2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Theme: Space Odyssey Team Event: Logic Test The Logic Test may contain, but is not limited to, any of the following types of problems: Ken Ken Cryptograms Anagrams Patterns & graphs Lateral thinking Venn diagrams True/False logic Word ladders Logic fallacies

Sudoku Word problems Spatial reasoning Probability Logic grids Rebus puzzles Kakuro Riddles

The following websites provide excellent sample problems: http://www.brainbashers.com http://www.mensa.org/workout.php http://www.mensaforkids.org http://puzzlersparadise.com http://www.sudoku.org.uk http://www.mathisfun.com/puzzles http://www.allstarpuzzles.com http://www.braingle.com/brainteasers

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide

Team Event: Super Quiz Fine Arts DK Eyewitness Books: Dance by Andre Grau Hardcover: 72 pages Publisher: DK Children (April 11, 2005) ISBN-10: 0756610656 ISBN-13: 978-0756610654 Available in hardcover from Amazon.com and as an e-book from DK Publishing. Here is an original and exciting new guide to the magic and beauty of dance around the world. Step-by-step sequences and glorious full-color photographs offer a unique "eyewitness" view of dance traditions including the magical performances, stunning costumes- and extraordinary talent of dancers. See a ballet costume designed by Picasso, dancers who balance on stilts, and headdresses studded with gemstones. Learn why male dancers sometimes dress as women, the stories of the great classical ballets, and why the tango was banned. Discover why Javanese dancers "flow like water," see dance crazes from the last 100 years, witness the dervishes who whirl around in worship, and much, much more.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide

Team Event: Super Quiz Literature The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart Paperback: 512 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (September 5, 2017) ISBN-10: 0316389544 ISBN-13: 978-0316389549 Available in paperback, kindle, and hardcover When Reuben discovers an extraordinary antique watch, he soon learns it has a secret power and his life takes an intriguing turn. At first he is thrilled with his new treasure, but as one secret leads to another, Reuben finds himself torn between his innately honest nature and the lure to be a hero. Now he is on a dangerous adventure--full of curious characters, treacherous traps, and hairsbreadth escapes--as he races to solve the mystery before it is too late. Even with fearless Penny, mighty Jack, and the wise Mrs. Genevieve on his side, can Reuben outwit and outmaneuver the sly villain called The Smoke and his devious defenders the Directions and save the city from a terrible fate?

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Team Event: Super Quiz Religion The Mass: The Glory, The Mystery, The Tradition by Cardinal Donald Wuerl Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Image; Reprint edition (March 5, 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 0307718816 ISBN-13: 978-0307718815 Available in hardcover, paperback, and kindle. The Mass: The Glory, the Mystery, the Tradition is an engaging and authoritative guide to Catholicism’s most distinctive practice. And now, with the Church introducing revised language for the Mass, Catholics have a perfect opportunity to renew their understanding of this beautiful and beloved celebration.

