Keeping Literature Lit with Mrs. B in the Digital Era: Book Bingo!

Book Bingo! - Contest 1

Overview/Planning:

Book Bingo will delight those who may be in a reading slump or need help expanding their general genre of choice. This contest helps promote the fun of reading books while also allowing an expansion into unfamiliar genres.

Print off bingo cards on cardstock and create a location where the bingo sheets can be displayed. Distribute flyers to students, teachers, and post on the school’s website. Include in the display images of the gift cards that are donated for prizes as well as the top prizes such as an apple watch, airpods, and author signed books.

Promotion of the Event

The event will be promoted using the following tools:

Flyers posted in the library, hallways, cafeteria, and teacher’s classrooms
School district’s webpage
Announcements during school hours
Video from the librarian discussing and highlighting the Book Bingo, so that students/teachers/community members can refer back to it

Preparations Needed

Possibly pull some books that follow the items listed on the bingo sheets to help draw attention to those particular books/genres that students may have a difficult time finding. Have the OPAC system up and ready for students to begin their searches for books regarding particular subjects. Post out for community and business involvement to help with donation of gift cards and monetary donations for the big ticket items.

Procedures

The librarian will create a video highlighting the following:

Book Bingo Rules
How to Play
Where to obtain bingo cards
What a “Black-out” bingo is for the high ticketed prizes (students with black-out bingos will be placed in both categories for the drawings)
What a “Single-line” bingo is for the gift card drawings
The librarian will have readily available bingo cards for students to add their name to once they begin the contest

Payoff

Students will be encouraged to read more outside what their normal liking may be, opening up new experiences for them. Adding in the prizes allows for community and/or business support in the promotion of literacy in schools. Students enjoy working towards earning rewards for reading for enjoyment.