Lake Washington School District
Elizabeth Blackwell Elementary
3225 205th Pl. N.E., Sammamish, WA 98074 | 425 836-7300
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PTSA
Battle of the Books 
This is an optional program sponsored by LWSD Library teachers that is offered to intermediate students, to promote enjoyment in reading quality literature. 
 

Books are chosen by the LWSD Elementary Librarians based on current award nominees, professional reviews, and student interest.  Each June, the list is posted for the upcoming school year.  Students are responsible for creating their teams, submitting their registration form, and devising a strategy.  In general, the more members of a team that have read a book, the more likely someone will remember the details of the question.  Teams that have done well have read early, read often, and re-read books!

Teams participate in a double elimination tournament during lunch receses, in the library.  Mrs. Pazaski will moderate all battles. Our championship team then competes with other schools within our district, via a live web chat, in a single elimination tournament.  District questions are different than the school battle questions and are more difficult.

We had 12 teams of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students who participated in 2009, including the photographed champions! We had several really strong teams and the battles between teams were tough! Our champions, "The Fantastic Four" were fifth graders this year, so they may be back next year to defend their title! 

Battle Rules

  • Teams shall consist of no more than four members, grades 4 - 6.
  • Students may be from different classes as long as they have a common lunch recess.
  • One team member shall be designated as the "Spokesperson" who will be responsible for reporting the teams' answer.  The team may talk amongst themselves to come up with the answer.
  • Each team will be given 30 seconds to give the title of the book.  The timing starts as soon as the question is asked once.  The team may ask to have the question repeated but the clock will be running.  After 30 seconds the scorekeeper will shout "Time."  If the Spokesperson is giving an answer when "Time" is heard, she/he may finish the answer.
  • New questions will alternately be given to each team regardless of which team gave the last correct answer.  In other words, if team A is given a new question, team B will be given the next new question, even if team B just correctly answered a question that team A had just missed.
  • The title must be exact. 
  • The moderator's decision will be final in the case of any team answer, which may be questionable.

Scoring

  • 2 points for a correct answer to a new question
  • 1 point for "stealing" an answer to a missed question

Book List 2009-10

  1. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (F DIC)
  2. Deep, Dark, and Dangerous by Mary Hahn  (F HAH)
  3. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis (F CUR)
  4. Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat  by Lynne Jonell (F JON)
  5. Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke (F FUN)
  6. Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen (F PAU)
  7. Marley: a dog like no other  by John Grogan (636.7 GRO)
  8. Mysterious Benedict Society  by T.L. Stewart (F STE)
  9. No Talking  by Andrew Clements (F CLE)
  10. Peak  by Roland Smith (F SMI)
  11. Star in the Storm  by Joan Harlow (F HAR)
  12. Three Cups of Tea (Young Reader's Edition)  by Greg Mortensen ((371.8 MOR)
 
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