... 3volcanic ash .............................................................. 4

22. Which best explains why an individual makes a journey called a pilgrimage?

political oppression ................................................... 1economic opportunities ............................................. 2religious devotion ..................................................... 3drought or famine ..................................................... 4

23. Heidelberg University, founded in 1386, is the oldest university in which country?

France ....................................................................... 1Germany ................................................................... 2Israel ......................................................................... 3Greece ....................................................................... 4

24. The popularity of what product has led to dramatic overfishing of sturgeon in the Caspian Sea?

sushi .......................................................................... 1ivory .......................................................................... 2pearls ......................................................................... 3caviar ......................................................................... 4

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25. Which type of map uses differences in shading or patterns to indicate the value of certain statistics within defined areas such as states or countries?

histogram .................................................................. 1contour map .............................................................. 2choropleth ................................................................. 3road map ................................................................... 4

26. First proposed by an Ottoman ruler in the 1800s, a new rail tunnel under the Bosporus Strait connects the European and Asian parts of which city?

Athens ....................................................................... 1Cairo ......................................................................... 2Istanbul ..................................................................... 3Jerusalem .................................................................. 4

27. To travel the shortest distance from Hanoi to Helsinki, you would travel in which direction?

northeast .................................................................... 1northwest ................................................................... 2southeast ................................................................... 3southwest .................................................................. 4

28. An approximately 16-mile-long barrier, with steel gates that can be closed, protects St. Petersburg, Russia, from flooding of which body of water?

Gulf of Bothnia ......................................................... 1Gulf of Finland ......................................................... 2North Sea .................................................................. 3White Sea .................................................................. 4

29. In the Northern Hemisphere, which season begins when the sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn?

autumn ...................................................................... 1spring ........................................................................ 2summer ..................................................................... 3winter ........................................................................ 4

30. Gentrification occurs when people move into which area and make improvements that increase its value?

inner-city neighborhood ............................................ 1rural farmland ........................................................... 2suburbs ...................................................................... 3wilderness ................................................................. 4

31. Which city’s subway system, commonly called the Tube, has stations named Piccadilly Circus and Westminster?

Amsterdam ................................................................ 1New York City .......................................................... 2London ...................................................................... 3Moscow ..................................................................... 4

32. Which of the following is a warm ocean current?

Peru Current .............................................................. 1Benguela Current ...................................................... 2California Current ..................................................... 3Kuroshio Current ...................................................... 4

33. Many visitors travel to Nepal to participate in which activity?

beachcombining ........................................................ 1desert hiking .............................................................. 2mountain climbing .................................................... 3surfing ....................................................................... 4

34. Which term is used for a language, such as Swahili, that is widely used among people who speak various different languages?

etymology ................................................................. 1orthography ............................................................... 2ideogram ................................................................... 3lingua franca ............................................................. 4

35. The Gakkel Ridge, an undersea ridge named for Soviet explorer Yakov Gakkel, is found in which ocean?

Pacific Ocean ............................................................ 1Atlantic Ocean .......................................................... 2Indian Ocean ............................................................. 3Arctic Ocean ............................................................. 4

36. About 70 percent of the people in Sri Lanka practice what religion?

37. More than two million people left Ireland in the 1840s during a famine caused by several failures of what food crop?

38. Which of the three main rock types results from lava or magma that has cooled and hardened?

39. What Romance language is the official language of Andorra?

40. Photovoltaic cells are used to convert which type of renewable energy into electrical energy?

41. Thousands of wild animal species around the world are in danger of becoming extinct. Pick a threatened or endangered animal species that you care about and tell us about it. Using the answer sheet, write a paragraph about the animal that includes the following information: (1) Why you care about this animal,

(2) where the animal lives, (3) what the animal needs to survive, and (4) what problems it faces in today’s world.

Section 2: Short Answer Questions (5 points) Questions 36–40 require one-word answers. Please print your answers neatly on the answer sheet using the lines provided next to the corresponding question numbers.

Section 3: Long Answer Questions (20 points)Questions 41-42 require long answer responses. Please print your answers on the answer sheet using the lines next to the corresponding question number. There is a maximum of 10 points possible for each question.

66

Please use the map below to answer question 42.

M

M

ShoppingMall

Park

Zoo

MuseumMuseumCity HallCity Hall

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

R

R

RR

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R R

RR

RR

R

R

R

R

PedestrianBridge

River

D

A

B

C

M Mass Transit Stop P Parking H Hotel R Restaurant

M

M

M

42. You are the owner of a successful basketball team in a growing city. Your team needs a new sports arena because the current arena is too small for all of the fans who want to come to your games. The map above shows four possible locations for the new arena: A, B, C, or D. Examine the map and use your geographic reasoning to determine which location would be best for the new arena. On the answer sheet, write a paragraph stating which site you selected (A, B, C, or D) and explaining several reasons why it would be the best place to build a new sports arena.

