Important Dates
Oct. 12th –
Oct. 30th - Students sign up in
elementary offices.
Nov. 13th Team
Registrations are due to your elementary office.
Jan. 22nd
T-shirt orders are due to Cronen Signs
Feb. 23rd
Coach’s Meeting – 7:00 p.m. at Washington Street Elementary Media Center
Mar. 13th
Battle Day at Otsego Middle Schools – Times will be announced
on Feb. 23rd at the Coach’s
Meeting.
Teams
1. Teams will consist of 5 students in the 3rd,
4th and 5th
grades
2. Although most team members are from Otsego Public
Schools there is no
stipulation that students from other schools may not
participate.
3. Teams of at least 4 members must be registered by the
posted registration date.
(NOTE: A 6th
member may be added later or an alternate member if a team
member has dropped, but these changes must be made on or
before the posted
November date.)
4. A captain, speaker and writer should be discussed
before the day of battle. These
positions can rotate throughout the team on the day of
the battle. They can be 3
different people or one person for all. The captain’s
responsibility is to make
final decisions on answers the day of battle, the
speaker goes to microphone when
it’s your team’s turn to answer the question and the
writer writes the author and
the answer during the battle. Several team members may
share responsibilities if
you choose.
5. No teams may be added after the designated deadline
date for team registration.
Team Coaches
Being a Battle of the Books team coach is a very
important job. The coach helps the
team work together by dividing up book reading
responsibilities, helping the team
practice, and making Battle of the Books a fun, positive
experience.
As the coach, it is your responsibility to register your
team at your elementary school
office. The completed form must be returned to your
school office by the registration
deadline in November.
When choosing a team name, remember that school names
cannot be a part of the team
name and that your team name will be listed exactly as
it appears on the form. You may
want your team to select an alternative name, since team
names are given to the first team
to submit it to your school office, and your first
choice may have already been taken.
The most important part of the Battle of the Books is
having fun as a team!
Helpful Tips for Team Coaches
The following hints have been suggested by previous team
coaches. Please choose the
ones you feel comfortable using.
•
Let your team members
and their parents know what you expect of them in terms
of reading and commitment. Have them acknowledge their
agreement to these
commitments by signing a permission slip.
•
Encourage each team
member to read as many books as possible. Some managers
divide the books, making each team member responsible
for certain books.
•
Make a chart with the
book titles across the top and your team members’ names
down the side. As each member finishes a title, put a
star in the appropriate spot.
•
Keep notes for all of
the books with the main characters, the important events, the
settings, etc. listed below each title.
•
Track your team’s
progress by meeting with them regularly. Remember that
reading should – first and foremost- be enjoyable; so
keep your team’s interest up
and the pressure off by planning fun activities.
•
As your team members
read the books, have them write down questions and share
them with other team members.
•
Let each member
practice writing down the answers and giving out the answers
orally. Divide your team and have mock battles. Give
each member a chance to
participate in these mock battles.
•
Quiz the members
periodically for authors’ last names.
•
Read some of the books
yourself and discuss them with team members. Some
parents of your team members may be willing to read
books and write questions
too.
•
As a team, plan to
attend the Championship Battle.
•
Emphasize the fact
that every participant is a winner. It is important for your
team members to learn to win and lose graciously.
Rules & Regulations Pertaining to
Battle Day
1. Only 5 team members and 1 coach will be allowed on
the stage during the
battle.
2. If a team member is absent the day of battle, the
coach may substitute with an
alternate or play with 1 member short.
3. Alternates may be placed in battle at break times
only.
4. The audience is just that and may not participate in
the battle.
5. Only the coach that is on the stage may participate
in the battle. Any other
coaches will become a part of the audience.
6. All judge’s decisions will be final. This includes
decisions made during
challenges. There will not be points taken away after
they have been given.
7. Authors’ last names must be spelled correctly.
8. Overall spelling may be done phonetically as long as
the monitor and/or
moderator can understand the word (s).
9. When giving the title of a book as an answer to a
question, the title must be
exact. (Exceptions: “A”, “An”, and “The” at the
beginning of title.). Also,
shortened versions may be accepted with permission with
exceptionally long
titles.
Where will the battle be held?
The “Battle of the Books” will be held at Otsego Middle
School Auditorium.
Coaching Responsibilities
During the time that teams are preparing for the Battle
the coach’s responsibilities are as
follows:
1. To assure team members’ attendance at regular Battle
of the Books meetings.
2. To make sure that each team member understands which
books on the reading list
he/she is expected to read.
3. To meet with the team regularly to offer
encouragement, check on reading
progress, foster team cohesiveness and to help team
members learn author’s
names and facts from books.
4. To act as communicating link between the team members
and parents with all
information regarding “Battle of Books” (i.e. dates,
times, reading expectations,
etc.).
5. To make sure your team demonstrates appropriate
behavior by being a good loser
as well as a good winner (i.e. shaking hands with other
teams at completion of
Battles, etc.).
6. To make sure your team members and their families
understand the rules of
“Battle” and expectations the day of “Battle”.
During the Battle, each coach will be assigned to
monitor one of the other competing
teams. The monitor’s responsibilities will be as
follows:
1. To ensure that the team stops writing at the end of
the 30 second time limit
(whether the answer is complete or not).
2. To check if the answer is correct as given by
moderator.
3. To record the number of points earned for each
question and to give the score
sheet to assigned runner.
4. As a monitor it is important to remain focused on the
team you are with so that
you will be fair and equitable. (Please remember that
these children also need
your encouragement and respect.)
5. To encourage all team members to shake hands at the
end of each battle and to
congratulate them on their achievement.
