Ruffin Writers

Training for Question Writers for

CCSD Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl

Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Started in DeKalb County http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/hrrb/georgia.html

Georgia Book Award chapter book nominees

http://www.coe.uga.edu/gcba/

Expanded to middle school using the Georgia Book Award chapter book nominees

Expanded to high school using Georgia Peach Teen nominees

http://glma-inc.org/peachaward.htm

Meet ..

Helen Ruffin, retired media specialist Sky Haven Elementary, DeKalb County

Dr. April Ruffin, relative of Helen Ruffin who attends the CCSD HRRB

Competition Format

6 rounds 10 questions per round 5 members on each team 2 teams each round (rotate) Team members respond individually 10 points for each correct answer Cumulative Score for all 6 rounds

determines 1st and 2nd place

Winners

Everyone who participates is a winner!

All teams receive a participation trophy!

Advancing to the Regional Bowl Top 2 scoring teams in each

division receive first and second place trophies

These teams are determined by cumulative scores for all 6 rounds

Room Volunteers Moderator:

Reads rules each round Reads questions Determines if answer is correct Makes sure rules are followed

Console Judge Operates the lockout device Recognizes student who buzzes in first May assist moderator in determining if answer is correct

Score Keeper Keeps score on board Completes score sheet May assist moderator in determining if answer is

correct Time Keeper

Uses a watch with a second hand to track 10 second time limits

Task may be assigned to score keeper or console judge

As you write questions remember …

The competition should be fun The room volunteers have not

read the books All possible versions of an

answer should be given

Always start questions

In the book <book title>, …

For example:In the book Elsewhere, what are Observation Decks?

Indicating answers ….

p. #, answer

For example:p.64, places where you can see all the way to Earth

Things to think about … Is the question based on facts? Is the question clearly stated? Does the answer have too many

parts (beyond 3 parts is too many, you could ask for 3 out of 7 from a list)?

Can the question be answered differently depending on the point in the story?

Do not use Yes/No and Either/Or type of questions

Things to think about …

Is a full name required or will just the first or last name suffice? (Liz Hall or just Liz)

Moderators and other volunteers have not necessarily read the book so list all acceptable answers (i.e. Mein Kampf or My Life or My Struggle)

Things to think about …

There may be a very interesting fact in the story …

But it may be too hard to word a question clearly …

So just go on to something else!

There are lots of possible questions!

In the following slides

Read the question and answer Determine if the question is

Good – acceptable for reading bowl

Bad – needs to be rewritten for clarity before being used for the reading bowl

Ugly – wrong facts; correct facts and rewrite or throw out and try another question

Good, Bad, or Ugly? In the book Green Angel, what

are the three colors of stones and what did each represent?

p.27, black for her mother, silver for her father, and pure white for her sister

Good!!!

Good, Bad, or Ugly? In the book Notes From the

Midnight Driver, what book did Alex bring Sol for Hanukkah?

p.92, Monk

Bad!!! The question should read

what is the title of the book that Alex brought Sol for Hanukkah?

Good, Bad, or Ugly? In the book Phineas L.

MacGuire Erupts!, who are the authors?

title page, Frances O'Roark Dowell and Preston McDaniels

Ugly!!! Frances O’Roark Dowell is the

author and Preston McDaniels is the illustrator.

Let’s write some questions! Go to www.google.com Under more choose Books Search Books: Here Lies the

Librarian 1st result – click on title Use arrows above book cover to

“turn” to page 1 Read chapter 1 (p.1-11) Write 2 questions.

Enter your 20 questions into the Question Database file

Practice entering into the spreadsheet/database

Go to http://www.cobbk12.org/BelmontHills/hrrb/

Choose Question Writer Volunteers

Download the Excel spreadsheet (save to your directory)

Enter your 2 questions and save

Time to choose books!

“Pass the hat” Pick one at a time One “hat” for GA Book Award

Books Another “hat” for Peach Teen

books

Questions from the whole book!

The 10 questions for each book need to cover the entire book, beginning to end

Total Pages ÷10 = section

Then make 1 question from each section of the book

Tending to Grace has 176 pages!

176 ÷ 10 = 17.6 or 18 pages Sections:

1-18, 19-36, 37-54, 55-72, 73-90

91-108, 109-126, 127-144,

145-162,163-176

You will write 2 questions for each section of your book!

Email your question database file (Peach Teen and chapter book) to Kate Lyons at k9lyons@yahoo.com

Please complete your questions for all 4 books by June 1st!

Now it’s your turn - It is highly recommended that

you read the entire book before writing questions

This will alert you to possible questions that could be answered differently at different points in the story

So go ahead and read your book … ENJOY!

Then go back and write questions.

Final Words …

The Reading Bowl should be fun! The Reading Bowl cannot

happen without your help! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

THANK YOU!