67

National GeographicSchool Bee

2015

STATE BEE QUALIFYING TESTANSWER KEY

(print pages 68-71)

NOTE: TOP SECRET!Do not give to student.

Back to Top

68

2015 QUALIFYING TEST ANSWER KEY

Instructions: This answer key is to be used by the school Bee coordinator to score the school champion’s qualifying test. The school Bee coordinator agrees to score the test fairly and accurately, per the National Geographic Bee rules. The student should not be penalized for incorrect spelling, grammar, or punctuation on any section of the test. The score must be submitted online to the National Geographic Bee using your registration account by February 6, 2015, 11:59 pm EST. You must also mail the student’s answer sheet to the National Geographic Bee for verification of the test results using the provided envelope. Be sure to keep a copy of the answer sheet for your records. Do not share the answer key or score with the school champion.

1. 32. 43. 24. 45. 26. 47. 18. 3 9. 2

10. 411. 412. 2

13. 414. 315. 116. 317. 118. 419. 320. 321. 222. 323. 224. 4

25. 326. 327. 228. 229. 430. 131. 332. 433. 334. 435. 4

Section 1: Multiple Choice Questions (35 points)

Section 2: Short Answer Questions (5 points)

36. Buddhism

37. potato

38. igneous

39. Catalan

40. solar

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Section 3: Long Answer Questions (20 points)

0-2 points:Few topics are addressed.

3-4 points:Most topics are addressed, but response includes inaccuracies and/or lacks support-ing details.

5-6 points:All topics are addressed, but response includes inaccuracies and/or lacks support-ing details.

7-8 points:All topics are accurately addressed, and the response includes supporting details.

9-10 points:All topics are accurately addressed, and response includes supporting details; response includes exceptionally cre-ative or thoughtful concepts.

Question 41 Scoring Guide: Maximum 10 points possible.

Question 41 —Example Responses and Scores:

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

I love lions because they are brave and strong. Lions live in Asia, and they eat zebras to survive. Lions are in trouble and we need to protect them.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

I care about the red panda because it is endangered. The red panda lives in Asia. For red pandas to survive they need air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat. The red panda faces issues like some people may kill them.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Snow leopards have gray fur that is very beautiful, and they are also very rare and must be protected. Snow leopards live in Central Asia in the Himalayas. To survive, they need a good supply of food, such as mountain sheep. Snow leopards are facing extinction because humans are hunting them for their fur, and they are also being killed because they eat people’s livestock.

Example 2-point response:

Example 5-point response:

Example 8-point response:

Note to School Bee Coordinator: Please use the scoring guides provided to assist you in assigning points for the two long answer questions. These guides are intended to promote consistency and fairness in the scoring process for all students nationwide. While we encourage you to follow this guide closely, the school Bee coordinator may deviate from the guide in cases where the student response is exceptionally creative and falls outside the boundaries of this guide. National Geographic reserves the right to disqualify the test if we believe this privilege has been abused.

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Question 42Scoring Guide: Maximum 10 points possible based on two parts of answer: (1) site selected (A, B, C, or D) (2) reasons for selecting site

Part 1: Maximum of 4 points

Student selects site B=4 points

Student selects site A=3 points

Student selects site C=2 points

Student selects site D=1 point

Part 2: Maximum of 6 points

—3 points if reasons include reference to mass transit

AND/OR

—1-3 points if reasons include reference(s) to the following: pedestrian bridge, city center, parking, hotels, or

restaurants

Question 42—Example Responses and Scores:

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

I would select site C because it is close to the museum and people will have something to do after the game is over.

(2 points for selecting site C; 0 additional points due to lack of references to mass transit, pedestrian bridge, city center, parking, hotel, or restaurants)

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

(3 points for selecting site A and 3 points for reference to mass transit)

I select site A because it is close to a mass transit stop so people can get to the game without having to drive. This will prevent traffic jams and parking problems.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

(4 points for selecting site B, 3 points for reference to mass transit, and 2 points for including references to

pedestrian bridge and hotels)

I select site B because it is close to two mass transit stops, and people can use the pedestrian bridge to get across the river to walk to the arena. It is also close to hotels, so fans have a place to stay if they come from far away.

Example 2-point response:

Example 6-point response:

Example 9-point response:

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National Geographic School Bee

2015

RAISING MEDIA AWARENESS

(print pages 73-78)

Back to Top

73

PROMOTING THE SCHOOL COMPETITION OF THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE

As the on the ground representative for the National Geographic Bee in your community, we need your help to inform the members of your community about your school’s participation. Using the following guidelines, you (or a designated publicist/media helper) can help garner media attention and help your school receive recognition as a leader, in partnership with the National Geographic Society, in improving geography education in the United States.

