(bright music) - [Announcer] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(bright music) (upbeat techno music) - Hello and welcome to the WCTE TV Middle School Academic Bowl.

We are broadcasting from the Millard Oakley STEM Center on the beautiful campus of Tennessee Tech University, and we've got a great game for you today.

I'm Molly Risley and I'll be your moderator for a match between Portland West Middle School and Upperman Middle School.

Let's meet our teams.

- Hi, my name's Fisher Phillips and I drum, and I'm on the Upperman Fishing Team.

I'm from Upperman Middle School, and I don't know.

Yeah, that'd be good.

- I'm Sam Brown from Upperman Middle School, and a fun fact I have is that I can play soccer.

- I'm Ryan Overpeck.

I'm with Upperman Middle School Academic Team.

I'm a Potterhead.

- Hi, my name is Andrew Najarian.

I go to Upperman Middle School.

I'm in Academic Team.

- I am Spencer Strahan from Upperman Middle School, and one fun fact that I have is I really like to play drums and piano.

- My name is Caleb Bates.

I'm an English teacher and Academic Team coach for Upperman Middle School, and I enjoy foraging for mushrooms.

- My name is Liam Cornwell.

I go to Portland West Middle School, and I'm built different.

- My name is Liam Burlew.

I am from Portland West Middle School and I have celiac disease.

- My name is Eli Freeman and I'm from Portland West Middle School, and one cool fact about me is that my dreams to be an astronaut.

- I'm Tristan Perdue.

I go to Portland West Middle and I know every single US president.

- My name is John Watts.

I go to Portland West Middle School and I play the saxophone.

- Hi, my name is Suzy King.

I am the coach for the Portland West Middle School Academic Team.

This is only my second year and I've really enjoyed it.

I have taught social studies for about three or four years, and my dream when I retire is to travel to all the places I've taught about.

- Hi, I am Christie Watts.

I'm the school psychologist at Portland West Middle School and I'm also the assistant coach for our Academic Team.

- Hi, my name is William Barnes.

I'm a student at the University of Tennessee and I'm a judge for the Academic Bowl.

- Hi, I'm Frank Holloway.

I'm an engineer and I'm one of the judges in the Academic Bowl this year.

- Hi, I'm Dr. Paula Hinton.

I'm a professor of history at Tennessee Tech University and I'm one of the judges for Academic Bowl.

- All right, and we're gonna start round one with a tossup, so everybody, buzzers ready.

This ballet features an evil sorcerer named Rothbart and a beautiful princess named Odette.

What is the name of this popular Tchaikovsky ballet- (buzzer sounds) That is Upperman, Ryan.

- "The Nutcracker."

- That is incorrect.

I'll finish it for Portland West.

Tchaikovsky Ballet that shows Rothbart casting a spell on Odette, turning her into a particular type of bird during- (buzzer sounds) That is John.

- "Swan Lake."

- [Molly] "Swan Lake" is correct.

Your bonuses for Portland.

Given a description of a biblical term, for 10 points each, identify the item.

In the Bible, this box was adorned by angels and it contained the original 10 commandments.

- The Ark of the Covenant?

- That is correct.

Ark of the Covenant.

In a "Monty Python" film, King Arthur searches for this relic that was believed to have been taken to Britain by Joseph of Arimathea.

- The Holy Grail.

- The Holy Grail.

Right.

20 points on that bonus.

Plus your 10 on the tossup gives you 30.

Next tossup.

This Shakespearean play features three witches chanting, "Double, double-" (buzzer sounds) Portland, John.

- "Macbeth?"

- "Macbeth."

Or that Scottish play we don't wanna say.

Yes, "Macbeth."

For 10 points each, identify the battles from the following.

One of the most important battles of the Spanish-American War.

In 1898, Teddy Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, and Pershings Buffalo Soldiers defeated the Spanish here.

- San Juan Hill.

- [Molly] That is correct, San Juan Hill.

This battle in New York State was an American victory over the British troops in 1777.

It was a turning point in the American Revolution.

- Saratoga.

(whispers) - Saratoga.

