The promotional ideas on this page have been shared by coaches who conduct "battles" in their buildings. Use and adapt them to fit your situation. If you have an activity that has worked well for you, please email it to
Battle of the Books Logo (Please feel free to use the logo on informational and promotional materials you provide to parents, teachers, and students whether in print or online at your school/district web site.)
Library Thing widget for Senior Division created and shared by Liz Bade
A free resource provided by Badgerlink: http://www.badgerlink.net. QuickSearches have been created which allow easy access to multimedia, online resources about the books and authors associated with the Battle of the Books and the Golden Archer courtesy of TeachingBooks.net.
Questions? (800) 596-0710
There are a couple of ways to access the Search Results for the titles on the Battle lists. For each of the following, users must be signed into TeachingBooks:
Here are direct links for TeachingBooks.net resources for each level. After you sign in, you will be directed to the QuickSearches: Links will be added after booklists are completed.
From the TeachingBooks home page: scroll down to the "Resources correlated with your Wisconsin Reading Lists" section.
Procedure:Type a list of the first lines for each title from the battle booklist. Students work with about 10 titles at a time, depending on the amount of time we have to play. Since most of the books have been borrowed, I make color copies of all covers. Students use the color covers matching the first lines of each book.
The teams register to participate during their lunch hours. We take pictures of each team and post them on a bulleting board. This BB is updated as teams withdraw or get eliminated. Then we post enlarged pictures of the top 3 teams.
At the end of our school competition, we hold a "before school" breakfast for all the teams that participated in at least one elimination round. The breakfast is just cinnamon rolls and apple juice. It is our "food and feedback" time. We also vote for the Golden Archer award and get input for book recommendations.
I use practice questions in my Battle of the Books tournament. When the questions come on e-mail, I print them, then cut the questions apart into strips. I spread them out in 20 piles out on a table by title, then randomize them into groups of 10 and put them in envelopes. One envelope is used for each battle, and the envelope is important. At the beginning of the battle we have a coin toss, and the winner decides if they want to go first or to choose the envelope. I keep score on the envelope. Since the teams names are written there, I know which students heard those questions. That allows me to reuse some groups of questions if we run short before the end of the tournament. When we have established our school championship team, I put all the questions together for their final days of practice for the state contest.
BOOK TALK BULLETIN BOARD & SCHOOL PA ANNOUNCEMENTS
Materials/Supplies needed: colored construction paper; white drawing paper; crayons, colored pencils, or markers; paper & pen; computer
Procedure: After reading a book, students draw a “cover” to illustrate the story. They write a book talk and type it (they can do a book together and have parts). Typed book talks are attached to illustrated book covers and displayed on a bulletin board for all to read. Check with your Principal and have students read their book talks during morning announcements over the PA system. My Battle students had a good time doing it!
Rules (if needed): Neat work!!!
Additional related activities: Students have made Power Point presentations using their book talks. They have also video taped each other reading their book talks and then we have used that video to introduce classes to the Golden Archer nominees before voting on them.
Materials/Supplies needed: 3 or 4 small dry erase boards & a variety of colors of dry erase pens; tissue to wipe the boards; blank 3” x 5” cards; optional: slips of paper and pencils for writing answers.
Procedure: Write the name of an object that pertains to a book; such as: the locket from Wait Til Helen Comes, on one of the blank cards along with the book title. Do this for each book – some titles will have several objects that would work (the coach or the children may come up with the list of objects).
When practicing with the students, divide the children up into groups of 3 or 4. Each group receives a dry erase board & a few various color dry erase pens & a tissue to clean the board. Have the children choose who will be the first to draw (each team rotates who will draw so all get a chance). Each team sends the designated person to draw to the coach who shows them a card. Those who are drawing return to their seats. When the coach says “Go”, the drawers begin drawing. The other team members must watch and decide on the name of the object and the name of the book.
Rules: 1. Those whose turn it is to draw may not talk or express any action, facial or with body movements; they only draw.
2. The first team to approach the coach with the correct name of the object and the title of book (which may be a verbal response or a written one), wins and receives a point.
3. The game is over when a team reaches a specified number of points or which ever team is ahead when time runs out.
Comments/Reflections: Writing the answers helps keep the noise levels down. It also helps the children realize they must be quiet or a near-by team may overhear their discussion.
Battle is promoted in November with a poster of book titles through each English classroom. Teams sign up adding their email address, making this a true ebattle. I use their email addresses to communicate with them and send battle questions. Answers are given to the high school library assistant. A correct answer wins a small prize.
As high school students they are very independent. I only meet with them four times. Once as an introduction to the program, and then three more intra-school battles. The first battle is a fun “shout the answer” battle, one is a pencil and paper battle, the last is the Moodle practice battle. Scores are posted on a large chart in the library. During the final online battle the most improved team also attends to cheer on the winning team and join in after school snacks.
I’m proud to say for most of the years that the best way has been to celebrate with a pizza party for all those involved. Some years I’ve asked for the students to read a minimum number of books to be able to attend, while this has brought some stress it has emphasized that reading is part of the program. I’ve always been concerned that students will sign up just for BOB to eat pizza with no intent of reading the books. Since the PTA usually funds the party, I feel asking the students to read a minimum of books is okay. The purpose of the party was to create a celebration type atmosphere, thus reducing the impact to the students who didn’t win. It’s all part of life.
Certificates are also a nice way to recognize everyone’s efforts. I purchase the certificate paper from Office Depot or Office Max. Some years I’ve created a ticket using the label making paper stating this card is good for one free bump, and could be used by a student waiting on a list of check-out a new book or one that’s on a waiting list because it was book talked.
Purchasing trophies can become expensive and what does one do with them down the road. I know many schools that struggle with what to do with plaques 20-30 years down the road when those students are long gone. I personally like perpetual plaques where the student’s names can be engraved on a plaque that can be removed down the road making room for new ones. The old plates with names can be put in a scrapbook or tossed. I have three plaques recognizing 1st place (brass), 2nd place (silver), and 3rd place (bronze). I really like that there is a place to display for a team photograph. Speaking of pictures, I’m thinking of adding a group picture in either a 5x7 or 8 x 10 of all the participants. This would be easy to do as a group picture is already taken and put in the school memory book annually.
