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Hill Elementary students in grades 2-5 will have the opportunity to participate in a University Interscholastic League (UIL) Meet in early 2026 with other students from across the Austin Independent School District. The purpose is to provide elementary students the opportunity to academically compete with their AISD peers in a fun, supportive environment!
Look in Dillo Details for information about the UIL parent meeting that happens in early October. Event details and sample tests can be found at www.uildillos.com.
Students may choose which events they would like to participate in and will receive study materials. We have a maximum of 5 Hill students per grade compete in Storytelling (2nd & 3rd), Chess Puzzles (2nd-5th), Spelling (3rd-5th), Oral Reading (4th & 5th), Number Sense (4th & 5th), Listening (5th), Maps/Graphs/Charts (5th), Dictionary Skills (5th), and Social Studies (5th). If Hill has more than 5 students interested, we will have grade level meets in early November to secure the 5 finalists. Because of the large number of schools participating, each Hill student may participate in a maximum of three events. Teams will be finalized before Thanksgiving break.
Students will primarily practice for their event/s at home in preparation for the meet. We also hope to have coaches for each of the events. These parent volunteers meet with groups of students participating in an event to help them prepare leading up to the UIL Meet. Please let us know if you are interested in being an event coach. It is enjoyable and rewarding! Email uil@hillelementary.com with any questions.
Event Descriptions
(also found at www.uildillos.com)
Dictionary Skills – Grade 5 – Thorough knowledge of the dictionary is a way to increase a student’s ability to find the information needed for classwork and everyday living. The subject matter of all tests is from Merriam Webster’s Intermediate Dictionary (provided for practice and test). Each Dictionary Skills test consists of 40 questions to be completed in 20 minutes.
Maps, Graphs, and Charts- Grade 5 – The maps, graphs & charts contest is designed to help students learn to get information from a variety of maps, graphs, and charts including world maps, pie charts, bar charts, and local area maps. The 75-question objective test completed in 45 minutes measures skills such as using a reference book (provided for practice and test) to locate information, make comparisons, estimate and approximate, use a scale, and interpret grid systems legends and keys.
Number Sense – Grades 4 & 5 – Individuals are called upon every day to use their ability to make quick mental calculations to make decisions. The development of such abilities should be an integral part of the math curriculum. Concepts covered include, but are not limited to: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, proportions, and use of mathematical notation. Students will be given a 10-minute, fill-in-the-blank test which they must complete without doing calculations on paper or on a calculator.
Social Studies – Grade 5 – This test is designed to encourage students to expand their knowledge of social studies, particularly in the areas of history, geography, government systems, economics, and citizenship. Students will be given an objective test containing 40 questions which must be answered in 30 minutes.
Spelling – Grades 3, 4,& 5 – The spelling contest is designed to give students exposure to a wide variety of vocabulary words. It is not a contest of memorization. For the most educational value, preparation for this contest should include instruction in the English language rules, meanings and definitions, and root words. In addition to learning to spell proficiently, contestants will learn to write clearly and capitalize words properly. Students will write down words given by the pronouncer on their paper at a rate of approximately five words per minute.
Storytelling – Grades 2 & 3 – To tell a story, the participant must develop skills in listening, thinking, and speaking. Students will listen to a storyteller read a brief story (between 600 and 1100 words long) only once and then retell that story in their own words before a judge or judges. There are no time restrictions on the length of the story the student creates.
Chess Puzzle Solving – Grades 2, 3, 4, & 5 – Chess teaches problem-solving, concentration, and encourages analytical and strategic thinking. Chess puzzle competition is very different from tournament chess play. Contestants in a chess puzzle contest receive a paper-and-pencil test that includes a series of chess boards with pieces in particular positions. Students will take a 30 minute objective test containing approximately 20 chess puzzles.
Oral Reading – Grades 4 & 5 – Reading literature out loud provides opportunities for students to analyze the text, to grow and to develop as a performer, to communicate a message to an audience, and to perform an artistic creation. Teach selection may be one poem, a cutting of a poem, or a combination of poems. The maximum time for each presentation is 6 minutes.
Listening – Grade 5 – The listening contest is designed to help students recognize the importance of effective listening skills and to identify problems they may have in listening effectively. Tests will include, but not necessarily be limited to, language arts, fine arts, natural sciences, and social studies. Contestants will listen to a script ranging from 7 to 10 minutes in length, take notes as needed, and use their notes to answer 25 multiple-choice, true/false, and short answer test questions. A variety of subject matter will be used for the listening tests.