{photo by Jessica Wilson}
Today our wonderful and book-loving librarian, Emily Ferrarini, fills us in on how Battle of the Books went this year:
This Spring, SLOCA held its very first Battle of the Books! Students in Intermediate and LMS have been reading from the Battle list all school year, and were ready to be put to the test. They came armed with knowledge, enthusiasm, and quite a bit of courage. After all, it’s called a battle…
Well, this battle was so much fun! First, students were divided into teams. I chose the two most popular books from our list and assigned the team names accordingly. We had Team Lion, inspired by The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Team Blue Ox, inspired by Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe.
{photos by Jessica Wilson}
The teams were asked a series of questions about the books from our list. We did some traditional, “Family Feud” style rounds, in which students had to recall characters and events from the books they had read. This wasn’t always easy… some of these students read 35 books, and that’s a lot to keep track of! But on only one occasion did we have to pass a question because no one knew the answer. These kids know their stuff!
{photos by Cheryl McCabe}
Everyone’s favorite part of the afternoon was the relay race round. The teams sent runners to different hallways, where they were asked a question about one of the books. If the students didn’t know the answer, they had to run all the way back in and consult with the entire team. There was a lot of laughing going on!
{photos by Cheryl McCabe}
In the end, Team Lion came out just a few points ahead. These students, along with any students from either team who read every book on the list, were invited to come up to a district-wide battle in Atascadero.
What a fun day that was! The battle in Atascadero has been taking place for about ten years, and it was neat to be a part of a well-organized competition with so many other students. Our SLOCA kids are used to a cozy family environment, so this room bustling with strangers was just a little intimidating at first! At the beginning of the event, SLOCA was warmly welcomed by the district librarian, Mrs. Bell. She thanked our students for coming all the way up the grade to be a part of the celebration, and SLOCA Battlers smiled shyly as the room applauded them. We were so excited to get started!
Teams were announced, and our students had to team up with students from other schools. A few of them were timid at first, but over the next hour or so, I watched them relax and grow more comfortable. They were answering the questions, they were brainstorming with other bookworms, and before long, they were among friends. I saw one of our 4th grade students with his arm slung over the shoulder of a 4th grader from another school, and I knew that our kids were going to be just fine!
With more than 150 students participating, the district Battle took the better part of the morning. After 8 or 9 rounds of tough questions, everyone was pretty exhausted. We took a break for lunch (burgers and chips provided by the Atascadero Kiwanis Club) and then met back in the big room for announcements. The top two teams were invited up on stage, and our very own Georgia Bischoff was on one of the teams! We all cheered as students faced off for a difficult final round of questions. It ended up going into a tiebreaker round… did I mention that these kids know their stuff? It was pretty amazing!
In the end, SLOCA went home feeling proud, feeling connected to their Battle of the Books friends from both tracks, and feeling excited for next year, when they can do the whole thing again. That’s right – I already have students asking me where they can find the books on next year’s list, so they can get started on their reading right away. I am so proud of these kids, of the reading they accomplished, of their commitment to Battle meetings all year long, and of their enthusiastic attitudes, especially at the Atascadero Battle, where they were pushed just a bit outside their comfort zones. I feel so lucky to be a part of a community of families who value reading great books, and who make time to have a little bit of fun together.
{photo by Cheryl McCabe}
Next year’s Battle of the Books list for 4th through 6th grade students is available in the library, or you can download it here. Some of next year’s titles are available in the school store now. They all make great summer reads! We also have booklets in the school store for any student who wants to participate in next year's Battle of the Books – just ask for it!
Thank you Emily, for introducing this fun program to our school and encouraging our SLOCA bookworms throughout the year! Here are a few more photos from the Battle we had on campus:
