Battle of the Books 2005-2006

Battle of the Books 2010-2011 Guidelines Description: Battle of the Books (BOB) is an academic-based competition that has been very successful in school districts throughout the state in encouraging students to read a wide range of children’s literature. Students are asked to read a variety of books and recall information about the plots, characters, and settings. Students form teams of three and together complete the reading list. The titles on this list include classics and more current, award winning literature. The 2010/11 list includes 45 books that are available in both school and public libraries. Books on the list are at varying levels of difficulty, ranging from a fourth to an eighth grade reading level. While the activity is open to all fourth graders, Battle of the Books is a reading enrichment program designed to challenge our proficient and advanced readers. After completing the reading lists, students will compete against other teams of fourth graders by answering questions about the books. Every question asked in a battle is answered by the title and author of the book and takes the form of: "In which book..." The Stormonth competition will be held throughout the month of March, 2011. Through a series of "battles" we will arrive at one winning team for 4th grade. This team will represent our school at the Invitational Tournament which is made up of seventeen area schools. This year the Invitational Tournament will be held at Lake Bluff School in Shorewood on April 14, 2011. Sign-up: In September, during our regularly scheduled library classes, I will review the program once again with the students. They may form teams and officially sign-up at that time if they meet both of the following requirements: a permission slip signed by a parent acknowledging their child’s interest and their receipt of the “Battle of the Books Guidelines.” a parent’s signature confirming that their child has read in its entirety at least one of the books on the reading list (150 page minimum) over the course of the summer or during the month of September. Team Formation: Students self-select teams. Each team should consist of three, fourth grade members. Boys and girls are encouraged to work with other students who share the same level of commitment to the program. For example, some teams choose to read for enjoyment and choose not to compete. Other teams put a good deal of time and effort into competition preparation by taking notes on their books and by double reading books (reading not only their assigned books but those assigned to fellow team members as well). In the past, I have found that after an initial try-out period, some students reconsider their commitment to BOB and there is almost always some shifting in the composition of a few teams. However, by the end of October or beginning of November, I will send home a contract for you and the students to sign. This contract will require the students to make a firm commitment to completing the program by: reading a fair share of the books; attending in-school BOB meetings; and preparing for battles by memorizing the title and the name(s) of the author(s) for each book read. If your student returns a contract, I will appreciate your assistance in helping your child fulfill his/her commitment to the team, as it is obviously very disappointing for remaining team members to be eliminated by losing a member well into the activity. Reading and Record Keeping: Once teams are formed, team members should start/continue reading the fifteen books each is covering for the team. Some teams pre-assign the books each individual is reading. Some teams pick one book at a time from the master book list. Either method works well. To be on track, each student should complete two to three books per month beginning in September. All books should be read by the end of February, 2011. As they read, students are asked to maintain a reading record. This a form on which they indicate which titles have been begun and then completed. During sign-up, each individual student will be given a reading record which should be updated with their team members. I also keep a master copy of the lists for each team in the library. As they read, students who intend to compete are encouraged but not required to take notes to help them remember the characters, setting, and important events of their books. In the past, some students have prepared index cards or kept notebooks to help with this process. Also, I have developed a form to organize this kind of information and have a supply available in the LMC. It is up to each team to decide which, if any, of these methods they would like to use. Communication: I meet with the students each week during their regularly scheduled library classes. This is their time to update reading records and ask any questions they may have. In addition, from time to time, I schedule whole group meetings for all BOB participants. These usually occur during lunch recess. A summary of the program, a BOB reading list, a permission slip, and a copy of these guidelines are available online for your reference. These materials can be accessed via the Stormonth School webpage. Select the link to the Library Media Center and from the LMC select the “Fourth Grade Battle of the Books” link. You may also drop into the LMC at your convenience, phone me at 414-247- 4117, or communicate via e-mail ([email protected]/us). Battles: In order to participate in the Stormonth battles, teams must have read at least 90% of the books on their reading lists. The reading lists must be completed by February 28, 2011. Four rounds of battles will take place throughout the school day during the month of March. Specific battle dates and times will be determined during the month of February. By that time, I will have a firm idea of how many teams will be competing. I will then consult with Dr. Westfahl and the fourth grade teaching staff to develop a schedule that will be compatible with school-wide activities as well as fourth grade classroom instruction. I will send a printed schedule home and post a copy of the schedule on the LMC webpage by March 1, 2011. Once announced, battles will not be rescheduled due to absences. The final battle, in which our Invitational team will be determined, will be held in the LMC and will be immediately followed by a party and awards ceremony (generously sponsored by the PTO!). All BOB participants are invited. Attachments: Attached to this copy of the “Battle of the Books Guidelines” are a BOB reading list and a permission slip, which needs to be completed and returned before October 1, 2010 if your child is participating. Final Thoughts: Through their participation in Battle of the Books, students will read a wonderful selection of books, will be introduced to new authors, will strengthen their organizational skills, and will learn to negotiate the challenges of working cooperatively as part of a team! It is my hope that Battle of the Books will be an enriching experience for all our participants. Kathy Wachs Stormonth LMS Battle of the Books 2010-2011 Permission Slip Before joining a team, each student must finish reading at least one of the books on the BOB list (150 page minimum). My child has read the following title(s): _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ We have located the “Fourth Grade Battle of the Books” links on the LMC web page and understand that monthly announcements and a suggested reading schedule will be posted there. ______ Yes ______ No, call me with assistance, please. I have reviewed the “Battle of the Books Guidelines” with my child and give my permission for his/her participation. Student: __________________________________ Parent: __________________________________ Please return this form to Mrs. Wachs in the LMC before October 1, 2010. .

Load more