- Saratoga is correct.

You got all 20 on the bonus.

And we'll go to our next tossup.

In the third Indiana Jones film, Jones gets this man's autograph.

(buzzer sounds) That is Portland, John.

- Hitler.

- [Molly] Hitler.

Adolf Hitler, that is correct.

And your bonuses.

Given a description of a collective group for 10 points, identify that group.

In the Bible, this is the collective name of famine, pestilence, destruction and death.

- Plague?

- Incorrect, we are looking for the Four Horsemen specifically of the Apocalypse there.

There in an Alexandra Dumas work, it is the collective name for Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.

- Musketeers?

(whispers) Three Musketeers.

- Three musketeers is correct.

So 10 on the bonus and 10 on the tossup give you 20.

Next tossup.

He was given a guide by Hephaestus named Cedalion and had his sight restored by the Sun.

Name this hunter from Greek myth who was killed by Artemis and is the namesake of a constellation noted for its belt.

(buzzer sounds) That is Upperman, Andrew.

- Orion.

- Orion is correct.

Here are your bonuses for Upperman.

Given a description of a famous building in the USA for 10 points each, identify the building.

This Philadelphia building was the location of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776.

- Any idea what it is?

- Hall of Congress?

- The Hall of Congress?

- [Molly] That's incorrect.

We're looking for Independence Hall.

This other noted American building was completed in 1800, just in time for John Adams to be the first president to live there.

- White House.

(whispers) - White House.

- White House is correct.

So 10 on the bonus and 10 on the tossup give you guys 20.

Next tossup.

The Maldives and Kiribati have land that touches this, as do Gabon, Kenya, Brazil, and Congo.

Ecuador's- (buzzer sounds) Portland, John.

- The equator?

- The equator is correct.

Bonuses for Portland.

For 10 points each, identify the following about the modern Stone Age family.

The cartoon series "The Flintstones" is set in this fictional stone age town.

- Bedrock.

- [Molly] Bedrock is correct.

The Flintstones focus on Fred and Wilma, parents to this little girl that would be used to name varieties of a post-brand cereal.

- Pebbles, right?

Pebbles.

- Pebbles is correct.

You got it, so 20 on the bonus.

Next tossup.

Some of his tragedies include Cymbeline, Coriolanus, and Timon of Athens.

This playwrights comedies include "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor."

who is this British writer whose most famous work may be "Romeo and Juliet?"

(buzzer sounds) Upperman, Ryan.

- Shakespeare.

- [Molly] Shakespeare is correct.

Here are your bonuses for 10 points each.

Identify the following about the country of India.

India is the most populous country in the world with this type of government, one in which the people rule themselves.

- A democracy.

Democracy.

(whispers) - Democracy?

- Democracy is correct.

India's national symbol is the Bengal type of this animal whose name may refer to a river flowing near the Euphrates.

- Tiger.

(whispers) - Tiger.

- Tiger is correct.

Got all 20 on the bonus, good job.

Next tossup.

The consequences of his rage toward Agamemnon are the subject of the "Iliad."

Who is this swift-footed Greek warrior- (buzzer sounds) - Odysseus.

- Upperman Middle.

- Odysseus.

- That is incorrect, I'll continue reading for Portland West.

One that kills Hector and later kills himself after he is- (buzzer sounds) That is Portland, John.

- Achilles.

- Achilles is correct.

Your bonuses, for 10 points each, answer the following about fictional characters.

Mole and Rat live along the river bank in this Kenneth Graham story.

- No answer.

- [Molly] That would be "The Wind in the Willows."

"The Wind in the Willows."

This other fictional character lives in Sherwood Forest with his band of merry men.

- Robin Hood?

- Robin Hood is correct.

So you got 10 points on that bonus.

Next tossup.

Get your pencil and paper ready for this math clue.

A hiking trail that is 4,320 feet long has been divided into two separate trails.

The larger trail is five times longer than the shorter trail.

What is the distance of the longer trail?

(buzzer sounds) Upperman, Ryan.

- 3,100.

- That is incorrect.

Can you take it, Portland West?

