Battle of the Books

1. Battle of the Books A New Solution to the Challenge of Promoting Recreational Reading Heather Mays, September 2011

2. Battle of the Books Objectives • Encouragement of reading • Improvement of reading comprehension and social skills • Improvement of higher level thinking and reasoning skills Heather Mays, September 2011

3. Battle of the Books Objectives • The objectives will be achieved by organizing book discussion groups in middle and high schools to provide individualized challenges, to increase excitement for reading, and to improve reading comprehension. Students, regardless of ability, are exposed to quality literature and read from a prescribed list of grade-appropriate titles. The culminating competition format creates interest and excitement as students improve reading skills, mature in their choices of reading materials, and acquire a broader knowledge base. Heather Mays, September 2011

4. Student Benefits • Short term benefits • the opportunity to read and discuss quality literature with their peers, thereby formulating discussion techniques (group dynamics, recognition of responsibilities, contributing insights and responses). • Long-term benefits • becoming life-long readers as a result of their development of camaraderie, sharing the love of reading, broadening of their knowledge base, and maturation in reading selections. • Character Development • The development of social skills and group dynamics will lend itself to their becoming citizens who contribute to their communities. As students extend their discussions beyond the group, they will serve as examples to others. Heather Mays, September 2011

5. “Students who read become adults who lead.” ~Helen Ruffin Heather Mays, September 2011

6. Selecting Books • Choose contemporary books that will “grab” readers. • Choose newer, lesser-known titles and authors. • Consider a mix of genres. • Choose books that will appeal to boys and girls. • Don’t overload the reading list with a particular type of book. • Choose at least one riotously funny book. Heather Mays, September 2011

7. Ordering Books • Scholastic Book Fairs and Scholastic Library Group will give you titles off their lists at remarkably reduced rates. • BAMM.com (Books-A-Million) provides a 20-40% discount and free shipping. • Barnes & Noble provides 20% off and free shipping. Heather Mays, September 2011

8. Snagging Sponsors • Book vendors for free books, discounted books. • Restaurants for snacks and lunchtime desserts. • Pizza restaurants for discounted lunches. • Grocery stores for paper products, waters, desserts. • Local businesses for t-shirts. Heather Mays, September 2011

9. Managing Books(before and after competition) Cataloging books-give a list of participants to Library Media Specialists • Catalog as hidden items or • Catalog as separate collection • Circulating books (out of LMC) • Give a list of participants to LMS • What to do after the competition • Share books with other schools as appropriate Heather Mays, September 2011

10. Coaches’ Responsibilities • READ! READ! READ! – Be sure to read all of the books on your list so that you can be an active participant, too. • Make sure the BOB books are processed in a timely manner by the library media specialists. • Offer BOB to all students in the school – Remind them that 6 team members will be chosen in December/January and they must have read all books. • Distribute BOB flyers and bookmarks. • As BOB participants read the selections, have them turn in 20 questions electronically to you – these questions will be used by you in the spring to practice with for the competition. • Use BOB wikis or blogs to facilitate student dialogue about BOB books. • Submit questions to grade level test creator. • Use official BOB test in December/January to determine the team of six for the spring competition. Heather Mays, September 2011

11. Coaches’ Responsibilities • Meet 2 hours a week with the team to practice for the competitions. Buzzers will be used like Scholars’ Bowl so you will want to practice game rules as well. • Fill out Activities Permission Request. Give to principal at least 15 days before event. Include “Volunteer Driver Transporting Students in Privately Owned Cars” form filled out by drivers – has to be on file in school office. • Fill out System Professional Leave Request. • Request a substitute, if necessary. • Send home permission forms. • Post-competition, submit Stipend Request Form. Heather Mays, September 2011

12. Getting the Word Out • BOB Flyers • BOB Bookmarks • School Broadcast • School Newsletters • Student Newspaper • Public Library Displays • Open House “Commercials” Heather Mays, September 2011

13. Recruiting Team Members • Interested Students • Ask interested students to bring a friend • Literature teachers • School counselor • Library workers Heather Mays, September 2011

14. Using Library 2.0 with BOB • BOB Blogs • BOB Wikis • BOB Podcasting Heather Mays, September 2011

15. Narrowing the Team Down • Natural Attrition • Use test to choose final 6 members of team • Other students who continue to practice were invited to our competition as “assistant coaches.” Heather Mays, September 2011

