IF YOU CLICK ON ANY GOOGLE DOCUMENT OR FORM AND RECEIVE THE MESSAGE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO VIEW IT, YOU ARE NOT PROPERLY SIGNED INTO YOUR GRANITESD (Google) ACCOUNT. SIGN IN, RELOAD THE PAGE, AND TRY AGAIN.
This will be a virtual meeting, so watch your email for the link to the meeting and details.
I expect it will last no longer than one hour.
If you absolutely cannot join us that day, but want to look into the Best Books Challenge at your school, please find someone who can represent your school and share the link with him or her.
ALL SCHOOLS WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE MUST HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE AT THIS MEETING
Click the link above and fill out the form when you are certain that your school will be participating in the Best Books Challenge. You must sign up here so we'll have materials for you to make your starter kit, order your set of books, and include you on the Best Books mailing list and Yammer site.
As this program has grown, it has surpassed our ability to provide a starter kit for each school. We are asking that each school takes some time during the summer to make their own starter kit: 15 buttons for each book title, bookmarks, lanyards, posters, and flyers. Most of those items just need to be counted out for your kit. The buttons, however, need to be made! We'll provide the tools and materials, you provide the labor (usually 3-4 people is the best group size).
Trinda Burdett will make and organize this schedule; it will be available for sign-ups after June 30.
This SLIDESHOW is a quick introduction to the reading lists and the challenge in general. (You must be signed into your GraniteSD account [Google] to have access to this file: GOOGLE SLIDES BEST BOOKS INTRO. )
Feel free to make a copy of it then embed it into your library or school website (your STS can help).
You can also just keep the link (or make a copy if you want to add anything) to present it to your classes.
Your colleagues are always a great resource for ideas about introducing the program too. Be sure you're part of the Yammer group. And if you have a great resource (or hear about one) that belongs on this site, let Marci Bishop know!
Promotional Materials
You'll receive posters from the district (two sets of larger posters with book lists; smaller posters describing the reading incentives; and writing contest and/or Battle of the Books posters (depending upon your participation). Click HERE for other promotional materials that you might use.
Permission Forms Click the Google link, make a copy (File>>Make a Copy), and edit your copy to fit your school.
IF YOU CLICK ON ANY GOOGLE DOCUMENT OR FORM AND RECEIVE THE MESSAGE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO VIEW IT, YOU ARE NOT PROPERLY SIGNED INTO YOUR GRANITESD (Google) ACCOUNT. SIGN IN, RELOAD THE PAGE, AND TRY AGAIN.
When students finish & report their first book . . .
Lanyard
First Button
Eligible to enter the writing contests
After EACH FOLLOWING book & response finished . . .
Button for each book
When a student reaches FIVE books read . . .
Magnetic "Best Books" Bookmark
Eligible for Battle of the Books
When a student reads ALL FIFTEEN books on his or her grade-level list* . . .
A "Master" Button
A copy of City Spies by James Ponti (3rd/4th) OR Greystone Secrets #2: The Deceivers (5th/6th)
When a student reads ALL THIRTY books on BOTH LISTS* . . .
A "Grand Master" Button
A copy of City Spies or The Deceivers (whichever was not received for "Master" level)
A combo book light/bookmark
A Best Books T-Shirt
Prizes for teachers, administrators, specialists, and other school employees . . .
A lanyard, then buttons for each book they read--encourage them to wear their lanyards so kids can ask them about the program or talk about books with them.
A school employee who reads all of the books on one list will receive a "Master" button.
If an employee reads all 30 books* (both lists), we will make a "Grand Master" button and send it with a copy of both prize books!
Report employees who have read 15 or 30 books on the "Materials Request Form"--there's a link on Yammer.
When students finish a book, they should report the book in a way that holds them accountable for the reading. Each school can decide the best way to do this for their students.
IDEAS
Interview The BBC leader asks questions and discusses the book until satisfied that the student really finished the book.
Advantages: Students get one-on-one time and an opportunity to discuss, ask questions, share feelings . . . You also have no forms to copy or keep track of.
