Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 20, 1994 TAG: 9401210006
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
What is the instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure? (barometer)
Which city has a higher elevation? San Francisco or Denver? (Denver)
These were the questions posed to fifth-graders at Christiansburg Elementary School last week as they competed in the National Geographic Society's National Geography Bee. The geography bee is much like a spelling bee in that selected pupils line up, answer questions and are eliminated if they answer a question incorrectly. However, it is unique because instead of simply spelling a word, the pupils must apply their knowledge of various topics - weather, geography, politics - in order to answer questions.
``I was pleased with the kind of questions that were asked, because the kids really had to apply their understanding, not just answer rote questions like spelling a word in a spelling bee,'' principal Janice Roback said. ``The children were nervous and they really didn't do great, but they are learning - and next year they'll be even more prepared.''
The competition began with 15 pupils lined up on the stage in the school's multipurpose room. Bernd Kuennecke, professor and head of Radford University's Geology Department volunteered as moderator, asking geography-related questions one by one, until eventually the 15 children were cut to seven. After the next round, three pupils were left.
And then there were two: classmates, Lauren Hackney and Steven Minnick.
The winner, whose proud mother was in the back of the room watching, was 10-year-old Lauren, who answered the following question correctly: ``Name a land-locked Canadian province.'' Her answer: Alberta. Steven incorrectly answered with Newfoundland, but still was pleased with his second-place finish.
``I was shocked [that she won] and nervous,'' Lauren said. ``I was like: `Oh, my gosh' when I won. I didn't know there were so many things to know about geography.''
Lauren said she prepared for the geography bee by practicing in class and with her parents.
``[Lauren] worked many, many hours for this,`` said Lauren's mother, Deborah. ``She worked with her father and me and she spent a lot of time on the phone with her friend practicing.''
More than 46,000 schools competed in this year's National Geographic Geography Bee. The winner from each school will take a written geography test which will determine whether he or she will qualify for the state competition. State winners receive up to $100 and a trip to Washington, D.C. The national winner is awarded a $25,000 college scholarship.
If Lauren reaches the national finals, she and her teacher, Janet Knowles, will travel to Washington, where she will have a chance to meet ``Jeopardy!'' game show celebrity Alex Trebek, the moderator of the final competition.
Representatives from National Geographic said in a press release that the National Geography Bee was developed ``in response to growing concern about the lack of geographic knowledge among young people in the United States.''
Roback agrees.
``[Education] has really gone away from geography recently, but we are learning that it is very important for children to know current events,'' Roback said. ``And to know current events, they must know where the Middle East is, where Asia is.''
Roback said she was pleased with this year's geography bee because the questions were geared toward current events such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the happenings in Czechoslovakia.
Children need to read the newspaper more and watch more news programs to better understand the world around them, Roback said.
``And if that child does not have that environment at home, it is up to the schools to give it,'' she said.
by CNB