Essay Structure
Vocabulary
Reading Comprehension
Riddles
PEAI
100

What are the 3 basic parts of an essay?

Introduction, Body, Conclusion

100

Word 1

Spelling, POS, Definition

threadbare

adj

shabby and worn out

100

However, I don’t want anyone to think that I have a negative opinion of the Wilson students. Actually, I have been impressed with how involved the students here are. I plan to participate in some of the special clubs here that are organized by students, like the photography club and the hiking club. At my last school, students were not as actively involved in forming clubs. 

What does the author imply about the students at his previous school compared to students at Wilson Middle School? 

A. They did better in their studies. 

B. They planned fewer activities. 

C. They belonged to sports clubs. 

D. They gave him more help.

B.

100

A man stands on one side of a river, his dog on the other. The man calls his dog, who immediately crosses the river without getting wet and without using a bridge or a boat. How did the dog do it?

The river was frozen.

100

How many floors in this building have PEAI classes?

6

200

In a persuasive essay, what must you add to body paragraphs?

Counterargument

BONUS 200 points:

How should you build your counterargument?

Best response gets 200 points

200

Word 2

Spelling, POS, Definition

symbol

n

something that stands for something else

200

Cricket—how I detested this game when I was young! My family would spend hours and hours watching it on television while I angrily waited for it to end. Every game seemed the same. Yes, one team won and the other one lost, but it was always the same game—some men pitching a ball, some running back and forth. 

What best describes the author’s attitude toward cricket when he was very young? 

A. It was boring to watch 

B. It was difficult to learn. 

C. It was fun to talk about. 

D. It was dangerous to play 

A.

200

You are in a room that has three switches and a closed door. The switches control three light bulbs on the other side of the door. Once you open the door, you may never touch the switches again. How can you definitively tell which switch is connected to each of the light bulbs?

Turn on the first two switches. Leave them on for five minutes. Once five minutes has passed, turn off the second switch, leaving one switch on. Now go through the door. The light that is still on is connected to the first switch. Whichever of the other two is warm to the touch is connected to the second switch. The bulb that is cold is connected to the switch that was never turned on.

200

How many 4th grade teachers are there?

5

300

What are two methods to deliver evidence?

Facts, Statistics

300

Word 3

Spelling, POS, Sentence

Best sentence gets +150

obstinate

adj

not willing to give in; stubborn

300

In recent years, though, researchers have discovered a number of interesting facts about bat flight. Bats are built differently from birds, and their wings incorporate both their front and hind limbs. This makes coordinating their limbs more difficult for bats and, as a result, they are not very good at flying over longer distances. 

In line 11, the word incorporate is closest in meaning to _______. 

A. add 

B. deliver 

C. include 

D. discover 

C.

300

You are in a place called Wally’s World and there is only one law. There is a mirror, but no reflection. There is pizza with cheese, but not sausage. There is pepper, but no salt. There is a door, yet no entrance or exit. What is the law?

Each word in Wally’s World must contain double letters.

300

How many teachers are there total at PEAI?

20 (23)

Jesse, Colton

Karin, Simon, Mindy

Yong, Cassidy, Andrea, Molly

Paul, Bienna, Philip, Donnie

Steph, Chris, Sein

Brenden, Sam, Seth

Lisa

(3 more teachers on the 7th floor)

400

Create a hook for the following essay prompt:

"In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do you think this is a good idea?"

1st: 400 points

2nd: 200 points

3rd: 100 points

 

400

Word 4

Spelling, POS, Sentence

Best sentence gets +200

fanatic

n

a person whose enthusiasm for a belief is extreme

400

Human anatomy is the scientific study of the body’s structures. Some of these structures are very small and can only be observed and analyzed with the assistance of a microscope.Other larger structures can readily be seen, manipulated, measured, and weighed. The word “anatomy” comes from a Greek root that means “to cut apart.” Human anatomy was first studied by observing the exterior of the body and observing the wounds of soldiers and other injuries. Later, physicians were allowed to dissect bodies of the dead to augment their knowledge. When a body is dissected, its structures are cut apart in order to observe their physical attributes and their relationships to one another. Dissection is still used in medical schools, anatomy courses, and in pathology labs.


1. The word augment is closest in meaning to

A. Prove

B. Increase

C. Validate

D. Spread

1. The word augment is closest in meaning to

A. Prove

B. Increase

C. Validate

D. Spread

400

3=5

5=4

4 is the magic number

Solve the code

You may ask for up to 4 numbers

Spell each word.

The number of letters for that word is the number it equals.

3 = three (5 letters)

5 = five (4 letters)

4 = four (4 letters, thus the magic number)

400

What month did Mr. Paul join PEAI?

June/July

500

State the full structure of each of the 3 essay parts

Introduction: Hook, Intro to Topic, Background, Thesis

Body: Topic, Reason, Evidence, Example, Impact

Conclusion: Restate Thesis, Summary, Significance, Closing Statement

500

Word 5

Spelling, POS, Definition

(n) the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing

500

Human anatomy is the scientific study of the body’s structures. Some of these structures are very small and can only be observed and analyzed with the assistance of a microscope. Other larger structures can readily be seen, manipulated, measured, and weighed. The word “anatomy” comes from a Greek root that means “to cut apart.” Human anatomy was first studied by observing the exterior of the body and observing the wounds of soldiers and other injuries. Later, physicians were allowed to dissect bodies of the dead to augment their knowledge. When a body is dissected, its structures are cut apart in order to observe their physical attributes and their relationships to one another. Dissection is still used in medical schools, anatomy courses, and in pathology labs. 

Q: Which of the following is true about human anatomy?

A. The word “anatomy” is derived from a French root that means “cut”

B. The observation of soldiers’ wounds were originally used to study human anatomy

C. Human and animal bodies were dissected in labs to understand human anatomy

D. The smaller structures of the human body need to be observed with a telescope

B (detail) is correct because the other 3 options are all untrue – they each contain at least a word that changes its original meaning. The passage states “Human anatomy was first studied by observing the exterior of the body and observing the wounds of soldiers…”. While the words “human anatomy” are mentioned a few times, the answer can be found by searching for other keywords like “soldiers’” and “wounds”.

500

A farmer needs to take a fox, a chicken, and a sack of grain across a river. The only way across the river is by a small boat, which can only hold the farmer and one of the three items. Left unsupervised, the chicken will eat the grain, and the fox will eat the chicken. However, the fox won’t try to eat the grain, and neither the fox nor the chicken will wander off. How does the farmer get everything across the river? 

Hint: There are 7 steps

  1. Take the chicken across the river.
  2. Come back with an empty boat.
  3. Take the grain across the river.
  4. Bring the chicken back.
  5. Take the fox across the river.
  6. Come back with an empty boat.
  7. Take the chicken across the river.
500

There are 2 principles at PEAI. Do you know their names?

+250 for each principle named correctly!

Principle Dennis

Principle J