Ruffin Writers

1. Ruffin Writers Training for Question Writers for CCSD Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl

2. Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl • Started in DeKalb County http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/hrrb/georgia.html • Georgia Book Award chapter book nominees http://www.coe.uga.edu/gcba/ • Expanded to middle school using the Georgia Book Award chapter book nominees • Expanded to high school using Georgia Peach Teen nominees http://glma-inc.org/peachaward.htm

3. Meet .. • Helen Ruffin, retired media specialist Sky Haven Elementary, DeKalb County • Dr. April Ruffin, relative of Helen Ruffin who attends the CCSD HRRB

4. Competition Format • 6 rounds • 10 questions per round • 5 members on each team • 2 teams each round (rotate) • Team members respond individually • 10 points for each correct answer • Cumulative Score for all 6 rounds determines 1st and 2nd place

5. Winners • Everyone who participates is a winner! • All teams receive a participation trophy!

6. Advancing to the Regional Bowl • Top 2 scoring teams in each division receive first and second place trophies • These teams are determined by cumulative scores for all 6 rounds

7. Room Volunteers • Moderator: • Reads rules each round • Reads questions • Determines if answer is correct • Makes sure rules are followed • Console Judge • Operates the lockout device • Recognizes student who buzzes in first • May assist moderator in determining if answer is correct • Score Keeper • Keeps score on board • Completes score sheet • May assist moderator in determining if answer is correct • Time Keeper • Uses a watch with a second hand to track 10 second time limits • Task may be assigned to score keeper or console judge

8. As you write questions remember … • The competition should be fun • The room volunteers have not read the books • All possible versions of an answer should be given

9. Always start questions In the book <book title>, …For example:In the book Elsewhere, what are Observation Decks?

10. Indicating answers …. p. #, answerFor example:p.64, places where you can see all the way to Earth

11. Things to think about … • Is the question based on facts? • Is the question clearly stated? • Does the answer have too many parts (beyond 3 parts is too many, you could ask for 3 out of 7 from a list)? • Can the question be answered differently depending on the point in the story? • Do not use Yes/No and Either/Or type of questions

12. Things to think about … • Is a full name required or will just the first or last name suffice? (Liz Hall or just Liz) • Moderators and other volunteers have not necessarily read the book so list all acceptable answers (i.e. Mein Kampf or My Life or My Struggle)

13. Things to think about … • There may be a very interesting fact in the story … • But it may be too hard to word a question clearly … • So just go on to something else! • There are lots of possible questions!

14. In the following slides • Read the question and answer • Determine if the question is • Good – acceptable for reading bowl • Bad – needs to be rewritten for clarity before being used for the reading bowl • Ugly – wrong facts; correct facts and rewrite or throw out and try another question

15. Good, Bad, or Ugly? • In the book Green Angel, what are the three colors of stones and what did each represent? • p.27, black for her mother, silver for her father, and pure white for her sister • Good!!!

16. Good, Bad, or Ugly? • In the book Notes From the Midnight Driver, what book did Alex bring Sol for Hanukkah? • p.92, Monk • Bad!!! • The question should read what is the title of the book that Alex brought Sol for Hanukkah?

17. Good, Bad, or Ugly? • In the book Phineas L. MacGuire Erupts!, who are the authors? • title page, Frances O'Roark Dowell and Preston McDaniels • Ugly!!! • Frances O’Roark Dowell is the author and Preston McDaniels is the illustrator.

18. Let’s write some questions! • Go to www.google.com • Under more choose Books • Search Books: Here Lies the Librarian • 1st result – click on title • Use arrows above book cover to “turn” to page 1 • Read chapter 1 (p.1-11) • Write 2 questions.

19. Enter your 20 questions into the Question Database file

20. Practice entering into the spreadsheet/database • Go to http://www.cobbk12.org/BelmontHills/hrrb/ • Choose Question Writer Volunteers • Download the Excel spreadsheet (save to your directory) • Enter your 2 questions and save

21. Time to choose books! • “Pass the hat” • Pick one at a time • One “hat” for GA Book Award Books • Another “hat” for Peach Teen books

22. Questions from the whole book! • The 10 questions for each book need to cover the entire book, beginning to end • Total Pages ÷10 = section • Then make 1 question from each section of the book

23. Tending to Grace has 176 pages! • 176 ÷ 10 = 17.6 or 18 pages • Sections: 1-18, 19-36, 37-54, 55-72, 73-90 91-108, 109-126, 127-144, 145-162,163-176 You will write 2 questions for each section of your book!

24. Email your question database file (Peach Teen and chapter book) to Kate Lyons at k9lyons@yahoo.comPlease complete your questions for all 4 books by June 1st!

25. Now it’s your turn - • It is highly recommended that you read the entire book before writing questions • This will alert you to possible questions that could be answered differently at different points in the story • So go ahead and read your book … ENJOY! • Then go back and write questions.

26. Final Words … • The Reading Bowl should be fun! • The Reading Bowl cannot happen without your help! • THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!