National Academic League
Encyclopedia
The National Academic League (NAL) is a popular sport in junior high schools
(middle schools) around the United States
. In participating schools, two coaches and anywhere from at least fifteen to approximately forty students compete with other schools in the same district
. Students study math
, science
, geography
, world history
, and language arts
. In the game, students prepare presentations about current events, and/or answer questions from any of the above listed categories. If a championship is won, it is possible to compete all the way to a national level. Most games are played with the two teams, judges, and coaches meeting in person, but in the national tournament, a videoconference is set up via satellite.
team, or first and second round group, who compete by answering questions to score points against the opposing team. The second is the presentation
team, or third round team, who prepares a presentation on a specific question given to them in the game. Depending on how much information is in their presentation and how well it is communicated, the presentation team can score up to twenty-five points.
There are also four quarters or rounds in a game. Each quarter is different from all the others in some way which will be explained below. The buzzer team competes in the first, second, and fourth quarters, but the buzzer team members may be different from quarter to quarter. The presentation team competes in the third quarter, and some may compete in the fourth quarter.
team competes in first quarter. First quarter lasts for exactly ten minutes with fifteen seconds (maximum) for each question. (Until recently, the quarter lasted twelve minutes.) Five members sit in the front row and five in reserve. The first question goes to chair one, the captain. If (s)he answers correctly, two points are added to the team's score. The second question will go to chair two. If (s)he also answers correctly, two more points are added to the score and the question goes to chair three. If (s)he also answers correctly, two more points are added, but the team does not get another question. After three correct answers, the questions go to the opposing team.
If one of the questions are answered incorrectly, the other team is given a chance to steal. If they answer correctly, the series of questions goes to the other team and one point is added for a steal. They then have a chance to score up to six points (Three two-point questions), starting with the player who got the steal.
If any team member answers wrongly, they are given a foul. After two fouls, the first reserve player in line takes the fouled-out player's seat, and the fouled-out player moves to the back of the reserve line.
team work as a team to answer lengthy questions. There is a back row of five reserve players, but this reserve used only at the discretion of the team coach, who can substitute any or all backup players for any or all active players. This quarter lasts ten minutes with 60 seconds (maximum) for each question. The questions are printed on a card, which is carried to the team by a player of the opposite team, the "runner". When the judge says "Drop", each runner drops the card down on the table. The time starts when the judge reads the question aloud. Players are allowed to talk with each other and write down answers, and collaborate. Although communication is a prime skill in second quarter, no other team member may speak after the captain has buzzed in. Each correct answer is worth three points.
Woop woopwoop woop
(police siren!)
team gives a presentation on the question they were given after the tip off question. The third quarter team will have been given a topic one week before the day of the game. This topic is more broad than the question received at the beginning of the game; the topic only gives the presentation team a range of information to research and study before the game day. At the game, they take the question from the judge and a bucket of supplies, including posterboard, construction paper, markers, pencils and paper, and each team works separately in a room for about thirty minutes- until 2nd quarter is over. A parent, teacher or sponsor will give each team a five-minute warning, letting the teams know they have five minutes left before they present. When second quarter is over, the teams present in the order determined by the captains after tip-off. The two judges over the match judge on paper the presentation, on basis of eye contact, memorization, quantity and quality of information, vocabulary, shown interest in the subject, charisma, enthusiasm in speaking, etc. The team must take at least three minutes, but no longer than five in their presentation, or three points are deducted from the team's score. The two scores (each out of a possible 25) are averaged out and added to the team's score.
team and the presentation
team participates in fourth quarter. Five players sit at the buzzers with an additional five in reserve. The first question is given to both teams with members in seat one. the precedeing questions continue down to seat two, three, and so forth. When a question is given to seat one, for example, no one but seat one may answer. The students must wait until the judge calls on them. If a student answers correctly, they are awarded two points. If the answer is wrong, however, one point is deducted from the score and a foul is given to the player. If a student does not know the answer, they may pass. This means they receive a foul, but no point deduction. If both students pass, answer wrongly, or time runs out and the right answer has still not been given, the judges declare "Free for all". The student must wait until the judge finishes saying "Free for all." Anyone on either team at this point has five seconds (or the remaining time in the 30 seconds, whichever is longer) to buzz in and answer.
