Literacy Explosion 2012 Details

Virginia Association of Teachers of English (VATE) proudly announces our first Literacy Explosion, a language arts festival designed to celebrate and promote the integration of literacy and 21st century learning skills.   The Literacy Explosion, which will be held in the spring, encourages and rewards Virginia students’ excellence in reading, writing, speaking, presenting, filming, drawing, and acting.  The categories showcase students’ expression and expertise in their use of language, communication, and digital media.  All Virginia students in grades K-12 are invited to participate in this opportunity to share their language arts talents and abilities.

Competition Information

• The Virginia Literacy Explosion is a statewide competition for students in grades K-12. 
• Participants receive awards for outstanding products in six categories related to language arts.
• The competition will be held at Landstown High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia on Saturday, March 17, 2012.

How to Enter Your Student(s)

• Registration forms may be downloaded and printed from www.vate.org.
• School Registration Form (due January 30)
• Student Registration Form (due February 15th)

• There is a $5 per student OR a $30 per school entry fee (whichever is less), payable to: Virginia Association of Teachers of English.
• Mail your school registration and fee by January 30 or  your student registrations by February 15 to:

Event Schedule

• Check-in:  8:30-9:15
• Set  up:  9:15-9:45
• Judges Meeting:  9:15-9:45
• Explosion Showcase and Judging:   9:45-11:45
• Break/Snacks:   11:45-12:20
• Award Winning Showcase and Presentation of Awards:  12:20-1:15

Awards

1. First, second and third place medals will be awarded in each category.
2. The school with the most students entered will receive a Highest Participation Award.

Contest Categories

• Click on the description of each event to view a copy of the scoring rubric.
• Each entry will be scored using the project scoring rubric and the participant’s interview.
• Students may submit entries individually or as part of a collaborative team.

*Both fiction and nonfiction texts may be used to create the products.  Texts may include, but are not limited to narratives, plays, poems, essays, informational texts, and students’ original writing.

 INTERVIEWS:  For each category, entrants will participate in an interview (view sample questions)

1.     BOOK COVERS

Entrants will design a book cover for a text of his/her choice with the intent to entice readers or market the text. The cover must be created using desktop publishing.  (View Scoring Rubric)

2.     BOOK TRAILER

Entrants will prepare a video trailer of his/her chosen text. The trailer should be at least two minutes in length, but no more than four minutes long. The trailer must be a positive presentation of the subject. The trailer’s purpose is to persuade the audience to read the text.  The trailer must contain original footage and should not contain music from a motion picture soundtrack, if applicable.  (View Scoring Rubric)

3.     PHOTO ESSAY

Photo essays will depict themes/main ideas or scenes/essential details from a text.  Essays should have a minimum of six original photographs and may include quotes or phrases taken from the represented text.  (View Scoring Rubric)

4.     GLOG IT!

Entrants must use Glogster to depict essential components, including but not limited to theme/main idea, organizational structure, text features, viewpoint, and writer’s craft. (View Scoring Rubric)

5.     PODCAST

Entrants create a podcast that creatively interprets the text.  Ideas include, but are not limited to having a radio interview of the author or a debate about an idea that is presented in the text.  (View Scoring Rubric)

6.     SCENE IT 

Entrants will pick a pivotal scene from a text to dramatize.  Record the scene using digital technology.  Props, musical instruments, prerecorded music, costumes, or any other objects of any kind may be used.  Performances may be no longer than five minutes. (View Scoring Rubric)

Click to Download the Literacy Explosion Flyer!