1. Make a Media List

Your first step should be to compile a list of the media outlets in your area, including newspapers (those that publish weekly as well as daily), news websites, blogs, and television and radio stations. Be sure to include email, phone, and fax numbers. Your school administration office or the chamber of commerce may have a media list you can use. Also, Mondotimes.com has a fairly comprehensive list of local media outlets, broken down by state.

Call or email each outlet to find out who covers education related news and/or would be covering the school competition of the Nat Geo Bee. Most newspapers will have a reporter who covers local education issues; if yours doesn’t, ask for the news desk. Radio and TV stations may or may not have someone assigned to cover education. If not, ask for the assignment editor (the person who assigns stories to reporters).

2. Complete the National Geographic Bee Press Documents

The most important thing you can do is complete the two sample news release documents at the end of this guide:

• Appendix A: The first document is a media advisory that announces your school’s Bee and encourages media representatives to cover it.

• Appendix B: The second document is a press release announcing the champion of your school’s bee.

Copy and paste each of these documents into a Word document, adding information where indicated to personalize them.

3. Disseminate the National Geographic Bee Media Advisory

Send the advisory by email to the individuals on your media list. Address them to a person (the person whose name you have on your media list), not just “Editor.” The media should receive this advisory no more than a week before the event.

A few days after you have sent your initial advisory, call the reporters to go over the information.News releases sometimes get misplaced in busy newsrooms. Calling also gives you an opportunity to talk directly to reporters about your school’s Bee and to answer any questions they may have.

5. Manage Media on the Day of your School Bee

Although there is no guarantee of media coverage of an event, it is likely that some reporters will cover it if they have been alerted. Here are some tips for managing the media on the day of the event:

74

• Keep a list of potential media who have expressed interest in coming.

• Designate at least one volunteer or parent to greet and work with the media who come. Reporters will expect this and will need a point of contact who can answer questions, provide basic information, and set up potential interviews, etc. Provide press passes/nametags if desired.

• Have copies of the customized press release and a program (if there is one) or list of participating students available for reporters.

• If you are expecting broadcast (TV) reporters, consider their equipment needs as well as what angles they will have available for filming. Make sure they are aware of any limitations of your venue/location.

• Enlist your school photographer to record the event. If you don’t have such a person, you might want to ask a parent volunteer or a student to take pictures.

• There is a suggested list of questions at the end of this section (Appendix C) to give to reporters after the Nat Geo Bee is over––but before they leave. These questions and answers will be a big help to them in writing their stories, which also, of course, will help get your community excited about and interested in your Bee.

Two things not to do:

• DO NOT release the entire question booklet or the championship questions to the media, since other schools in your area may be holding school Bees soon, and that would provide an unfair advantage.

• DO NOT post video of the competition on the Web, whether to your school site or YouTube. This is also unfair to schools and students who have not yet held their school bees.

6. Follow Up After the National Geographic Bee

Immediately (no later than the day after the event), send reporters the National Geographic Bee press release, with the champion’s information filled in. Also offer any photos/assets from the event to the reporters who were unable to come in person. Feel free to include several sample questions and answers from the Nat Geo Bee with this release, but not the winning question.

If you have questions or need any guidance with media relations, please contact: Kelsey Flora, National Geographic Communications, [email protected].

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Appendix A—MEDIA ADVISORY BEFORE YOUR SCHOOL BEE

MEDIA ADVISORY

[NAME OF SCHOOL] STUDENTS TO COMPETEIN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE

WHAT: School competition of the 2015 National Geographic Bee

WHERE: [School name, address, location of the contest]

WHEN: [Date and time of Bee]

HOW: For the 27th year, the National Geographic Society is holding the National Geographic Bee for students in the fourth through eighth grades in thousands of schools across the United States and in the five U.S. territories, as well as in Department of Defense Dependents Schools around the world.

The champion of the [your school’s name] Nat Geo Bee will advance to the next level of competition, a written examination to determine state competitors. All school champions are eligible to win the national championship and its first prize, a $50,000 college scholarship, at the national championship May 11-13, 2015 in Washington, D.C.

For more information: www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee

CONTACT: [Principal’s name, phone number]

[Date]

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Appendix B—PRESS RELEASE AFTER YOUR SCHOOL BEE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[STUDENT] WINS [SCHOOL] GEOGRAPHIC BEEMoves One Step Closer to $50,000 College Scholarship

[YOUR CITY, STATE, DATE]—[student], a [grade] student at [your school], won the school competition of the National Geographic Bee on [date] and a chance at a $50,000 college scholarship. The school Bee, at which students answered questions on geography, was the first round in the 27th annual National Geographic Bee.

Thousands of schools around the United States and in the five U.S. territories are participating in the 2015 Bee. The school champions, including [student], will take a written test; up to 100 of the top scorers on that test in each state will then be eligible to compete in their state Bee on March 27, 2015.

