White Pine Battle of the Books:

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White Pine Battle of the Books

• Reading as a Competitive Sporting Event!

Carolyn Humphrey, ONeill Collegiate and
Vocational Institute Catherine Norton, Dunbarton
High School Kim OReilly, Oshawa Public
Libraries Tiffany Pahman, Oshawa Public Libraries
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Lets get ready to rumble!!

• If you know about the Battle of the Books, this
  is the next generation!
• For the past 2 years Oshawa Public Libraries has
  hosted area high school teams in a battle based
  on White Pine titles.
• Why? How? When? What? Where?

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BATTLE OF THE BOOKS A HISTORY
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BATTLE OF THE BOOKS A HISTORY

• A
• Full and True Account
• Of the
• Battel
• Fought Last FRIDAY
• Between the
• Antient and Modern
• Books
• In
• St. JAMESs LIBRARY.
• LONDON
• Printed in the Year, MDCCX

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THE 1ST BATTLE OF THE BOOKS

• Written by Jonathon Swift as a satire.
• Actual books from the Classical Age (the
  Antients) battle books from the Modern Age (the
  Moderns)
• Battled to determine supremacy of
  thought/learning.
• There was a decisive Battel But, The
  Manuscript, by the Injury of Fortune, or Weather,
  being in several Places imperfect, we cannot
  learn to which side the Victory fell.

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RECENT HISTORY

• Did you know?
• The recent edition of Battle of the Books began
  in the 1940s, as a radio program sponsored by
  the Chicago Public Library.
• Battle contests have been played in schools and
  public libraries across the U.S. and Canada since
  that time.
• The organization Americas Battle of the Books
  has been in operation for over 20 yrs. in most
  states. They hope to have a national battle in
  the next decade.
• Americas Battle of the Books reading program is
  for students in grades 3 12. The book list
  changes each year.

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DURHAM BATTLES

• Durham Battles began with the Ajax Public
  Library 10 years ago
• Competition between public and separate school
  students
• Teams of 3 6 members with 3 substitutes and
  team captain
• Regular round and lightning rounds.

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OSHAWA PUBLIC LIBRARIES BATTLES

• The Oshawa Public Libraries 1st White Pine
  Battle of the Books took place in April 2009.
• Held at the McLaughlin Branch of the OPL.
• Dinah Gough was the master of ceremonies as
  Manager of Children and Youth Services.
• Questions were created from the White Pine
  titles for that school year.
• The White Pine Battle followed the same format
  as the Durham Jr. and Sr. Battles.

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WHITE PINE BATTLE TIMELINE

• Early in the fall, form a small committee of
  Teacher Librarians and Public Librarians
• When White Pine titles are announced, determine
  who will generate questions for which titles.
• Set a deadline for submission of questions and
  to whom they should be submitted.
• (1 or 2 people should review the questions to
  make alterations where necessary.)

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TIMELINE CONTINUED

• Determine individual responsibilities for the
  Battle
• Determine and announce the date of the battle
  and a deadline for team registration
• Meet 1 month before the Battle to refine plans.

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WHITE PINE BATTLE RULES

• Rules must be read at the beginning of the
  battle, to ensure all participants understand
  them.
• Competitors are counselled to be quiet unless
  conferring during their turn.
• Competitors are cautioned against speaking out
  loud.
• Teams face off in Round Robin format.
• No more than 2 or 3 teams face off in one room or
  multiple rooms.
• Teams consist of 3 6 members but only 3 may
  play at a time.
• Substitutions can be made between rounds.
• Only the team captain provides the answer but
  team members may confer before it is given.

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WHITE PINE BATTLE RULES - REGULAR ROUND

• Each team is asked one question at a time.
• Regular round answers are to be provided within
  20 seconds.
• Answers must be specific and complete.
• Competitors are told if the answer is incorrect
  or incomplete and they may have 2 other
  opportunities to provide the answer.
• 5 points are won per correct title 3 points are
  won per correct author.
• Each team is asked a total of 10 15
  questions, based on the matrix.

