Hey Friends

If you’re considering running a Books to Eat event in your school or community, here are a few pointers to start you off.

Books to Eat Fact Sheet

Decide on dates for your Books to Eat Competition

Send announcements out with homeroom teachers and present to your community i.e. parent association, PTSA about the event.

Decide which grades you would like to go first, depending on the size of your school, this event could be over in a day, a few days, or spread out over a number of weeks.

Things to consider…

1. Do you want the event on a Monday so that students have time to work on their entry with their family or a Friday, as it is a fun way to head into the weekend?
2. Will you start with older grades first so that younger grades can see how it is done, or younger grades first to build up excitement for the older kids?
3. Will anyone be able to take their whole entry home or will all entries be distributed and eaten on the day? How will you make sure there is enough for everyone?
4. Do students need to get materials back, if so, who will label them and when?
5. Will there be categories for your entries? If so, what will they be?
6. Will there be prizes? If so when will entries be judged… by whom? When? How and when will this information be disseminated?
7. PS I don’t recommend prizes…it is a ‘competition’ only because….well, what else would I call it? Sometimes we say Books to Eat Event…to take the edge of the competitive notion. EVERY participant receives a certificate, I( wrote out 70 yesterday, and about the same last week; it takes time, and creativity to come up with ideas for their entry)…some include ‘Greenest Entry’ ‘Tallest Entry’ ‘Brightest Frosting’ ‘Best Props’ ‘Best Book Cover’ ‘Students Choice’…you get the picture.

Helpful Hints

Make sure to label every child’s materials as they come in (or better still, ask for only disposable plates/trays/pans to be sent in with the entry)

For more information on the Books to Eat competitions we’ve successfully run at SAS, type Books to Eat in the search window above and scroll through some of the ideas. Students, parents and teachers NEED to see examples, then they can witness first hand how simple, fun, silly, creative, serious, amazing or complex their entry can be. I don’t bake…or cook…My ideas are the simple/silly/creative ones.

Alternatively e mail me on Kimbra.power@saschina.org I’m always happy to help.

Cheers