Science DK Smithsonian Knowledge Encyclopedia Space! by Ben Morgan Stars – pages 68 – 93 Galaxies – pages 94 – 11 Reference – pages 200 -201 Paperback: 208 Publisher: DK Children (September 1, 2015) ISBN-10: 0241196302 ISBN-13: 978-0241196304 Available in paperback and hardback Truly encyclopedic in scope and fully up-to-date covering the stars and planets, space exploration, and the night sky, Space! is packed with amazing facts and NASA images revealing the wonders of the cosmos - from black holes to the big bang to the planets. Using computergenerated 3D models to explore and open up the most amazing objects in the universe.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Team Event: Super Quiz Social Studies Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly Paperback: 368 pages Language Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (December 6, 2016) ISBN-10: 0062363603 ISBN-13: 978-0062363602 Available in paperback, hardback, and Kindle Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space. Among these problem-solvers were a group of exceptionally talented African American women, some of the brightest minds of their generation. Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Space Race, Hidden Figures follows the interwoven accounts of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden, four African American women who participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes. It chronicles their careers over nearly three decades they faced challenges, forged alliances and used their intellect to change their own lives, and their country’s future.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: Current Events News articles for the Current Events Individual Test come out at the end of each month, from September through January, and include information from multiple sources. For the Current Events Test, decathletes will be tested on their knowledge of the information and vocabulary from the news articles. Decathletes should also be familiar with the political leadership and location of countries mentioned in the news articles. The complete study guides, including the news articles, review questions, vocabulary, worksheets, maps, and quizzes, are available for purchase at https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Education-Test-Creators for $20.00. This is a subscription to the Current Events Study guides and will be added to each month through the month of January as new articles and study resources are developed. For those who do not wish to purchase the complete study guide, the news articles are available for download in pdf format from the Academic Decathlon wikispaces page at https://academicdecathlon.wikispaces.com/Current+Events. Go to https://academicdecathlon.wikispaces.com to request membership to the AJHD wikispaces page. Then click on the Current Events tab located on the left margin of the AJHD home page or go to https://academicdecathlon.wikispaces.com/Current+Events for the list of news articles. Make sure to check back for additional issues at the end of each month. Please note: Links from the Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon (AJHD) to thirdparty sites do not constitute an endorsement by the AJHD of the parties or their products or services. The appearance of advertisements or products or information for services on thirdparty sites does not constitute an endorsement by the AJHD, nor does the AJHD investigate any claims made by any advertiser. The AJHD is not responsible for incorrect information on thirdparty sites, nor is it responsible for alterations or edits to materials linked to the AJHD site. Parents and/or coaches are advised to screen all materials prior to viewing by academic decathletes.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: Fine Arts Classical Music for Dummies by David Pogue and Scott Speck Decathletes will only be tested on the following chapters: Chapter 2: The Entire History of Music in 80 Pages Chapter 3: Knowing How to Spot a Sonata Chapter 5: For Your Listening Pleasure (pg. 137-158 only) Chapter 6: Keyboards & Co. Chapter 7: Strings Attached Chapter 8: Gone with the Woodwinds Chapter 9: The Top (and Bottom) Brass Chapter 10: Percussion's Greatest Hits Chapter 11: The Dreaded Music Theory Chapter Chapter 12: Once More, with Feeling: Tempo, Dynamics, and Orchestration Appendix C: Glossary Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (July 7, 2015) ISBN-10: 111904975X ISBN-13: 978-1119049753 Decathletes will also be responsible for listening to music Tracks 1 through 9, available at http://www.dummies.com/book-extras/classical-music-dummies-2nd-edition-resourcecenter. Available in paperback, Kindle, and ebook editions. The beginner's guide to classical music, Classical Music for Dummies, is a friendly, funny, easyto-understand guide to composers, instruments, orchestras, concerts, recordings, and more. Classical music is widely considered one of the pinnacles of human achievement. This informative guide shows just how beautiful and rewarding it can be. Learn how Bach is different from Beethoven, how Mozart is different still, and why not all "classical" music is actually Classical if it's really Baroque or Romantic. Be introduced to the composers and their work, and discover the groundbreaking pieces that shake the world every time they're played. Listen to classical music with the essential recordings that define orchestral, choral, and operatic beauty.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: English Grammar Girl Presents the Ultimate Writing Guide for Students, by Mignon Fogarty Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1 edition (July 5, 2011) ISBN-10: 0805089446 ISBN-13: 978-0805089448 Available in Kindle and paperback versions. Grammar Girl Presents the Ultimate Writing Guide for Students is a complete and comprehensive guide to all things grammar. Complete with a writing style chapter and a guide to the different kinds of writing--everything from school papers to letter writing to e-mails--this guide is sure to become the one-stop, essential book on every student's desk. Conventions of Standard English: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1.A Explain the function of verbals (gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and their function in particular sentences. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1.B Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1.C Form and use verbs in the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive mood. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1.D Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: English CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.2.A, B and C Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission. Spell correctly. Knowledge of Language: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.3.A Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact). Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.4.A Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.4.B Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: Literature A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Square Fish (May 1, 2007) ISBN-10: 0312368569 ISBN-13: 978-0312368562 Available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle editions. In A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle, a companion to the Newbery Award winner A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door, fifteen-year-old Charles Wallace and the unicorn Gaudior undertake a perilous journey through time in a desperate attempt to stop the destruction of the world by the mad dictator Madog Branzillo. They are not alone in their quest. Charles Wallace's sister, Meg--grown and expecting her first child, but still able to enter her brother's thoughts and emotions by "kything"--goes with him in spirit. Charles Wallace must face the ultimate test of his faith and his will as he is sent within four people from another time, there to search for a way to avert the tragedy threatening them all.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: Math Expressions and Equations Work with radicals and integer exponents: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.1 Know and apply the properties of integer exponents to generate equivalent numerical expressions. For example, 32 × 3-5 = 3-3 = 1/33 = 1/27. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.2 Use square root and cube root symbols to represent solutions to equations of the form x2 = p and x3 = p, where p is a positive rational number. Evaluate square roots of small perfect squares and cube roots of small perfect cubes. Know that √2 is irrational. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.3