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REGULAR ROUND QUESTIONS

• Take notes while reading the books.
• Create 15 questions for each book that begin
  with the phrase, In which book, by which
  author? (Do not include names of characters in
  your questions).
• Eg. In which book, by which author does the
  Gatekeeper demand the toll?

Half World by Hiromi Goto
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REGULAR ROUND DISTRIBUTION EXAMPLE
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WHITE PINE BATTLE RULES- LIGHTNING ROUND

• Each team is asked a set of 10 12 questions
  before going to the next team.
• In the Lightning Round, all 10 12 questions
  must be answered within time limit of 2 minutes.
• It is possible to skip a question and return to
  it if time permits.
• Competitors are told if the answer is incomplete
  or incorrect and they may have an opportunity to
  alter the answer.
• 3 Points are gained with each correct answer.

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LIGHTNING ROUND QUESTIONS

• Create 15 questions for each book that begin by
  stating the title of the book and naming the
  author.
• Eg. In the book, Chandas Wars, by Allan
  Stratton, what does Chanda hope to build in
  memory of her mother?
• Refer to specific events or characters in the
  story so that there is only one answer to the
  question you create
• Make the questions specific enough so that they
  refer to only one of the White Pine books.
• Write the answer and its page reference with
  each question.

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LIGHTNING ROUND DISTRIBUTION EXAMPLE
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SPECIFICS TO OUR TIMELINE

• Decide budget
• Arrange author visit. Book for March of following
  year.
• Teams register with Carolyn Humphrey
  (Teacher/Librarian at ONeill) by March 23, 2011.
• By early March, Carolyn receives questions
  members have written and forwards to Kim.
• Once we have participating school names, OPL
  create signs for tables.

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SPECIFICS TO OUR TIMELINE

• Kim assigns questions warmup, regular round,
  substitute, lightning, final regular and final
  lightning.
• Developed matrix so that each team got at least 1
  question per title and then divided the rest.

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SPECIFICS TO OUR TIMELINE

• Tiffany proofs the questions since she has read
  all of the titles. Week before battle.
• Distribute teams. Ideal to separate two teams
  from same school. Week before battle.

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TEAM DISTRIBUTION EXAMPLE
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SPECIFICS TO OUR TIMELINE

• Questions typed and copied using colour coding
• Day of Battle teams arrive by designated time.
  Once all teams have arrived, teams are given room
  assignment. Each room should also have a stop
  watch and calculator.
• Prizes
• Press Release

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THE TEACHER LIBRARIANS ROLE

• How to advertise the Battle.
• How to build a team.

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TEACHER LIBRARIAN, CONT.
Practice? Permission forms. Transportation.
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CELEBRATION
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Students love the competition!
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Get ready to rumble!!
Lets see the battle in action!
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REGULAR ROUND QUESTIONS

• In which book does the main character drive a
  red mini cooper?
• Answer The Uninvited, Tim Wynne Jones
• In which book does the Main Characters
  Grandmother become a criminal when the Main
  Character is twelve years old?
• Answer The Book of Michael, Lesley Choyce
• In which book does the main character own a red
  Samsonite Saturn suitcase?
• Answer Mostly Happy, Pam Bustin
• In which book is a changeling a main character?
• Answer Wondrous Strange, Lesley Livingston

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Lightning Round Questions

• In Getting the Girl, what is the biggest sport at
  Sherman Macks school?
• Answer Lacrosse, page 71
• In Cracked Up to Be, what position on the
  cheerleading squad did Parker used to hold?
• Answer Captain, page 14
• In Sister Wife, at what age can girls in Unity
  marry?
• Answer Age 15, page 21
• Half World, what does Mister Glueskin turn into
  at the end?
• - Answer Baby G or Baby

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QUESTIONS?

• For more information
• Carolyn Humphrey_Carolyn_at_durham.edu.on.ca
• Catherine Catherine_Norton_at_durham.edu.on.ca
• Kim KOreilly_at_oshawalibrary.on.ca
• Tiffany TPahman_at_oshawalibrary.on.ca