Literary Event Descriptions
GENERAL INFORMATION 2012
There are 44 literary events in which District and State Rally qualifiers compete. District and State Rally tests are constructed by College and University personnel from the Districts and Host Rally institutions using guidelines established by the Louisiana High School Rally Association and adapted from the Louisiana Department of Education Curriculum Guides.
Each Rally test is a paper and pencil objective test which does not exceed one hour. Tie-breaker questions are included and identified on most tests. On others, tie-breakers are used from questions allocated from the general test questions.
Students are not allowed to use any educational aids (e.g., dictionaries, thesauruses, etc.) during examinations except as noted on the Special Instructions for the Exam.
AGRICULTURE
Agriscience I
Eligibility: Students enrolled in the first year of Agriscience. The objective-type questions will be based on the beginner’s knowledge of basic Agricultural Science information as outlined in the Agriscience I Course of Studies.
Agriscience II
Eligibility: Students enrolled in the second year of Agriscience. The objective-type questions will be based on the advanced knowledge of basic Agricultural Science information as outlined in the Agriscience II Course of Studies.
Agriscience III
Eligibility: Students enrolled in the third year of Agriscience. The objective-type questions will be based on Agricultural Areas of Specialization, Farm Management, and Farm Mechanics as prescribed in the Agriscience III Course of Studies.
BUSINESS
Accounting I
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Accounting I. The testing of this event is primarily a short answer, objective-type exam, including multiple-choice and/or matching items. Emphasis on elementary fundamentals of Accounting I: work sheet, adjustments, trial balance, bad debts, complication of notes, and inventories. Minimum of basic financial statement preparation is expected. No extended mathematical calculations, although tie-breaker questions could include more involved calculations.
Business Computer Application
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Business Computer Application or Business Computer Application I. A written, objective-type test is designed to acquaint students with the advanced principles associated with information processing based on Office 2007. Students must be versed in advanced computer concepts, software applications, and computer systems. Emphasis will be placed on skill development in using technology to perform advanced information processing. Topics of study include computer concepts, word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software applications. Communication skills, keyboarding, decision-making, technology, and critical thinking skills are reinforced in this course through business application projects.
Free Enterprise
Eligibility: Students who are regularly enrolled or were enrolled last semester with less than one unit in the subject. The test will consist of objective-type questions covering the following topics: the American free enterprise heritage; the nature of the American economy as a free enterprise system; the roles of the individual, money and banking, business, labor, and government in the Free Enterprise System; the American Free Enterprise System and other economic systems; and problems, benefits, and future of the American Free Enterprise System.
Principles of Business
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit of Principles of Business (formerly called Introduction to Business) who are regularly enrolled or were enrolled last semester.The test includes objective-type questions covering the following topics: living and working in our economy; the nature of American business; business and the consumer; saving and investing money; practical money management; banks and banking services; economic risks and insurance; communication and transportation; our economic world; and government, business, and labor.
Introduction to Business Computer Application
Eligibility: Students who are enrolled in the primary Business Computer Application course. Students who have completed Introduction to Business Computer Application and who are enrolled in Business Computer Application or Business Computer Application I are not permitted to test in this event. A written, objective-type test will be administered and will include basic computer application skills based on Office 2007. Students will be expected to have knowledge in the touch method of operating a computer keyboard to produce simple business documents. Emphasis will be placed on basic computer concepts both hardware and software, word processing, and spreadsheet applications.
ENGLISH
English I, II, III, and IV: These events will test students’ knowledge of all aspects of their work in English in their respective grade levels. They will be expected to demonstrate that they are able to read and interpret literature, understand the principles of writing correctly and effectively, and have a working knowledge of English grammar.
English I
Eligibility: Students with less than one (1) unit in English.
English II
Eligibility: Students with less than two (2) units in English.
English III
Eligibility: Students with less than three (3) units in English.
English IV
Eligibility: Students with less than four (4) units in English.
Journalism I
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in Journalism I with less than one unit of Journalism or students who are regularly enrolled in a half-unit course during the Fall Semester. The objective-type questions will cover topics including principles of journalism, news writing, editing, news concepts, press law as it relates to scholastic journalism, word usage, design principles, style, editorial concepts, and the role of journalism in the high school community.
FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES
Environmental Applications
Eligibility: Students who are enrolled in Consumer Homemaking II, students who have completed or who are enrolled in a semester course in Clothing and Textiles, Advanced Clothing and Textiles, Consumer Education, Management of Resources, Adult Responsibilities, and/or Housing, and students who are enrolled in occupational classes in Clothing and Textile Services; Institutional, Home Management, and Supporting Services; or Housing and Design Services. The test consists of objective-type questions drawn from these content units.