The National Geographic Society will provide an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., for state winners to participate in the Bee national championship rounds May 11-13, 2015. The first-place national champion will receive a $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the Society including a subscription to National Geographic magazine, and a trip to the Galápagos Islands, courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic.

Award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien will moderate the national finals on May 13. The program will air on television. Check local listings for dates and times.

Everyone can test their geography knowledge with the exciting GeoBee Challenge, an online geography quiz at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee, which poses 10 new questions a day, or by downloading the “National Geographic GeoBee Challenge” app, with more than 1,000 questions culled from past Bees, available on the App Store for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad; from the Android Market; or for NOOK Color.

With a mission to inspire, illuminate and teach, the National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. The member-supported Society, which believes in the power of science, exploration and storytelling to change the world, reaches over 600 million people each month through its media platforms, products and events. National Geographic has funded more than 11,000 research, conservation and exploration projects, and its education programs promote geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

CONTACT: [Principal’s name, phone number]

77

Appendix C—SAMPLE QUESTIONS TO PROVIDE TO MEDIA

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE SAMPLE QUESTIONS

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

A. Georgia

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

A. Michigan

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

A. New York

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

A. Louisiana

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

A. North Carolina

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

A. Portugal

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

A. Canada

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

A. Brazil

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

A. China

Q. 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?

A. Minnesota

78

National Geographic Bee

200229126" x 9" Pennant

$8.95

2000103 Pen

$3.75

2000816 Pencils, 10-pack

$4.95

2000813 Hat

$16.00

57981 Afghanistan to Zimbabwe:

Country Facts$12.95

2000814 24" Stick-on/

Peel-off Wall Decal$39.95

6300947 The National

Geographic Bee Ultimate

Fact Book:Countries A to Z

$12.95

6300986 How to Ace the NationalGeographic Bee: Official

Study Guide, Fourth Edition$9.95

2000100Backpack

$8.25

2000110 Bracelet

$1.65

2000101 Lapel Pin

$4.00

2000102 Key Chain

$5.00

2000108 Button$1.00

2000112 T-shirt$16.00

2000105 Aluminum Water Bottle$9.75

Back

Front

Visit shopng.org/geobee to see all of our National Geographic Bee products.To pay by credit card, please shop online or call 1-888-557-4450.  If you prefer to pay by check, mail your order and payment to 

National Geographic Catalog, 777 South State Road 7, Margate, FL 33068. Payment is required before orders are shipped. Purchase orders are not accepted.

National Geographic Bee

Award Plaque

Display your school’s winners on thislucite plaque that is engravable. Orderthe blank plaque and use the localengraver of your choice. Or order theengraved plaque (pictured) and specifyas many as 70 letters for the school’sname on the plate, plus receive 12blank plates to engrave students’names on your own. 9" x 12".

Blank Engraved

2000113 2000155$49.00 $59.00

Please note, we cannot engravestudents’ names.

Trophy

Choose from threepersonalization options.Order the blank trophyand use the local printer of your choice. Or choosefrom two personalizedoptions and specify as manyas 25 characters for theschool’s or student’s name onthe second line. The Finalistversion (pictured) also includesthe Finalist title on the third line. 7" height

Blank Personalized Finalist

2000114 2000154 2000153$10.00 $12.00 $12.00

Copyright © 2014 National Geographic Society

2000111 Participant Ribbon

$.75

2000109 Finalist Ribbon

$.75

2000817 Placement Ribbons Set—

1st, 2nd, and 3rd(not shown; see online)

$2.25

2000815 Student Participation

8 1/2" x 11" Certificate, 10-pack$18.00

Visit shopng.org/geobee to see all of our National Geographic Bee products.To pay by credit card, please shop online or call 1-888-557-4450.  If you prefer to pay by check, mail your order and payment to 

National Geographic Catalog, 777 South State Road 7, Margate, FL 33068. Payment is required before orders are shipped. Purchase orders are not accepted.

GET YOUR STUDENTS READY FOR

THE NAT GEO BEEWILD ANIMAL ATLAS ROUND!

Included in your registration for the Nat Geo Bee

your school receives ONe MONTh Of fRee AcceSS

from Gale to the NATIONAL GeOGRAphIc VIRTUAL

LIbRARy, which includes the Nat Geo Wild Animal

Atlas, and other National Geographic ebooks,

magazines, videos, and maps!

GALe.cOM/NATGeObee

Register in time to prepare for your school Bee!

»

LiBRARiANS, GivE ALL YOUR STUDENTS SimULTANEOUS AccESSto the NAt Geo WIld ANImAl AtlAs FREE for oNe moNth!

The 30 day free trial of the National Geographic Virtual Library will be accessible from October 20 through february 6.

Gale.com/natgeobee