Challenges: This takes time, of course. There may also be days when several kids want to interview at the same time. Also, if you're tracking student reading, you have to remember to document the interview (no papers to remind you later).
Click HERE for some interview question ideas.
Simple Worksheet/Graphic Organizer the leader chooses a general graphic organizer or worksheet where students record facts about the book (title, author, characters, setting, etc.)
Advantages: Easy to track--if it's complete and has a name on it, you know who is finished. It's also easy to distribute papers to a group of kids who have finished so no one has to wait. If you don't like the samples, a quick Google search will give you many more choices. Finally, if students want to do the Battle of the Books, having one paper with all of this information to review is a bonus.
Challenges: These are very easy for students to copy off of each other, or to find the information online without reading. They can also feel tedious to do if the student reads many of the books (lots of information, no higher-order thinking). You also have to have copies on hand when students finish.
Here are some sample forms: SUMMARY WORKSHEET, 10 READING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS shared for free download at Teacher Beacon (book critique, character analysis, story map, and story stems recommended), NONFICTION NOTES by Jessica Heeren, SEQUENCING MAP by Team Tom Education, and FOR SUMMARIZING by Kristine Nannini
Open-Response Prompts the leader can interview the student with these questions or ask them to write down an answer.
Advantages: Unique answers (hard to cheat). These questions require higher-order thinking which engages students much more than recalling facts. Asking students to comment on their reading at this level, whether orally or in writing, helps them internalize the themes and lessons of what they read and to interact with text more meaningfully. This also helps students remember what they read better (although it's not necessarily the facts and details that they need for BOTB).
Challenges: For the student, this is harder to do and often requires more time. For the leaders, this requires work ahead of time (collecting and creating questions, deciding how you want students to respond). If you ask for writing, you will also have to read to check for understanding rather than the quick skim of a graphic organizer or worksheet.
Click HERE for one idea to use higher-order thinking questions in what functions as a handout. (You could also just use the questions on it for interviews.)
Check out the "Teaching Resources" guides too--they often have discussion level questions that will work well (scroll down!)
Do you have other ideas? Have you seen someone do something that works really well? Share it on Yammer or talk to Marci Bishop to have it added here.
FOR THE SCHOOL Best Books LEADER How you track your students is up to you. If you plan to do Battle of the Books, you will need to know who read at least five books Otherwise, it's just nice to have a record if there are questions and to track "Master" requests.
Here is an SAMPLE TRACKING SHEET you're welcome to use. (You must be signed into your GraniteSD account). Click File, then Make a Copy to create one you can edit.
This document is an INDIVIDUAL TRACKING FORM for students to track their reading. Use this if it helps you; no worries if it doesn't.
FOR BOOK MASTER (15) & GRAND MASTER (30) READERS Report these on the "Materials Request" form. You'll find a link to this form pinned on our Yammer team page. You can also report school employees who have read all thirty books on this form. At least once a week (usually Tuesdays), we will check this form to create a prize package for those who reach this mark and send it to you to deliver. Watch for District Mail (one of the larger book envelopes--please return the envelope via district mail ASAP)
The last day to request buttons/prizes is Friday, April 23, 2021.
Remember--to participate in the program this year, each school must make its own starter kit.
You will start to run low on some items, though, especially if you have a lot of support from your teachers sharing books with their whole classes or other success stories!
To request materials (buttons, lanyards) fill out the form pinned on our Yammer Page. Watch your District Mail for delivery within the next week.
The last day to request buttons is Friday, April 23, 2021.
Join the committee to select the book lists for 2021-2022. All school GSD employees are welcome: librarians, reading specialists, administrators, teachers (especially grades 3-6), etc.
Initial Meeting Friday, January 29 11:00 am (D-229)
Short List Meeting Friday, March 25, 11:00 am (D-229)
Click HERE to volunteer. (Please check to make sure you will be able to attend both meetings before you join.) Sign up before Monday, January 25, 2021.
(SEE LISTS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS ON THE "ARCHIVES" PAGES)