The California History Bee

Phase 1 - Rules & Details

Phase 2 - Rules & Details

Study Material  More Detail

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School Info & County Contacts

Museum Information

Phase 1 – County Contests -- Rules

There will be four, 10 question, online test modules. Questions will be pulled from a larger pool of questions and presented in a random order. Not every participant will view the same questions.

Each participant can only take each test 1 time.
And, in order to qualify for prizes, each participant MUST complete every module. Participants should study the material thoroughly before beginning.

The Bee will be conducted online. Test scores will be graded on a curve by the following grade-level groups:
K-4, 5-6, 7-9, 10-12, and families.

Rules for family participation.
Families, we encourage you to work with your children and make learning California history fun for everyone. However, we strongly urge you to let your children take the Bee on their own. Winners in this category will go on to the State finals, and winners of the online portion of the State finals will compete against each other in a live question and answer session to find THE State winner. Only children are allowed to compete in the State finals. So please help your children be ready by stepping out when it’s time to compete.

Study Material so you and your kids can "Bee" prepared:

100% of the questions will come from the multimedia program, The Gold Rush. 80% will come from content on the CD. The remaining 20% will come from links to the internet that are included within the CD program.

The Gold Rush multimedia program can be obtained through the Folsom History Museum as well as most other museums in northern California. You can also purchase it online at our store.

Timeline
This phase runs from Admissions Day, September 9, through January 15. Quizzes will be online and ready to take on November 1.

Winners will be announced for each county on February 15. Awards for this phase will be given in early March.

All county first, second and third place winners will be invited to participate in Phase II, the state-wide finals.

Please Note
: Winner’s schools will be notified if they have winning students. In the case of homeschooled children, winners will be notified by email at the email address they provided. There will also be a list of winners posted online.

Prizes
There will be cash and other prizes for the winners. Specific prizes will be determined by the lead organization for the county in which you compete.

 

Overview

This contest is for K-12 students, and families of K-12 students, living in California.

Teachers and other adults are encouraged to take the Bee as a fun challenge, but are not eligible for prizes.

The Goal

To immerse California children in its history so they, and their parents, learn to enjoy their rich heritage and take a more active role in promoting and preserving the State's history and culture.

History Bee Program

The 2009 History Bee was the 5th annual contest. It drew participants from all over the world, even though they were not eligible for prizes.

The vast majority of participants in the past have been from Sacramento County. For the 2010 History Bee we will actively solicit participation from surrounding counties, and will welcome others who chose to participate.

 

Phase 2 – Statewide Finals -- Rules

Only children who placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd within their individual county competition are eligible for the State-wide finals.

This is a two part program. 1. Online testing will narrow down the pool to the top 10 highest scorers. 2. Those ten children will compete in a live competition to determine the State winner.

The online portion will consist of four, 10 question, online test modules. Questions will be pulled from a larger pool of questions and presented in a random order. Not every participant will view the same questions.
 

Each participant can only take each test 1 time.
And, in order to qualify for prizes, each participant MUST complete every module. Participants should study the material thoroughly before beginning.

The California History Bee finals will include an online phase and a live final competition much like a spelling Bee. Test scores will be graded on a curve by the following grade-level groups:
K-4, 5-6, 7-9, 10-12.

Please note that families cannot compete at this level.

Study Material
so you and your kids can "Bee" prepared:

• 100% of the questions will come from the “Additional Study” links in the multimedia program, The Gold Rush. The specific “additional study” sections to be studied will be narrowed down by putting the quiz year in front of each section. For instance, of a link is called “California Timelines” and information from that section will be included on the 2010 Finals California History Bee, it will then read, “10 California Timelines.” The specific study questions will change each year and they will be announced on the day that the county winners are announced.

• Ten extra points will be given to students who can provide proof that they visited a California State Historic Park, history museum, or other historical park during their school year. Proof can be a dates parking pass, or a receipt from a purchase in a park or museum store, etc.

Timeline
This phase runs from February 1 through April 15.

State winners of the online portion will be announced on May 1.

The live competition of these winners of this phase will occur on the third Thursday in May.

Awards for this phase will be given around May 30.

Please Note: Winner’s schools will be notified if they have winning students. In the case of homeschooled children, winners will be notified by email at the email address they provided. There will also be a list of winners posted online.

Prizes
There will be cash and other prizes for the winning kids.
Parents & Other Adults
Adults are welcome to take the Bee anytime. It'll be a fun test of your area knowledge and you'll get a better idea of what your children are learning. But, prizes are only available to K-12 kids.

 
 

Click Here to Take a Virtual Tour of the Museum  

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Days and times subject to change without notification.
Admission: $4 for adults. $2 for youth. Children under 12 are FREE.
Parking: parking available in front and across the street from the Museum
Address:  823 Sutter St., Folsom, CA, 95630-2440 Get directions from MapQuest. 916.985-2707
Easy access from Light Rail and Bike Trail

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