BOOK BOWL COACH HANDBOOK
Librarians create the book list each year. If you have questions, suggestions, or concerns related to the book list, please direct them to your school librarian so they can be discussed at one of their monthly meetings. All other questions, suggestions or concerns related to Book Bowl should be directed to Cheryl Borta, Book Bowl Coordinator, or Kris Peterson, GT Department Secretary.
New books will always go on Division I list so both groups read/use them.
Book Bowl Guidelines
Know date, time, place, events, and requirements of Book Bowl Competition:
General Information:
- The contest will be a matching activity. There will be 20 questions for each category-character, setting, and plot. Students will be asked to match some questions to titles and some questions to authors. Each round will be timed for 10 minutes and points awarded for correctly matched questions/answers.
- Example: Title Question
- If the correct answer is A. Saving Shiloh, the only thing written on the answer sheet is the letter A.
- Example: Author Question
- If the correct answer is 1. Beverly Cleary, the only thing written on the answer sheet is the number one.
- Cookies (NO PEANUT PRODUCTS) will be provided for the break between rounds one and two.
- There will be paper/pencil puzzles to work on between rounds two and three and between round three and the awards ceremony.
- Competition Divisions
- Division I - The team will review books from the Division I book list that includes 20 titles.
- Division II - The team will review books from the Division II book list that includes 40 titles.
Requirements:
- Teams may consist of up to nine members per team. We recommend mixed grade-level teams because of the diversity of the books on the book lists.
- Select Division I or II as appropriate for team's abilities and interests.
- Plan meeting/discussion/sharing times with team members.
- One or more members of the team must read each book on the list so that the team covers every title.
- Identify one adult for each team to attend the competition. They will act as proctors. If coaching more than one team, it will be the coach's responsibility to find extra adults for competition day. You will receive the proctor list in February. Be sure to confirm the proctor assignments. If you have changes in proctor assignments, be sure to notify us who to DELETE as well as who to ADD.
Team member roles are determined by team decision, volunteer, or the coach may assign.
- One team member will be the assigned facilitator to complete the following tasks:
- Bring focus to specific questions
- Select respondents and responses
- Pinpoint best response for answering the question.
- One team member will be the assigned recorder to write down the responses given to her/him by the team facilitator.
- One team member may be the assigned timekeeper to keep team apprised of how much time remains for each event.
Some suggested activities are listed below:
- Introduce books using jacket information
- Assign/divide books among team members-once selected, that book becomes the responsibility of that team member unless the team agrees to change
- Discuss questions about each book
- Do drills/games using lists of titles and authors
- Simulate contest events at practice meetings after all books have been read and discussed
- After book has been read, reader fills out an information card listing title, author, characters, setting, and plot of the book
- Match title to author
Book Bowl Coach Job Description
- Announce/advertise Book Bowl competition and the who, what, when, and why of becoming a Book Bowl team member
- Meet with interested students to discuss qualifications and responsibilities and to set meeting dates and times
- Meet with team members at scheduled times
- Take attendance at all scheduled meetings
- Facilitate selection of books and discussions about books from list
- Plan activities to reinforce knowledge of books
- Share all official information with team members as you receive it
- Plan actual competition participation:
- Transportation
- Role of each team member
- Familiarize team members with competition format
- Hold follow-up meeting with team to "wrap things up"
- Encourage individual readers
- Encourage team participation and sportsmanship
Proctoring
Book Bowl Team Member Guidelines
Be a team player:
- Do your part
- Accept/encourage (don't criticize) other team members
- Be a good sport
- Be willing to listen to opinions and answers others give
- Attend all scheduled meetings unless absent from school or excused by the coach
- Enjoy the fun and challenge
Sample Book Bowl Questions
These are real questions used from past books. These books will now be "retired" from the Book Bowl list and not used again.
"The Case of the Case of the Missing Identity" by Mac Barnett
- Character: Advice from a handbook such as, "Undercover work is fun – and dangerous! Don’t blow your cover!" is followed religiously by this book’s main character.
- Setting: Many places throughout a local town are described in this book. However, excitement and intrigue begin and end at the town’s library.
- Plot: This note left by the main character to his mother sums up this book’s fascinating plot: "Dear Mom: I won’t be home this weekend because I’m wanted for treason and I have to clear my name. Also, I took the last Sprite from the fridge."
"The Day-Glo Brothers" by Chris Barton
- Character: Two siblings with different ambitions in life end up with bright futures by way of happenstance.
- Setting: Life adventures take the main characters to Berkley, California and Cleveland, Ohio.
- Plot: Great entrepreneurial and business success is created through hard work, perseverance and problem solving by the main characters of this biography.
"Little Dog, Lost" by Marion Dane Bauer
- Character: A courageous boy leads a small group of individuals to propose a much needed idea for the local town.
- Setting: In a small town, a play area for furry friends is created in the yard of a neighbor’s mansion.
- Plot: New long-lasting friendships are created when the perfect mix of a brave protagonist, a lonely neighbor, furry friends and little lightning and rain are brought together.
