Page 1 San Antonio Symphony 2017-2018 RULES AND GUIDELINES 1. BASIC INFORMATION: The San Antonio Symphony invites students of grades K 5 attending ANY of The Water Cycle Young People s Concert performances (Jan. 2018) to enter the Contest. Contestants will write a poem (150 words or fewer) about one or more aspects of the water cycle according to these guidelines AND submit a video entry of the student applicant performing a dramatic oral reading of the poem. Submitted videos will be reviewed by a panel of judges and scored using the rubric provided (see JUDGING below). Three winners will be chosen for each particular performance of the The Water Cycle program from among the schools and groups scheduled to attend that performance. Winners will be invited to present an oral reading of their poems onstage at the concerts. 2. IMPORTANT DATES: Fri., Dec. 22, 2017 Deadline for contest entry. Late submissions will not be considered. Please, no exceptions. Tues., Jan. 9, 2018 Schools and groups will be notified of the names of their contest winners on or before this date. Winners will have the week(s) between Jan. 9 and the concert dates for additional oral reading preparation. Jan. 16, 17, 18 or 30, 2018 The Water Cycle concerts, at which winners will be invited to present an oral reading of their poems onstage. 3. ELIGIBILITY: Contest entry is open to students in grades K 5 during the 2017 2018 academic year. Please, no exceptions. All students submitting a contest entry must already be scheduled to attend (by the time of the entry deadline) one of The Water Cycle concerts with their class or family on Jan. 16, 17, 18 or 30, 2018. o For information regarding concert programs, dates and reservations, please contact: Jeremy Brimhall Director of Education San Antonio Symphony o 210.554.1006 f 210.554.1008 m 210.554.1000 brimhallj@sasymphony.org sasymphony.org Only one (1) entry per student will be allowed. Please, no exceptions. 4. ENTRY GUIDELINES: Each school or group scheduled to attend a performance of The Water Cycle Young People s Concert in Jan. 2018 may submit NO MORE THAN THREE (3) contest entries. As needed, participating schools and groups are encouraged to host an in school or in class contest prior to the entry deadline and then submit only the three (3) highest rated entries. Schools submitting more than three entries will have only their first three entries judged. Please, no exceptions.
Page 2 Contest entry has two (2) required parts that both must be completed on or before the contest deadline. The two parts, detailed below, are required documents and video submission requirements. Where possible, both the required documents and video submission requirements should be submitted together (e.g., as attachments in an email, together in a mailed envelope, etc.). o Required documents: each school or group entering students to the contest MUST submit: one Contest Entry Form (for up to three students) a scan, photocopy, Word document or PDF of each student s poem (typed or clearly handwritten, and with student s name clearly visible). A HANDOUT TEMPLATE is provided below. See also POEM REQUIREMENTS below. a signed Parental Permission Form for each student entered All required documents must be received on or before the contest deadline. Please, no exceptions. Required documents may be submitted by scanned attachment to email, fax or postal mail to the attention of JEREMY BRIMHALL at the addresses below: SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY PO BOX 658 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78293 0658 Fax: (210) 554 1008 Email: brimhallj@sasymphony.org o Video submission requirements: participating schools or groups must submit a video clip for each student entered of the student performing a dramatic oral reading of his or her poem. Please follow these video submission requirements carefully: The student may be standing or sitting but must be clearly visible and facing the camera. The student s voice must be clearly audible in the video. At the beginning of the video clip and prior to performing the oral reading of his or her poem, the student must say or read the following: Hi, my name is (full name of student), and I m a student at (school name). This is my poem inspired by the water cycle. This information can also be found on the HANDOUT TEMPLATE below. The student need not recite his or her poem from memory, but should be encouraged to make frequent eye contact with the camera. Video clips submitted with one or more cuts will be disqualified. Please submit a separate video clip for each student entered. Video clips may be submitted either as electronic files or as private access to an online streaming video platform. If submitting an electronic video file or files: o The file(s) must be in a commonly used format (e.g., MPEG 4, WMV, MOV). o The file(s) must be renamed to reflect the full name and school name of the corresponding student (e.g., Jeremy Brimhall Sunburst ES.mov ) o Video files may be submitted as direct attachments to email (to brimhallj@sasymphony.org), but it will be the responsibility of the sender to ensure that they are received by the entry deadline. o Video files may also be submitted through an online sharing platform, such as Dropbox, Amazon Cloud, etc. A private link to the content must be emailed to brimhallj@sasymphony.org no later than the entry deadline. o Video files may also be submitted as saved files on an SD card, thumb/flash/jump/usb drive or DVD and mailed to the attention of JEREMY BRIMHALL at the mailing address above, to be received no later than the entry deadline.
