Battle of the Books

1. Battle of the Books A New Solution to the Challenge of Promoting Recreational Reading Heather Mays, February 2010

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, February 2010

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, February 2010

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, February 2010

5. “Students who read become adults who lead.” ~Helen Ruffin Heather Mays, February 2010

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, February 2010

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, February 2010

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, February 2010

9. Managing Books(before and after competition) Cataloging books-give a list of participants to LMS • 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, February 2010

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, February 2010

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, February 2010

12. Getting the Word Out • BOB Flyers • BOB Bookmarks • School Broadcast • School Newsletters • Student Newspaper Heather Mays, February 2010

13. Recruiting Team Members • Interested Students • Ask interested students to bring a friend • Literature teachers • School counselor • Library workers Heather Mays, February 2010

14. Using Library 2.0 with BOB • BOB Blogs • BOB Wikis • BOB Podcasting Heather Mays, February 2010

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, February 2010

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, February 2010

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, February 2010

18. 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, February 2010

19. 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, February 2010

20. 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, February 2010

21. 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, February 2010

22. 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, February 2010

23. 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, February 2010

24. Heather Mays, February 2010

25. Heather Mays, February 2010

26. 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, February 2010

27. 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, February 2010

28. 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, February 2010

29. 2009-2010 BOB Books • Intermediate Schools • Heat by Mike Lupica • Canned by Alex Sherer • How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O’Connor • The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd • Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech • Masterpiece by Elise Broach Heather Mays, February 2010

30. 2009-2010 BOB Books • Middle Schools • Gone by Michael Grant • Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman • Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins • Scat by Carl Hiaasen • Sucks to be Me by Kimberly Pauley • Surefire by Jack Higgins Heather Mays, February 2010

31. 2009-2010 BOB Books • High Schools • Compound by S. A. Bodeen • The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir by Cylin Busby & John Busby • 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher • Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs • Blood Brothers by S. A. Harazin • Impossible by Nancy Werlin Heather Mays, February 2010

32. For More Information… Materials on Shelby County Website: http://www.shelbyed.k12.al.us/Staff/hmays/battleofthebooks.htm 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, February 2010