Academic Pentathlon

ABOUT UNITED STATES ACADEMIC PENTATHLON (aka, AcaPen)


In short, an Academic Pentathlon is an event consisting of five tests and a written essay. Students will take these tests during:

  • a scrimmage competition
  • a regional competition

An important detail to note is that students of any GPA can join. Teams are required to have a mix of student grade/academic levels, composed of students with lower grades, students with average grades, and students with high grades. This means that AcaPen is for EVERYONE! Check out the Pentathlon website for further national details.

Communication: 

  • Coach: April Glauner
  • Contact: april.glauner@yosemitevalleycharter.org

Registration:

Please reach out to your IST to sign up for Academic Pentathlon in the COS!

Elementary Students Preparing for Academic Pentathlon


To participate in the Academic Pentathlon as a 6th, 7th, or 8th grader, it’s great that you're already thinking ahead! The competition consists of five events, each testing different skills. Here's a breakdown of the skills you should prepare for:

  1. Literature:
    1. Skills: Reading comprehension, analyzing stories, understanding themes, characters, and plot.
    2. Preparation: Read books at your grade level or higher. Practice summarizing stories and discussing their themes, characters, and important events. Get familiar with genres such as fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
  2. Mathematics:
    1. Skills: Solving math problems, understanding basic algebra, geometry, and word problems.
    2. Preparation: Review math concepts like multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, area, perimeter, and basic algebra. Practice solving problems quickly and accurately.
  3. Science:
    1. Skills: Understanding science concepts like earth science, biology, physics, and chemistry. Ability to think critically and apply knowledge.
    2. Preparation: Study topics in science that are covered in your grade. Learn about ecosystems, the human body, forces, energy, and natural resources. Be ready to answer questions or solve problems based on your knowledge.
  4. Social Science:
    1. Skills: Knowledge of history, geography, and cultures. Understanding timelines, historical events, and the relationship between people and places.
    2. Preparation: Study U.S. history, geography, or world history that’s typically covered in middle school. Practice identifying places on maps and understanding historical events and their impacts.
  5. Fine Arts:
    1. Skills: Understanding art, music, and dance concepts. The ability to analyze and interpret works of art.
    2. Preparation: Look at art pieces from different periods and cultures. Listen to different types of music and try to understand their characteristics. You might also learn a little about famous artists or musicians.

General Tips:

  1. Time Management: Practice balancing time between subjects. Each event has a time limit, so working efficiently is key.
  2. Critical Thinking: Many of the events will require you to think critically and apply your knowledge to solve problems. Practice doing this through mock quizzes or by solving different types of problems.
  3. Practice: Join study groups, practice with older students, or work with your teacher to get used to the competition format.
  4. Stay Organized: Keep your study materials in order and create a study schedule to ensure you cover all the topics. The more you prepare in these areas, the more confident you'll be for the Academic Pentathlon! Good luck!