Time.

We're looking for 3,600 feet.

3,600 feet.

So nobody gets that tossup.

We'll move to the next one.

In the United States, a statute of 20 years is usually given to the inventor, preventing another body from profiting from a similar product.

What is the name given to this- (buzzer sounds) Portland, Liam - Patent.

- Patent is correct.

Your bonuses.

Given a historical event for 10 points each, identify the city in which that event happened.

In the 6th century BC, Nebuchadnezzar II built his famed gardens in this city.

- Babylon.

(clears throat) Babylon.

- [Molly] Babylon is correct.

This other city was sacked by Gaul in 390 BC, the Goths in 410, and the Habsburgs in 1527.

- Rome.

- Rome is correct.

So 20 on the bonus.

Next tossup.

These animals usually have moist skin to help them respirate.

Their name comes from the Greek for double life- (loud buzzer sounds) And we are out of time.

Double life is amphibians, and at the end of round one we have Upperman with 50, Portland West with 160.

Stick around, we'll come back with a lightning round in just a few minutes.

(exciting music) And we're back, ready to start the lightning round with Portland West Middle School and Upperman Middle School.

Before we jump into the lightning round, we have some new players we wanna make sure you meet.

Tristan has subbed in on the Portland West middle side.

There he is.

And Spencer has subbed in over here for Upperman Middle.

All right, and then we are gonna let Upperman Middle choose first for the lightning round.

Your options are: Responses that begin with the letter F. As in face.

Or responses that begin with the letter G, like gee whiz.

- F, please.

- All right.

We're gonna take the letter F. So let's get 60 seconds on the clock.

You guys are gonna give me all the correct answers that start with the letter F for these clues.

He is the jazz age author of "The Great Gatsby" and "This Side of Paradise."

- Fitzgerald.

- Fitzgerald.

- [Molly] He was made by Bonnie after she stuck googly eyes and red pipe cleaner onto a spork.

- Forky.

- [Molly] This city is the capital of the Bluegrass State.

- Frankfort.

- What?

- Frankfort!

- Frankfort.

- Frankfort.

- [Molly] He became the 38th president after Richard Nixon resigned.

- Ford.

- Ford.

- [Molly] This island nation in the Pacific has a capital city of Suva.

- No answer - Pass.

- [Molly] Ron DeSantis is the current governor of this southern state.

- Florida.

- [Molly] The 1940 Walt Disney film includes Mickey in the role of the Sorcerer's apprentice.

- "Fantasia."

- "Fantasia."

- [Molly] He is a tropical yellow fish with teal stripes and Ariel's best friend - Flounder.

- [Molly] It is a collective name for the three sisters from Greek mythology who personified and controlled destiny.

- The Fates.

- The Fates.

- [Molly] It is defined as severe shortage of food in which large numbers of people starve.

- Famine.

- Famine.

- [Molly] This island nation in the Pacific has a capital city of Suva.

- Grenada?

No.

(loud buzzer sounds) - All right.

We're out of time.

I got nine for 90.

Great job, Upperman.

So we got Fitzgerald, Forky, Frankfort, Kentucky, Gerald Ford, Florida, "Fantasia," Flounder, The Fates, and famine.

We need to know that the island nation in the Pacific has the capital city of Suva is Fiji.

- Ah!

- Fiji.

- I goofed up.

- All right.

And coming over to Portland West.

You guys have the task of giving me all the right answers that start with the letter G. You get 60 seconds on the clock.

Here we go.

It is the state mineral of both Alaska and California.

- Granite.

- [Molly] This organ stores the bile that is produced by the liver.

- Pass.

- [Molly] This desert takes its name from the Mongolian word that means waterless places.

- Gobi.

- [Molly] He discovered the vulcanization process and was a rubber industry pioneer.

- Pass.

- [Molly] Jim Davis created this gluttonous, Monday-hating, lasagna-eating cat.

- Garfield.

- [Molly] It is the force that pulls objects in Earth's sphere to the center of Earth.

- Gravity.

- [Molly] This is the team name of the NBA franchise located in Memphis, Tennessee.