Use numbers expressed in the form of a single digit times an integer power of 10 to estimate very large or very small quantities, and to express how many times as much one is than the other. For example, estimate the population of the United States as 3 times 10 8 and the population of the world as 7 times 109, and determine that the world population is more than 20 times larger. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.4 Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: Math Understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.B.5 Graph proportional relationships, interpreting the unit rate as the slope of the graph. Compare two different proportional relationships represented in different ways. For example, compare a distance-time graph to a distance-time equation to determine which of two moving objects has greater speed. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.B.6 Use similar triangles to explain why the slope m is the same between any two distinct points on a non-vertical line in the coordinate plane; derive the equation y = mx for a line through the origin and the equation y = mx + b for a line intercepting the vertical axis. Analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.C.7 Solve linear equations in one variable. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.C.7.A Give examples of linear equations in one variable with one solution, infinitely many solutions, or no solutions. Show which of these possibilities is the case by successively transforming the given equation into simpler forms, until an equivalent equation of the form x = a, a = a, or a = b results (where a and b are different numbers). CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.C.7.B Solve linear equations with rational number coefficients, including equations whose solutions require expanding expressions using the distributive property and collecting like terms. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.C.8 Analyze and solve pairs of simultaneous linear equations.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: Math CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.C.8.A Understand that solutions to a system of two linear equations in two variables correspond to points of intersection of their graphs, because points of intersection satisfy both equations simultaneously. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.C.8.B Solve systems of two linear equations in two variables algebraically, and estimate solutions by graphing the equations. Solve simple cases by inspection. For example, 3x + 2y = 5 and 3x + 2y = 6 have no solution because 3x + 2y cannot simultaneously be 5 and 6. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.C.8.C Solve real-world and mathematical problems leading to two linear equations in two variables. For example, given coordinates for two pairs of points, determine whether the line through the first pair of points intersects the line through the second pair. Define, evaluate, and compare functions. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.F.A.1 Understand that a function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output. The graph of a function is the set of ordered pairs consisting of an input and the corresponding output. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.F.A.2 Compare properties of two functions each represented in a different way (algebraically, graphically, numerically in tables, or by verbal descriptions). For example, given a linear function represented by a table of values and a linear function represented by an algebraic expression, determine which function has the greater rate of change.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: Math CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.F.A.3 Interpret the equation y = mx + b as defining a linear function, whose graph is a straight line; give examples of functions that are not linear. For example, the function A = s2 giving the area of a square as a function of its side length is not linear because its graph contains the points (1, 1), (2, 4) and (3, 9), which are not on a straight line. Use functions to model relationships between quantities. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.F.B.4 Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the rate of change and initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from two (x, y) values, including reading these from a table or from a graph. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models, and in terms of its graph or a table of values. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.F.B.5 Describe qualitatively the functional relationship between two quantities by analyzing a graph (e.g., where the function is increasing or decreasing, linear or nonlinear). Sketch a graph that exhibits the qualitative features of a function that has been described verbally. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.B.6 Explain a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.B.7 Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to determine unknown side lengths in right triangles in realworld and mathematical problems in two and three dimensions.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: Religion The Church: Unlocking the Secrets to the Places Catholics Call Home by Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Image (March 5, 2013) ISBN-10: 0770435513 ISBN-13: 978-0770435516 Available in hardcover and e-book.

From the bestselling authors of The Mass, comes an insightful and practical guide that explores the architectural and spiritual components of the Catholic Church. Your local church is not only a physical place, but a spiritual home. In this thought-provoking book, Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina illuminate the importance of the Church in its many guises and examine the theological ideas behind the physical structure of churches, cathedrals, and basilicas.

Science DK Smithsonian Knowledge Encyclopedia Space! by Ben Morgan The Solar System – pages 6 – 67 Reference – pages 196 – 199 Glossary – pages 202 - 203 Paperback: 208 pages Publisher: DK Children (September 1, 2015) ISBN-10: 0241196302 ISBN-13: 978-0241196304

Available in paperback and hardback

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Individual Subject Tests: Social Studies Final Countdown: NASA and the end of the Space Shuttle Program by Pat Duggins Hardcover: 264 pages Publisher: University Press of Florida; 1st edition (October 21, 2007) ISBN-10: 081303146X ISBN-13: 978-0813031460 Available in paperback, hardback, and Kindle. The Space Shuttle was once the cornerstone of the U.S. space program. However, each new flight brings us one step closer to the retirement of the shuttle in 2010. Final Countdown is the riveting history of NASA's Space Shuttle program, its missions, and its impending demise. It also examines the plans and early development of the space agency’s next major effort: the Orion Crew Exploration Capsule. Journalist Pat Duggins, National Public Radio's resident "space expert," chronicles the planning stages of the shuttle program in the early 1970s, the thrills of the first flight in 1981, construction of the International Space Station in the 1990s, and the decision in the early 2000s to shut it down.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide Optional Individual Subject Tests: Writing For the second year, the Academic Junior High Decathlon program is offering an optional individual writing test. The individual writing test is a timed-essay competition. Writers will be assessed based on the Common Core Standard for Literacy listed below. Awards will be given for first, second, and third place. The individual writing test will be administered approximately two weeks before the diocesan Academic Decathlon competition. The date, time, and place for the individual writing test will be provided by the diocesan Academic Decathlon coordinator. As this is an optional test, points awarded in the writing test competition will not be used to determine the overall team score for the Academic Junior High Decathlon. Write Better Essays in 20 Minutes a Day, 3rd Edition by Learning Express Paperback: 188 pages Publisher: LearningExpress, LLC; 3rd edition ISBN-13: 978-1576857922 ISBN-10: 1576857921

Whether you are applying to school, trying to pass an academic course, or drafting a business proposal, writing effectively can be challenging. This guide covers all essentials: how to understand essay questions, create a strong thesis, develop a captivating introduction, support your ideas, and revise your work. Included are many sample essays, strategies for planning and revising in-class essays, tips to overcome writer's block, and instruction on achieving high scores on essay exams.

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2018 Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon Study Guide

Optional Individual Subject Tests: Writing CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.A Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.B Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.C Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.D Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.E Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.F Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.

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