Page 3 If submitting as private access to an online streaming video platform: o Please ensure that the video clip remains private and only accessible to San Antonio Symphony staff (Jeremy Brimhall, Education Director). o If private access to the content requires a password, the password must be set as sasymphony. Please, no exceptions. o The text or name of the streaming content, once accessed, must clearly identify the full student name and school name. o vimeo.com is recommended for this submission type as it has a free, basic account type with easy video upload, video clips can be easily shared and made private with a password, the receiver need not have an account to enter the password and view the content. o Links to online content should be emailed to brimhallj@sasymphony.org. 5. POEM REQUIREMENTS: Student poems for submission should be 150 words or fewer. Submitted poems MUST relate in some way to the theme of the water (hydrologic) cycle. The relation can be subtle but must be reasonably identifiable to the panel of judges without additional explanation. o Submitted poems can relate to the theme of the water cycle generally, and/or they can relate to one or more specific aspects or processes that define the water cycle (e.g., evaporation, precipitation, transpiration, etc.) A specific relation to one or aspects or processes of the water cycle may be directly stated and/or implied through imagery / figurative language. Submitted poems need not have a title. Students should be encouraged to express their feelings about the water cycle and to utilize / incorporate the following poetic elements in their work as appropriate and according to grade level, and as outlined in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) objectives for English Language Arts and Reading (http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter110/ch110a.html): o language that conveys sensory details o conventions of poetry (e.g., rhyme, meter, patterns of verse) o poetic techniques (e.g., alliteration, internal rhyme, onomatopoeia, rhyme scheme) o figurative language (e.g., similes, metaphors) o structural elements (e.g., stanzas, line breaks) o graphic elements (e.g., capital letters, line length) Free verse poems may be submitted but should be discouraged. All submitted poems will be judged according to the rubric below (see JUDGING). Submitted poems may be a revised or final draft. Teacher guidance and input are expected as long as the work is truly that of the student alone. 6. JUDGING Judging will take place between Dec. 22, 2017, and Jan. 9, 2018. A panel of judges will review and score the submitted video clips along with the written poems according to the following rubric. Up to three (3) winners will be selected for each of the eight (8) performances of The Water Cycle Young People s Concert. Judges reserve the right to select fewer than three winners from among the entries for any performance should they feel that the level of entries fails to meet a minimum standard.
Organization and Overall Impact Use of Poetic Elements Conventions of Writing Oral Reading Vocal Delivery Oral Reading Physical Delivery San Antonio Symphony The Water Cycle Poetry Contest Judging Rubric (2017 2018) 1 Needs Improvement 2 3 Fair / Progressing 4 5 Good 6 Excellent The form of the poem does not complement the intended subject and/or is not well followed. Problems with cohesion, sequencing and/or structure make it difficult to grasp a clearlyintended meaning. The poem is lacking in originality and imagination, and is ineffective in causing the reader or listener to see, hear, think or feel something about the subject. Use of figurative language, sensory details and poetic techniques is inappropriate to the subject, confusing, or missing entirely. Word choice is vague, repetitive, uninspiring and/or unclear. Mistakes in grammar, usage, spelling or mechanics consistently confuse the meaning or obstruct the flow of the poem. The speaker s enunciation is frequently slurred or unclear. Several words are mispronounced. Much of what the speaker says cannot be heard clearly. The speaker recites in a monotone voice or in a manner that is uninteresting and/or unimpressive. The speaker appears shy or intimidated. The speaker s body language is awkward throughout and/or expresses disinterest or fear. The speaker slouches and/or frequently turns away from the camera/audience. The speaker makes little or no eye contact with the camera or audience. The poem does not always follow the pattern or rules of the form chosen, and/or the form should be more appropriate to the subject. The poem has problems with cohesion, sequencing and/or structure that occasionally make it difficult to grasp a clearly intended meaning. Predictable or frequently used imagery or clichés are too often employed to convey meaning/emotion. Figurative language and sensory details is used too often, not often enough or inappropriately with regard to the subject. Poetic techniques such as rhyme, alliteration, or onomatopoeia are overused or lacking, or they may fail to add meaning to the poem. Some word choices are vivid, but many are vague, and variety is lacking. Mistakes in grammar, usage, spelling or mechanics occasionally confuse the meaning or obstruct the flow of the poem. The speaker makes two mistakes with regard to enunciation or pronunciation. The speaker speaks too softly at times and some words are lost. The speaker uses some changes to rate, pause, or pitch, but is not always effective in complementing the natural flow of the poem. The speaker s body language frequently suggests nervousness or that he or she would rather be elsewhere. The speaker makes some eye contact with the camera or audience, but looks at notes or away from the camera/audience for much of the oral reading. The poem is generally cohesive and in a form of appropriate to the subject. Sequencing and structure are mostly supportive to the flow and meaning of the poem. The poem contains evidence of originality and imagination, and causes the reader or listener to see, hear, think or feel something about the subject. Figurative language and sensory details enhance the meaning of the poem. Poetic techniques such as rhyme, alliteration, or onomatopoeia also contribute