- Grizzlies.

- [Molly] A lion symbolizes this Hogwarts house founded by a wizard that prized the bold.

- Gryffindor.

- [Molly] Castor and Pollux are the brightest stars in this constellation whose name means the twins.

- Pass.

- Pass.

- [Molly] This strait separates the continents of Africa and Europe.

- Strait... (whispers) Gibraltar.

- [Molly] This organ stores the bile that is produced by the liver.

(loud buzzer sounds) All right.

And we're out of time.

I got six for 60.

All right, so we got Gobi Desert, Garfield, gravity, Grizzlies, Gryffindor, and the Strait of Gibraltar.

The state mineral of Alaska and California is gold.

The organ that stores bile is gallbladder.

The man who discovered the vulcanization process, the rubber industry king, is Charles Goodyear.

And Castor and Pollux, the twins, that would be Gemini.

All right.

So great job boat teams.

We finished the lightning round and we've got a new score of Upperman 140, Portland West 220.

And we're gonna roll right into some more tossups and bonuses.

Everybody hands on buzzers and ready.

Here we go.

These animals usually have moist skin to help them respirate.

(buzzer sounds) Oh, I read that one already, didn't I?

All right.

Clear buzzers.

Next tossup.

The loop quantum theory of this force attempts to unify it with the other three fundamental forces.

(buzzer sounds) That is Upperman, Andrew.

- Gravity.

- [Molly] Gravity is correct.

Bonuses for Upperman.

For 10 points each, identify the chemical element from the clue given.

Since a lack of this element causes thyroid problems, it is often added to salt.

- Iodine.

- Iodine?

- Iodine is correct.

Its Latin name plumbum gives this element the symbol Pb.

- Lead.

- Huh?

- Lead!

- Lead.

- Lead.

- Lead is correct.

All right, 20 on the bonus.

All right, and we're going to our next tossup.

This brother of Orthrus was unable to pierce the Nemean Lion skin worn by Heracles during his 12th labor, during which this creature was captured from Hades.

(buzzer sounds) - Cerberus.

- That is Upperman, Ryan.

- Cerberus.

- [Molly] Cerberus is correct.

Your bonuses.

For 10 points each, answer the following about Christopher Columbus.

Columbus was from this Italian port city.

- Venice.

- [Molly] That's incorrect, it's Genoa.

Or Ge-noa.

Although he was Italian, Columbus sailed for Spain on his 1492 voyage.

He was employed by this Catholic monarch pair with the task to spread Christianity.

Answer?

- No answer.

- All right, it's Ferdinand and Isabella.

So no points on that bonus.

Next tossup.

In this short story, a girl frets over $1.87 before selling her most prized good to Madame Sofronie for $20.

This short story details a gift exchange where a set of combs is bought for Della after she sold her hair.

Name this short story by O. Henry.

Time.

That's "The Gift of the Magi," guys.

You gotta read that one.

It's a classic.

All right, next tossup.

It formed sometime around 1570.

Its members include the Seneca, Oneida, and Mohawk among others.

What is this group, a confederation of- (buzzer sounds) Upperman, Andrew.

- Iroquois Confederation?

- [Molly] Judges?

All right, that is correct.

Iroquois Confederation or the Iroquois League.

So 10 points there, and your bonuses.

For 10 points each, answer the following about the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite.

Aphrodite was known by this name in Roman mythology.

- Venus.

- Venus is correct.

In addition to being known as the goddess of love and beauty, she was also honored as a goddess of war by this militaristic Greek city state.

- Sparta.

(whispers) Sparta.

- Sparta?

- Sparta is correct.

So 20 points on the bonus.

All right, next tossup.

He designed the dome of St. Peter's Basilica- Some of his- (buzzer sounds) That is Portland, John.

- Michelangelo.

- [Molly] Michelangelo is correct.

Your bonuses for Portland.

For 10 points each, answer the following about famous endings.

In this play, the young Capulet awakes and discovers her man is dead, so she stabs herself.

The families promise to stop fighting.

- "Romeo and Juliet."

