This idea comes from Megan Everitt in Central Ohio. Take a look at her bracket.
I got to tweet back and forth with Ms. Everitt. This is what she does: (1) Select her students’ favorite books from the year, (2) Put them in a bracket, (3) Have students vote, round by round.
Here’s a modification I would do: (1) Create the bracket based on popularity. A #1 seed is the most popular book of the year, for instance, (2) Have students pair off and read both books and then determine the winner, (3) Continue this process until there is a class winner.
My March Madness is a little involved and would take longer than just one month. But students could begin in January and finish by the end of the March, especially if they’re reading one book a week.
One big negative about my choice is that it decreases choice. Students have to read the books in the bracket. On the other hand, for reluctant readers, or students coming back to reading, this approach could bolster reading momentum and encourage students to read outside of school.
What are your thoughts about March Madness?