Family and Consumer Science
Eligibility: Students who are currently enrolled in Family and Consumer Science (formerly called Consumer Homemaking I) and who have less than one full unit in the Family and Consumer Sciences. The objective-type test will be based on the content of basic units in Family and Consumer Science – a comprehensive, introductory course in the family and consumer sciences. The basic units include Nutrition and Food, Consumer Education, Parenthood Education (formerly called Human Development and Family Relationships), Clothing and Personal Appearance, and Housing.
Nutrition & Food
Eligibility: Students who are enrolled in Consumer Homemaking II, students who have completed or who are enrolled in Nutrition & Food, Advanced Nutrition & Food, Nutrition Education, or Advanced Nutrition Education, and students enrolled in Preparatory or Cooperative Food Services. The test consists of objective-type questions drawn from these content units.
Parenthood Education
Eligibility: Students who are enrolled in Consumer Homemaking II, students who have completed or who are enrolled in Home and Family, Parenthood Education (formerly Human Development & Family Relationships), Child Development, or Advanced Child Development, and students who are enrolled in Preparatory or Cooperative Child Care Services. The test consists of objective-type questions drawn from these content units.
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
French I, II, and Spanish I, II, and III tests consist of objective-type questions drawn from the two parts that test the student’s abilities in the following: structural analysis and reading comprehension. In structural analysis, the student is tested on the different grammatical structures involving parts of speech, idiomatic expressions, etc. In reading comprehension, the student is tested on his/her ability to understand what one reads and correctly answer questions based on the passages read.
A student who is a native speaker of a foreign language is not eligible to participate in that foreign language event. One whose main language at home is other than English is considered to be a native speaker of that particular language.
French I
Eligibility: Students with less than one (1) unit in French. Ninth grade Junior High students are eligible to enter.
French II
Eligibility: Students with less than two (2) units in French.
French III
Eligibility: Students with less than three (3) units in French.
Spanish I
Eligibility: Students with less than one (1) unit in Spanish. Ninth grade Junior High students are eligible to enter.
Spanish II
Eligibility: Students with less than two (2) units in Spanish.
Spanish III
Eligibility: Students with less than three (3) units in Spanish.
HEALTH
Health
Eligibility: Students who are regularly enrolled or were enrolled last semester with less than one unit in the subject. Test topics include concepts related to: health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health; the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors; the assessment of valid information, products, and services to enhance health; the use of interpersonal communications skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks; the ability to use decision-making skills and goal-setting skills to enhance health; the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce personal, family, and community health risks; and identifying effective strategies to overcome barriers or attitudes when communicating on health issues.
MATHEMATICS
Special Instructions: Students may use an LHSRA approved calculator on all Mathematics tests. See LHSRA Calculator Usage Policy for details.
Advanced Math – Pre-Calculus
Eligibility: Students who are regularly enrolled at present or who were enrolled the previous semester. Test topics include definitions of circular functions which relate real numbers with real numbers, graphs of circular functions, identities and conditional equations, trigonometric functions, and polar coordinates.
Advanced Math – Functions & Statistics
Eligibility: Students who are regularly enrolled at present or who were enrolled in the last semester. Test topics include: single-variable statistics and data collection; bivariate statistics, regression and correlation; probability and probability distributions; functions; trigonometry; exponential and logarithmic functions; modeling of data using a variety of functions; graphs; and paths.
Algebra I
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Algebra. Test topics include: rational numbers, polynomials, rational expressions (quotients of polynomials), relations and functions, and systems of linear equations-solutions.
Algebra II
Eligibility: Students with less than two units in Algebra. Test topics include: linear equations, polynomials, relations and functions, rational numbers and expressions, complex numbers, exponential and logarithmic functions.
Financial Math
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Financial Math (formerly called Business/Financial Mathematics). Test topics include: cash recording, payroll, budgeting, buying, borrowing, investing, paying taxes, insurance, and owning real and personal property.Math needed for every consumer will be used in both personal and business applications.
Calculus
Eligibility: Students who are regularly enrolled at present or who were enrolled the previous semester. Test topics include: vertical and horizontal asymptotes; one sided limits, limits found algebraically, trigonometric limits, infinite limits, limits of infinity; derivatives of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions; application of the derivative; definite and indefinite integrals and applications of the integral to find the area, volume, work, average value of a function, and arc length. A tie-breaker question is included.