- [Molly] "Romeo and Juliet" is correct.

In this E.B.

White work, three of the title arachnid's children stay to keep Wilbur company on the Arable farm.

- "Charlotte's Web."

- "Charlotte's Web" is correct, so 20 on the bonus there.

Good job.

All right, next tossup.

After consuming pomegranate seeds, this goddess had to- (buzzer sounds) That is Upperman, Ryan.

- Persephone.

- [Molly] Persephone is correct.

Good job.

Your bonuses for Upperman.

Given geographic features for 10 points each, name the continent on which you would find them.

This continent has the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca.

- Asia.

(whispers) - Asia?

- Asia is correct.

The Great Sandy Desert and the Great Victoria Desert are both in this continent.

- Africa.

(whispers) - Africa?

- That's incorrect, we're looking for Australia, mate.

So you got one of those two.

So 10 on the bonus and 10 on the tossup gives you 20.

Next tossup.

In one version of her story, she refuses to become the con's concubine and commits suicide after her cross dressing is discovered by the enemy.

(buzzer sounds) That is Portland, John.

- Mulan.

- Mulan.

All right, and your bonuses.

For 10 points each, given a clue about colonial conflicts with Native Americans, identify the conflict.

This 1675 conflict named after the Wampanoag chief was the Native American's last ditch effort to limit English control on Native lands.

The result began the development of an independent American identity.

- Powhatan?

- [Molly] That's incorrect.

It is King Philip's War.

Could have also accepted the First Indian War, the Great Narragansett War, or Metacom's Rebellion.

All right.

This other conflict was led by Virginia settlers against colonial governor William Berkeley after Berkeley refused a request to drive Native American Indians out of Virginia.

- Bacon's Rebellion?

- Bacon's rebellion is correct for 10.

All right, next tossup.

The largest of the five civilized tribes had a ruling in their favor by John Marshall in Worcester v. Georgia.

Sequoia created their alphabet.

Name this tribe- (buzzer sounds) That is Portland, John.

- The Cherokee.

- [Molly] Cherokee is correct.

Your bonuses.

For 10 points each, answer the following about inventions.

Who invented the steel plow?

- It's John Deere.

(whisper) It's John Deere.

Yeah.

- John Deere?

- [Molly] John Deere is correct.

Who invented the electronic voting machine?

- Smith?

- That would be Thomas Edison.

All right, so you got 10 on the tossup and 10 on the bonus gives you 20.

Next tossup.

This common five letter term applies to the system that is used to gather information by using reflected sound waves.

What is the name- (buzzer sounds) That is Portland, Liam.

- Sonar.

- Sonar is correct.

All right, your bonuses.

For 10 points each, answer the following about fictional islands.

Sir Thomas Moore gave a fictional perfect island this name, a name that is associated with a perfect place.

- Paradise?

- [Molly] Incorrect, we're looking for Utopia.

In this film, which is based on a Peter Benchley novel, the island of Amity Island was the setting in which a great white shark caused the people there to need a bigger boat.

- "Jaws."

- "Jaws" is correct.

So 10 on the tossup and 10 on the bonus give you 20.

Next tossup.

This painting is officially titled "Arrangement in Black and Gray" the artist's mother, but is more often referred to by this title.

Created by American artist James McNeil Whistler in 1871, what is this iconic painting that features a woman clad- (buzzer sounds) That is Upperman, Ryan.

- "Girl and Pearl Earring?"

- That's incorrect.

I'll finish it for Portland.

Clad and black, facing to the left of the- (buzzer sounds) Portland, Eli.

- "The Scream?"

- That's incorrect.

We're looking for "Whistler's Mother."

A little old lady sitting on the chair.

All right, so nobody gets points there.

And we're going to the next tossup.

In the gospels, this man wore camel hare and ate locusts and honey.

This man was a voice crying out in the wilderness- (loud buzzer sounds) And we are out of time, and that buzzer means our game ends with Portland 230, Portland West 310.

(audience applauding) (upbeat dance music) (upbeat dance music ends) (cheerful tune) (bright music) - [Announcer] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

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