16. Communicating with Parents • All cell phones and electronic devices must be turned off during the competition. • Participants and observers who are waiting in the hall need to be completely quiet while waiting in the hall for rounds to end. • Once a round begins, no one can enter the room. Those waiting in the hall should do so quietly and can enter a competition room for the next round. • We ask that you please not bring young children – babies and preschoolers – to the Battle of the Books competition. Each round is approximately 30 minutes and we must maintain silence from the audience during the competition. Heather Mays, September 2011

17. How do I get BOB questions? • Write your own! • Have student participants and/or coaches submit questions. • Hire someone to write them. • Buy set of books for the question writer. • Provide plenty of time to read at least twice, highlight, write in margins, use post-it flags. • Use spreadsheet formulas to determine how many questions per book are needed. Heather Mays, September 2011

18. How do I get BOB questions? Heather Mays, September 2011

19. BOB Officials • Each room needs the following officials: • Moderator/Reader • Official “rule keeper and enforcer”; “runs the room” • Reads all questions • Rules on any objections filed by team captains • Timekeeper • Keeps the official time • Clears and checks buzzers • Scorekeeper • Keeps the official score • Files team/individual scores with Central Scorekeeping Heather Mays, September 2011

20. Central Scorekeeping (and why it’s important) • Central Scorekeeping should be manned by at least two non-biased individuals with scholars bowl or BOB experience. • One laptop with pre-programmed spreadsheet with all teams, student names for easy computation. • Stock extra supplies: paper, pencils, scoresheets, snacks for officials, etc. Heather Mays, September 2011

21. Scheduling the BOB Competition • Welcome & Introductions at 8:30ish. • Each 4-period round lasts 25-30 minutes. • If you have less than 9 teams, each team should play all other teams. • If you have 9 or more teams, consider playing a “bracket-style” tournament with a championship round for a shorter day. • End with lunch and awards (or championship round). Heather Mays, September 2011

22. Setting Up Rooms • Each competition room will need: • A table for the officials with 3 chairs • A table for each team, with 4 chairs at each table • Chairs set up for spectators • A set of buzzers • 12+ sharpened pencils • Scratch paper • Scoresheets • Water & mints for the officials Heather Mays, September 2011

23. Media & Public Relations • Contact TV, radio, and newspapers at least one week ahead of the competition with an official press release. • Send a reminder via email to media contacts the day before the event. • Send a press release the day after the event with photographs of winning teams (identify students by name clearly). Heather Mays, September 2011

24. Making It a Day to Remember • Welcome signs and banners recognizing students and sponsors. • Encourage superintendent and other CO personnel to attend opening remarks and awards ceremony. • Beg administrators to come watch their teams compete! • Play music during transition time. • Take pictures of teams and post to webpage. Heather Mays, September 2011

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27. Feeding the Masses • Breakfast for Officials • Brainy Snack for Students at 9:30 a.m. • Snacks available all day for officials in Central Scorekeeping Room • Pizza Lunch & Dessert for all students, coaches, and officials. Heather Mays, September 2011

28. T-shirts • Hold BOB logo contest. • Let each team pick a color shirt and print all shirts in white or black ink. • 100% cotton Hanes tees will run $4-5 screen-printed with your logo. • One year, we printed on the front only and teams wrote their names/drew on the back of their shirts. Heather Mays, September 2011

29. Trophies & Awards • Recognize the following: • 1st Place Team • 2nd Place Team • 1st Place Individual • 2nd Place Individual • Top Scoring Individual from Each Team Heather Mays, September 2011

30. 2011-2012 BOB Books • Intermediate Schools • Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce • Flawed Dogs by Berkeley Breathed • Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord • My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian • 90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Glabis • Unsinkable by Gordon Korman. Heather Mays, September 2011

31. 2011-2012 BOB Books • Middle Schools • The Shadow Project by HerbieBrennan • The Defense of Thaddeus A. Ledbetter by John Gosselin • A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park • Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt • The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman • Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool Heather Mays, September 2011

32. 2011-2012 BOB Books • High Schools • All Over But the Shoutin’ by Rick Bragg • Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card • Divergent by Veronica Roth • Diamond Ruby by JossephWallace • The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney • My Life, the Theater, and Other Tragedies by AllenZadoff Heather Mays, September 2011

33. For More Information… Heather Mays Supervisor, Library Media & Fine Arts Shelby County Schools 601 1st Street South Alabaster, AL 35007 205-682-5920 hmays@shelbyed.k12.al.us Heather Mays, September 2011