, science
, geography
, world history
, and english
. These are the main topics that are studied in each category:
Math: GCF, LCM
, probability
, roman numerals
, area, and perimeter
.
English: Parts of speech, pronoun
s, poetry terms, gerunds, participles, infinitive
s, authors, and Greek roots.
Geography: US states and state capitals, postal abbreviations, nicknames
, world rivers, world capitals, and currency.
World History: Explorers
, inventors, branches of US government, requirements for US office, wars, US bill of rights
, Current leaders and amendments.
Science: Elements, biology
, and compounds.
This question would NOT be used:
(It would not be used because first and fourth quarter questions are given purely verbally.)
, omnivore
, or herbivore
: Fruit bats, white-tailed deer, bears, humans, and frogs.
Give the number of vertices, faces, and edges for the following shapes: Pyramid, rectangular prism, cone, cube, and cylinder.
Capitalize the words in the following sentence that need to be capitalized, then give the animal the capital letters spell:
sylvia went to egypt, and while there, gave alex a book on lithuania.
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
(middle schools) around the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In participating schools, two coaches and anywhere from at least fifteen to approximately forty students compete with other schools in the same district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
. Students study math
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, world history
World History
World History, Global History or Transnational history is a field of historical study that emerged as a distinct academic field in the 1980s. It examines history from a global perspective...
, and language arts
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
. In the game, students prepare presentations about current events, and/or answer questions from any of the above listed categories. If a championship is won, it is possible to compete all the way to a national level. Most games are played with the two teams, judges, and coaches meeting in person, but in the national tournament, a videoconference is set up via satellite.
Rules and Workings of the Game
There are two groups within each NAL team. The first is the buzzerBuzzer
A buzzer or beeper is an audio signaling device, which may be mechanical, electromechanical, or piezoelectric. Typical uses of buzzers and beepers include alarm devices, timers and confirmation of user input such as a mouse click or keystroke....
team, or first and second round group, who compete by answering questions to score points against the opposing team. The second is the presentation
Presentation
Presentation is the practice of showing and explaining the content of a topic to an audience or learner. Presentations come in nearly as many forms as there are life situations...
team, or third round team, who prepares a presentation on a specific question given to them in the game. Depending on how much information is in their presentation and how well it is communicated, the presentation team can score up to twenty-five points.
There are also four quarters or rounds in a game. Each quarter is different from all the others in some way which will be explained below. The buzzer team competes in the first, second, and fourth quarters, but the buzzer team members may be different from quarter to quarter. The presentation team competes in the third quarter, and some may compete in the fourth quarter.
Tip Off Question
The game begins with a tip off question. The captains of each team are asked a question, and the first captain to answer correctly wins the tip off. They now have the choice of going first or second in the first quarter, or first or second in the third quarter. Captains almost always choose to go first in the first quarter, because it gives the team a decisive advantage. The captain of the other team then chooses whether to go first or second in the remaining quarter.First Quarter
The buzzerBuzzer
A buzzer or beeper is an audio signaling device, which may be mechanical, electromechanical, or piezoelectric. Typical uses of buzzers and beepers include alarm devices, timers and confirmation of user input such as a mouse click or keystroke....
team competes in first quarter. First quarter lasts for exactly ten minutes with fifteen seconds (maximum) for each question. (Until recently, the quarter lasted twelve minutes.) Five members sit in the front row and five in reserve. The first question goes to chair one, the captain. If (s)he answers correctly, two points are added to the team's score. The second question will go to chair two. If (s)he also answers correctly, two more points are added to the score and the question goes to chair three. If (s)he also answers correctly, two more points are added, but the team does not get another question. After three correct answers, the questions go to the opposing team.
If one of the questions are answered incorrectly, the other team is given a chance to steal. If they answer correctly, the series of questions goes to the other team and one point is added for a steal. They then have a chance to score up to six points (Three two-point questions), starting with the player who got the steal.