Computer Science I
Eligibility: Students who are regularly enrolled or were enrolled the previous semester with less than one unit in this subject. The test will include objective-type questions intended to prepare students in the evolving discipline of computer science. Focus will include programming methodology, algorithm selection and analysis, and selection of appropriate data structures.
Geometry
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Geometry. In order to minimize the number of identical scores, several problems will have multiple parts. Lines, angles, polygons, with associated elements; coordinate geometry of line segments in the Cartesian plane, points of division of line segments; circles and all elements associated with circles; solid geometry-polyhedrons, Cavalieri’s Theorem, and regular polyhedrons will be included.
SCIENCE
Special Instructions: Students may use an LHSRA approved calculator on Chemistry and Physics tests only. See LHSRA Calculator Usage Policy for details. A Periodic Table of the Elements will be provided on Chemistry tests.
Biology
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit of Biology. The test consists of objective-type questions covering the following topics: man – his various physiological systems; growth and development, cells, and heredity; vertebrates (classes) and invertebrates; Mendelian Laws; classification; evolution; and rudimentary plant biology.
Biology II
Eligibility: Students with less than two units of Biology. The test consists of objective-type questions on the following topics: historical concepts of anatomy and physiology, scientific investigation, taxonomy, cytology and histology, genetics, skeletal and muscular systems, digestive systems, nervous and endocrine systems, circulatory and respiratory systems, reproduction system, plant anatomy and physiology, photosynthesis, and ecological relationships.
Chemistry
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Chemistry. The test consists of objective-type questions covering the following topics: atomic theory, properties and families of the elements, solutions, writing and balancing equations, formulas for elements and compounds, mole weight, ionic reactions, bonding; acids, bases, density, weight, valence, electron dot formula, gas laws, ionic bonding, exothermic and endothermic reactions, solutions, isotopes, and organic formulas. A tie-breaker question is included.
Environmental Science
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Environmental Science. The test will consist of objective-type questions drawn from the following topics: ecology and its sub-topics, resources and its sub-topics, energy and its sub-topics, and pollution and environmental health and its sub-topics. A tie-breaker question is included.
Physical Science
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Physical Science. The test consists of objective-type questions covering the following topics: the nature of science, measurement, forces, work, matter (including change of state, chemical and physical changes, elements, compounds, and mixtures), the chemistry of matter (including the atom, the periodic table, compounds, solutions, acids, and bases), and energy (including types of energy, wave motion, sound, light, electricity, magnetism, heat, and nuclear energy).
Physics
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Physics. The questions will be chosen with a view to testing the student’s range of information with regard to the principles of physics and his/her knowledge of practical applications as well as his/her ability to solve problems and interpret formulas. The test will include objective-type questions covering the following topics: vectors, motion, force, and Newton’s Laws; energy, periodic and circular motion, heat, and wave motion. Other items may include electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics.
SOCIAL STUDIES
U.S. History
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in U.S. History (formerly called American History). The test consists of objective-type questions covering the following concepts: change, cause and effect, values and beliefs, landmarks, and traditions in America during the period 1877 to the present. Specific topics included are such as landmark legislation, decisions, treaties, and elections; American traditions; political, literary, social, and religious figures involved in basic American values and beliefs; and foreign relations.
Civics
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Civics. The test consists of objective-type questions covering the following topics: the U.S. Constitution (structure, amendments, interpretations, etc.); structure and powers of the three branches of the Federal Government; structure and powers of local and state government; American economic system; the American (local, state, federal) judiciary; foreign relations; citizenship; and democracy.
Psychology
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Psychology. The test consists of objective-type questions covering the following topics: historical framework and relies on effective collection and analysis of data. Topics will also include theories of human development, personality, motivation, and learning.
Sociology
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in Sociology. The test consists of objective-type questions covering the following topics: the family; home; community; culture; social change; ethnic groups and their contributions, behavior, and moral/spiritual values.
World Geography
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in World Geography. Ninth grade Junior High students are eligible to enter. The test consists of objective-type questions covering the following topics: physical and cultural aspects of the earth relative to natural features, landmarks, etc; location, topography, climate, ecology, natural resources, and economics of the various areas and cultures of the Earth.
World History
Eligibility: Students with less than one unit in World History. The test includes objective-type questions covering the following topics: values and beliefs among ancient/early people; cause and effect of significant political, social, religious changes occurring in history; traditions; famous/celebrated landmarks; significant contributions of individuals; foreign relations; and continuity.
