In the
past, I’ve written a #SibertSmackdown Wrap-up post with tidbits from some of
the classes and schools who participated. But this year, I decided to invite
teachers to share a reflection of their class’s experience. It was a great
decision.
It’s
exciting to find out exactly how educators integrated the activity into their
curriculum and how they modified my suggestions to meet the specific needs of
their students. Today’s post
comes from fourth grade teacher Patti Francis. Thanks so much for sharing,
Patti!
This is our 4th year
participating in the Sibert Smackdown at Pownal Elementary School. In the past,
I have used a bracket-style tournament system. I would read aloud two Sibert
contenders each week, the students voted for their favorite, and the winner
would move forward to the next round until we reached our ultimate Sibert
Smackdown winner.
This year, after
reading Melody Lloyd Allen’s three-part article “The 3 Ds: A Simple
Framework for Evaluating Sibert Medal Contenders” (available here, here, and here), I decided to change
things up. It was time to explore these amazing informational books with a
different lens. Using Melissa Stewart’s suggested booklist as a guide, I chose six
contenders, and we started our Sibert Smackdown.
I began the unit by
introducing the Robert F. Sibert Informational Medal and explaining its purpose
and prestige. I read aloud the 2021 Sibert Medal winner, Honeybee: The
Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann, and then
we had a class discussion about what we thought the criteria should be for a
book to win this award. Finally, I shared Melody Lloyd Allen’s 3Ds
(Design, Documentation, and Delight) as the evaluation tool we would use in our
Sibert Smackdown.
We spent the next six
lessons sharing fantastic, amazing, beautiful, and fascinating informational
picture books. Using the elements of Design, Documentation, and Delight as a
guide, students shared why they thought these books should (or shouldn’t) be
awarded the Sibert Medal. Our list included:
Nina: A Story of Nina
Simone
by Traci N. Todd and Christian Robinson
“I think this is an interesting topic. It has a really cool art style and a lot
of additional backmatter.”
13 Ways to Eat a Fly by Sue Heavenrich and
David Clark
“The pictures are really funny, and I learned a lot, too.”
The People’s
Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art by Cynthia Levinson and
Evan Turk
“I chose this book because it is about an important person, and I liked the
pictures. They look a lot like Ben Shahn’s artwork.”
The Beak Book by Robin Page
“I liked the design of this book. The pictures are amazing and there was also
more information about the animals in the back of the book.”
Summertime
Sleepers: Animals that Estivate by Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen
“I liked the design of each page and how it gave a lot of information about the
animals.”
How to Make a Book (About
My Dog)
by Chris Barton and Sarah Horne
“It was funny and unique.”
After reading our final
Sibert Smackdown contender, the students voted for their favorite. I was very
excited to find that every book received at least one vote. With only 30
students participating, I think that speaks to the captivating and engaging
quality of all our Sibert contenders.
Our 2022 winner was How
to Make a Book (About My Dog) by Chris Barton and Sarah Horne.
“I liked how the author chose a topic that lots of people are interested in and
made it funny and interesting.”
The Sibert Smackdown
unit has become a highly anticipated annual event in our library. Students
often mention it as a favorite in their year-end reflections.
But here’s my favorite
reason for participating: My students have started reading nonfiction more
widely. They check out more nonfiction books, share nonfiction books with each
other, and ask me for recommendations on what else to read.
The Sibert Smackdown
has become a doorway for me and my students into the fascinating, creative, and
exciting world of informational children’s books.
Patti Francis has been working in
school libraries for 13 years. She is currently the librarian at Morse
Street School in Freeport, Maine, and Pownal Elementary School in Pownal,
Maine. She loves sharing the joy and excitement of books and reading. Patti
is also a member of the Maine State Library’s Cream of the Crop Committe,
helping to create a list of the best children’s books published each year. You
can follow her on Twitter @pmkfrancis and on Instagram at mybookishview.
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One Response
Love the 3Ds criteria! Just perfect!