If any team member answers wrongly, they are given a foul. After two fouls, the first reserve player in line takes the fouled-out player's seat, and the fouled-out player moves to the back of the reserve line.
Second Quarter
In second quarter, five members of the buzzerBuzzer
A buzzer or beeper is an audio signaling device, which may be mechanical, electromechanical, or piezoelectric. Typical uses of buzzers and beepers include alarm devices, timers and confirmation of user input such as a mouse click or keystroke....
team work as a team to answer lengthy questions. There is a back row of five reserve players, but this reserve used only at the discretion of the team coach, who can substitute any or all backup players for any or all active players. This quarter lasts ten minutes with 60 seconds (maximum) for each question. The questions are printed on a card, which is carried to the team by a player of the opposite team, the "runner". When the judge says "Drop", each runner drops the card down on the table. The time starts when the judge reads the question aloud. Players are allowed to talk with each other and write down answers, and collaborate. Although communication is a prime skill in second quarter, no other team member may speak after the captain has buzzed in. Each correct answer is worth three points.
Woop woopwoop woop
(police siren!)
Third Quarter
In third quarter, the presentationPresentation
Presentation is the practice of showing and explaining the content of a topic to an audience or learner. Presentations come in nearly as many forms as there are life situations...
team gives a presentation on the question they were given after the tip off question. The third quarter team will have been given a topic one week before the day of the game. This topic is more broad than the question received at the beginning of the game; the topic only gives the presentation team a range of information to research and study before the game day. At the game, they take the question from the judge and a bucket of supplies, including posterboard, construction paper, markers, pencils and paper, and each team works separately in a room for about thirty minutes- until 2nd quarter is over. A parent, teacher or sponsor will give each team a five-minute warning, letting the teams know they have five minutes left before they present. When second quarter is over, the teams present in the order determined by the captains after tip-off. The two judges over the match judge on paper the presentation, on basis of eye contact, memorization, quantity and quality of information, vocabulary, shown interest in the subject, charisma, enthusiasm in speaking, etc. The team must take at least three minutes, but no longer than five in their presentation, or three points are deducted from the team's score. The two scores (each out of a possible 25) are averaged out and added to the team's score.
Fourth Quarter
There can be a mix of the buzzerBuzzer
A buzzer or beeper is an audio signaling device, which may be mechanical, electromechanical, or piezoelectric. Typical uses of buzzers and beepers include alarm devices, timers and confirmation of user input such as a mouse click or keystroke....
team and the presentation
Presentation
Presentation is the practice of showing and explaining the content of a topic to an audience or learner. Presentations come in nearly as many forms as there are life situations...
team participates in fourth quarter. Five players sit at the buzzers with an additional five in reserve. The first question is given to both teams with members in seat one. the precedeing questions continue down to seat two, three, and so forth. When a question is given to seat one, for example, no one but seat one may answer. The students must wait until the judge calls on them. If a student answers correctly, they are awarded two points. If the answer is wrong, however, one point is deducted from the score and a foul is given to the player. If a student does not know the answer, they may pass. This means they receive a foul, but no point deduction. If both students pass, answer wrongly, or time runs out and the right answer has still not been given, the judges declare "Free for all". The student must wait until the judge finishes saying "Free for all." Anyone on either team at this point has five seconds (or the remaining time in the 30 seconds, whichever is longer) to buzz in and answer.
End of the Game
At the end of the game, the judges verify the score, and the team with the highest cumulative score wins. If there is a tie, there is be a short 2 minute overtime played under fourth-quarter rules.Sample Topics
Students in NAL study a broad range of topics in preparation, including mathMathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, world history
World History
World History, Global History or Transnational history is a field of historical study that emerged as a distinct academic field in the 1980s. It examines history from a global perspective...
, and english
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
. These are the main topics that are studied in each category:
Math: GCF, LCM
Least common multiple
In arithmetic and number theory, the least common multiple of two integers a and b, usually denoted by LCM, is the smallest positive integer that is a multiple of both a and b...
, probability
Probability
Probability is ordinarily used to describe an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we arenot certain. The proposition of interest is usually of the form "Will a specific event occur?" The attitude of mind is of the form "How certain are we that the event will occur?" The...