to the meaning of the poem. Most word choices are exact. There are a few mistakes in grammar, usage, spelling or mechanics, but the mistakes do not confuse the meaning or obstruct the flow of the poem. The presentation is strong, but contains one mistake in terms of enunciation or pronunciation. Volume level is appropriate or rarely an issue. The speaker uses some changes to rate, pause, and pitch that complement the natural flow of the poem. The speaker appears enthusiastic with regard to body language but has one or two awkward moments. The speaker makes frequent eye contact with the camera or audience. The speaker s use of notes is mostly unobtrusive in the delivery of the oral reading. Page 4 The poem is wellsequenced, well structured, cohesive and in a form appropriate to the subject. Originality and imagination are clearly evident. The poem is effective in causing the reader or listener to see, hear, think or feel something about the subject in a new or powerful way. Figurative language and sensory details create vivid images that significantly enhance the meaning of the poem. Poetic techniques such as rhyme, alliteration, or onomatopoeia are employed effectively and contribute to the meaning of the poem. Word choice is varied, vivid and exact. There are no mistakes in grammar, usage, spelling or mechanics. The speaker s enunciation is crystal clear throughout. Volume level is appropriate. There are no mistakes in pronunciation. The speaker uses a tasteful variety of rate, pause, and pitch that effectively complement the natural flow of the poem. The speaker s body language, posture and gestures exhibit confidence and poise. The speaker makes engaging use of eye contact with the camera or audience throughout. The speaker either recites the poem from memory, or the use of notes is completely unobtrusive in the delivery of the oral reading.
Page 5 7. SUGGESTED PREPARATION: Review ELA R lessons covering grade level TEKS objectives related to poetry and speaking. o Example: Grade 5 TEKS Objective English Language Arts and Reading, (b) Knowledge and skills: (4) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Poetry. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of poetry and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to analyze how poets use sound effects (e.g., alliteration, internal rhyme, onomatopoeia, rhyme scheme) to reinforce meaning in poems. (16) Writing/Literary Texts. Students write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas. Students are expected to: (B) write poems using: o (i) poetic techniques (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia); o (ii) figurative language (e.g., similes, metaphors); and o (iii) graphic elements (e.g., capital letters, line length). (28) Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions of language. Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to give organized presentations employing eye contact, speaking rate, volume, enunciation, natural gestures, and conventions of language to communicate ideas effectively. (http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter110/ch110a.html) o Numerous resources for getting started with writing poetry are available online. Review Science lessons covering the water cycle and grade level TEKS objectives. o Example: Grade 4 TEKS Objective Science, (b) Knowledge and skills: (8) Earth and space. The student knows that there are recognizable patterns in the natural world and among the Sun, Earth, and Moon system. The student is expected to: (B) describe and illustrate the continuous movement of water above and on the surface of Earth through the water cycle and explain the role of the Sun as a major source of energy in this process; o There are many excellent graphics online that can be helpful as visual aids in describing the water cycle. Here is an interactive example from the US Geological Survey: https://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle kids beg.html o Comprehensive and grade specific education materials including locally relevant lessons and activities can be found on the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) Education page: http://www.saws.org/education/ Students and a coaching teacher are encouraged to follow the five stages of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) in accordance with grade level TEKS objectives. Students and a coaching teacher should carefully study the judging rubric above and consult it throughout the writing phase as well as the preparation phase for the recorded oral reading. Students should intimately familiarize themselves with the final version of their poem, practicing oral readings of it out loud and occasionally in front of a mirror. It is strongly recommended that students entering the contest have several prior dry run performances for a range of audiences (e.g., for family, friends, class, etc.) including for the camera. Memorization of the poem is not required but will be impressive to the judges, so long as no words or lines are left out in the submitted video clip. o Participating students may also use note cards, but should strive for good eye contact with the audience (see Judging Rubric above).
Page 6 8. PRIZES: Prizes awarded to Contest Winners will include but may not be limited to the following: o Winners will be invited to present an oral reading of their poem onstage at the performance of The Water Cycle concert that they are scheduled to attend with their class or family, on Jan. 16, 17, 18 or 30, 2018. 9. CONTACT INFORMATION: Please direct all inquiries about the contest to: o Jeremy Brimhall Director of Education San Antonio Symphony o 210.554.1006 c 210.441.2858 f 210.554.1008 m 210.554.1000 brimhallj@sasymphony.org sasymphony.org 12. HANDOUT TEMPLATE: Please see the following page which may be photocopied and handed out to students. The use of this resource is entirely optional. Poems may also be typed on a computer and submitted as a Word document or PDF. This space has been left intentionally blank.
Circle all that apply. This is my : PLAN FIRST DRAFT REVISED DRAFT EDITED DRAFT FINAL DRAFT Write your full name and school name in the blanks provided. Hi, my name is, and I m a student at. This is my poem inspired by the water cycle.