South Mountain Elementary School

What is Battle of the Books?

• Team-based competition to answer questions about books the team has read from a given list

• Team members read the books on the list and compete against their classmates in a class battle

• Winning team from each class competes against each other for grade level champion

Grade 4 Battle of the Books2011-2012

• Chocolate Touch• Clementine• Doing Time Online• Fourth Grade Rats• Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle• Nicky Fifth’s Garden

State Adventure

• Sarah, Plain and Tall• Secret Soldier• See You Later,

Gladiator• Wayside School is

Falling Down

Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

A boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate.

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

While sorting through difficulties in her friendship with her neighbor Margaret, eight-year-old Clementine gains several unique hairstyles while also helping her father in his efforts to banish pigeons from the front of their apartment building.

Doing Time Online by Jan Siebold

After he is involved in a prank that led to an elderly woman's injury, twelve-year-old Mitchell must make amends by participating in a police program in which he chats online with a nursing home resident.

Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli

Suds learns that his best friend is wrong. You don't have to be a tough guy, a "rat," to be a grown up fourth grader.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle loves children, both good and bad. She never scolds, but has positive cures for children with special problems such as answering back or never wanting to go to bed.

Nicky Fifth’s Garden State Adventure

by Lisa Funari Willever

Just when Nicky Fifth was getting used to living in New Jersey, he received the worst possible news. Instead of a vacation in Orlando, Florida, his parents plan a vacation...exploring New Jersey. Even though they have invited his best friend, T-Bone, along, Nicky prepares for the worst vacation ever.

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

When their father invites a mail-order bride to come live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are captivated by their new mother and hope that she will stay. (Newbery Medal book)

Secret Soldier by Ann McGovern

A brief biography of the woman who disguised herself as a man and joined the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

See You Later, Gladiator by Jon Sciezska

Joe, Fred, and Sam demonstrate some of their favorite professional wrestling moves, including the "Time Warp Trio Blind Ninja Smackdown," when they're transported to ancient Rome and forced to fight as gladiators in the Colosseum. (#9 in the Time Warp trio series)

Wayside School is Falling Downby Louis Sachar

More humorous episodes from the classroom on the thirtieth floor of Wayside School, where students learn to tango, face the cafeteria's dreaded Mushroom Surprise, and study a hobo during Show and Tell. Sequel to "Sideways Stories from Wayside School."

Borrowing procedures for Battle of the Books

• Each student is expected to ALWAYS have a Battle book checked out.

• Battle book is in addition to any other books you may have checked out.

• Student are expected to return battle books as soon as they are finished reading it, and to borrow another immediately.

Borrowing procedures for Battle of the Books - continued

• Students will be given a ziploc bag and a tracking bookmark. Battle book must be kept in the bag when you are not reading it. It needs to be kept in good condition, and keeping it in the bag helps protect it.

• Students will record the barcode number of the book they have checked out on their bookmark.

Participation in the Battle

• Students must read at least 3 books to participate in the class battle.

• Students will receive prizes based on the number of books they read. Prizes not determined yet, but students will earn prizes for reading 3 (or more), 5 (or more) or 8 (or more) of the titles.

• Winning team from each class will battle against each other in the auditorium to determine grade level champion.

Are there any questions?

You will receive 5 items

• WRITE your name on each item (except the bag)

• 1 purple bookmark

• 2 white handouts

• 1 purple handout

• 1 plastic bag

• Fold the papers and place everything in the bag