, roman numerals
Roman numerals
The numeral system of ancient Rome, or Roman numerals, uses combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet to signify values. The numbers 1 to 10 can be expressed in Roman numerals as:...
, area, and perimeter
Perimeter
A perimeter is a path that surrounds an area. The word comes from the Greek peri and meter . The term may be used either for the path or its length - it can be thought of as the length of the outline of a shape. The perimeter of a circular area is called circumference.- Practical uses :Calculating...
.
English: Parts of speech, pronoun
Pronoun
In linguistics and grammar, a pronoun is a pro-form that substitutes for a noun , such as, in English, the words it and he...
s, poetry terms, gerunds, participles, infinitive
Infinitive
In grammar, infinitive is the name for certain verb forms that exist in many languages. In the usual description of English, the infinitive of a verb is its basic form with or without the particle to: therefore, do and to do, be and to be, and so on are infinitives...
s, authors, and Greek roots.
Geography: US states and state capitals, postal abbreviations, nicknames
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, world rivers, world capitals, and currency.
World History: Explorers
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
, inventors, branches of US government, requirements for US office, wars, US bill of rights
United States Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. These limitations serve to protect the natural rights of liberty and property. They guarantee a number of personal freedoms, limit the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and...
, Current leaders and amendments.
Science: Elements, biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, and compounds.
Sample First and Fourth Quarter Questions
Listed below are sample questions asked in an NAL match: (Answers are given in parenthesis)Math
- What is -81 divided by -9? (9)
- If a factory produces 7000 bottles a day and 18% are defective, how many good bottles are produced? (5740 bottles)
English
- What are the demonstrative pronounPronounIn linguistics and grammar, a pronoun is a pro-form that substitutes for a noun , such as, in English, the words it and he...
s? (This, that, these, those) - Who is the author of Little Women? (Louisa May Alcott)
This question would NOT be used:
- Correct the following sentence: My Dad and I went fishing. (Change Dad to dad)
(It would not be used because first and fourth quarter questions are given purely verbally.)
Geography
- What is the capital of TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
? (Ankara) - Give the postal abbreviations for the following states: VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. (Capital "V" Capital "T" and Capital "U" Capital "T") - Give the two states whose largest cities are Portland. (Maine, and Oregon)
- Give the 3 countries that are in The United Kingdom. (Scotland, Wales, and England)
World History
- What did the Albany Plan of Union do? (Set up an army for the US, provided councils for each colony to deal with purchasing lands)
- What king of England executed 2 of his 6 wives? (Henry VIII)
- How did World War II start and what are the alliances? (When Germany invaded Poland, World War II started. The alliances were the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers)
- Which country did Ferdinand Magellan land on at March 16, 1521 that he thought was the Spice Islands? (Philippines)
Science
- What type of rock is formed below ground by cooling magmaMagmaMagma is a mixture of molten rock, volatiles and solids that is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and is expected to exist on other terrestrial planets. Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and dissolved gas and sometimes also gas bubbles. Magma often collects in...
? (igneous) - What is the element symbol for potassium? (Capital K)
- What is the freezing point of water in Fahrenheit? (Freezing- 0 degrees Celsius, 32 degrees Fahrenheit)
- What is the element symbol for iron? (Capital Fe)
- If all the insects in the world died, how would it affect the world? (insects are used to pollinate our plants, so if they died, our crops would die out and we wouldn't have any plant food)
Spelling
- Say and spell ignore (ignore i-g-n-o-r-e)
- Say and spell the capital of New York. (Albany, capital A-l-b-a-n-y)
- Say and spell amphibian. (amphibian, a-m-p-h-i-b-i-a-n)
Sample Second Quarter Questions
Place the following animals in the categories of carnivoreCarnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
, omnivore
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, or herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
: Fruit bats, white-tailed deer, bears, humans, and frogs.
Give the number of vertices, faces, and edges for the following shapes: Pyramid, rectangular prism, cone, cube, and cylinder.
Capitalize the words in the following sentence that need to be capitalized, then give the animal the capital letters spell:
sylvia went to egypt, and while there, gave alex a book on lithuania.