I am grateful to everyone who shared their best practices as I now have a
convenient way to back-up my booktalks. Since receiving all of the ideas
listed below I have begun to type my booktalks in Word, print them on index
cards, and save the files on a flash drive. This allows me to continue with
my convenient system of carrying a small container of alphabetized booktalks
on index cards, saves me the double work of writing the booktalk twice, and
gives me the reassurance of an electronic back-up.
I also learned from Nancy Keane that I can submit booktalks on her web site.
It's a pleasure to give to a source from which I have only been taking.
I learned some other creative ideas, such as how to track who has heard your
booktalks, which I plan to incorporate. The first idea listed could be a
conference workshop due to its creativity, color and teen appeal.
Below are the responses, including a 2003 HIT on this topic that were
forwarded to me.
Davinna Artibey
Library Media Specialist
Denver Public Schools, CO
Our booktalks are actually stored on folders--primary colors. The front
cover is scanned, printed and used on the front cover of the folder. Inside
are copies of excerpts, book jacket descriptions, reviews, and/or info about
the author--whatever may catch the reader's attention. We have students
glue them together and decorate them with colorful construction paper and
then laminate them. The folders are used to present a booktalk and then
left in the classroom for students to look at. We have two crates of
folders in the library for the students to browse through to help them find
a book. The folders have been very popular.
Maybe not what you were looking for--but it works for us!
I type mine in Word, print them on index cards and save the file in a book
talk folder. I don't know if this is the easiest way but I change the paper
size (under PAGE SETUP tab in the FILE menu) to whatever size card I am
using. The document feeder for my printer has sliding adjustments that
allow me to center the card and it prints perfectly each time. Well
sometimes the card goes in whopper-jawed, but most of the time it works
great.
I am still exploring managing this in a searchable format, but haven't
gotten there yet. For now I file by author and depend on Novelist or
another selection tool to get me to the right card. I also add the date and
audience information to the card (as I am doing the Word file). I often
find myself wondering who has already heard this talk.
Hope this helps.
I too, organize my booktalks in a similar fashion. I actually type my
notes, in Word, then print them onto 3x5 cards. I have more information and
have both the convience of portability and the security of duplicates.
Have you thought about copying the cards and putting them in a 3 ring binder
for a backup? This way the only extra work you do is copy the card and
3-hole-punch it. It is in a central location, your 3-ring-binder, and easy
to duplicate if the original goes missing.
I solved that problem for myself by putting them on a webpage. Now others
are contributing as well and there are close to 5,000 booktalks on the page.
If you would like to contribute your talks to the page, you would get full
credit and they would be available at any computer that has internet access.
If you would like to check out the page:
http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks
You could either use a flash drive or put them on a website.
How about using a jump drive ( flash drive) to store them on and you can
carry it with you. I travel between 3 elem. schools and I have these to be
most useful.
I do my booktalks in word and print them on a 4 X 6 card. Then I save it in
a file on a disk so I have a hard copy and a back up. I tape the card to the
back of the book I'm talkling and highlight key words so I can refer to it
if I need to. This works well for me.
Hi! The thing that comes to my mind immediately is that you type your
booktalks on the computer, print
out a copy, and paste/glue it to your index card. You could probably even
print directly on an index
card. There are also laser papers that are basically big "labels", you
could print on that & peel it off
and apply to an index card. It's maybe a little more work this way, but
worth it if you have concerns about
losing your portable file. Just a few thoughts...
I don't actually store book talks, but I have small 2 ring binders that
store 5 x 7 index cards where I keep all of my records on books I've read.
The little binders work well and I'm outgrowing the 4 I have. It's an easy
organization tool I picked up in grad school back in the 80's.
I also use the note card style of keeping track of them. My cards are a bit
smaller so that I can cheat with my booktalk and tape it to the back of the
books I'm booktalking. Each card has a spot where I write similar books or
similar authors. I also laminate them and write on the back when I've used
them and with what group so that I'm not giving the same booktalk to the
same group of people. Laminating makes it easy to reuse and reuse but I do
have to use a permanent marker on the back to keep track of dates/people
I've used it with. They are alphabetized by the title of the book with tabs
for the alphabet.
For the "note cards" I've done a template on WORD so that I can save all of
the booktalks so that if my cards would get lost, stolen, etc. I could
easily print them off again.
I've also toyed with the idea of color coding them by genre because I've
been with a group that's really into a particular genre and I could easily
pull cards of that color to kind of say - well if you liked the book like
this. . you'd also like. . .
I too, organize my booktalks in a similar fashion. I actually type my
notes, in Word, then print them onto 3x5 cards. I have more information and
have both the convience of portability and the security of duplicates.
okay, you are going to think I am crazy...I quickly write out what I deem
important.
Title
Author
Pub Date
ISBN
Publisher
I then summarize the plot - 2-3 sentences.
Jot down main characters.
I have attached the template in a word format. I print it out in the 4x6
photo tray, using 4x6 index cards...It seems a bit crazy. But the best way
for me to have a 1 minute RA is to do this with each book. Over the years,
I have just kept at it.
I print them out and actually tape them in the front of the book. I thought
about this a long time and I'm happy I started it. If a student asks me
about a book, if I don't have time to talk about it, I'll show him/her the
book talk in the book and tell them to read it themselves and decide. It
seems to work.
Would you ever consider sharing your book talks?
Couldn't you photocopy the cards and put the copies in a 3-ring binder.
(2003 HIT)
Thank you for sending suggestions for keeping your booktalk notes
organized. I am using a 3-ring binder to keep summaries (printed from Amazon
and/or Follett's Titlewave) of all the books I've read. The binder is
divided by genre and I have been adding my notes onto these pages. I may
create 3x5 cards with just main characters, etc. and keep them in protectors
within each section. Also, I created a Booktalk catagory in my Follett
cataloging section and have added the books I've used. Hopefully, I'll be
able to keep this up. Below are all the responses. Thanks for all the
suggestions.
**************************
I used to write a little blurb on an index card every time I read a book
that I would booktalk - and I have them filed alphabetically by author.
It's a great resource to consult when I read the book 4 or 5 years ago.
However, I finally got smart - and I've been cutting blurbs out of catalogs
or I go online to amazon and print out their brief summary. I only do this
for books I have read but it does jog the memory.
***********************************************
I keep 3x5 cards for each book that I book talk and have them organized by
grade level. I also try and remember to fill in a monthly form for the
book talks I've done for each class. It's just a grid type layout with a
space for each month and a row for each grade in the school.
************************************************
use 4 x 6 2-ring binders. I got them at he college book store when I was in
grad school in the 80's. I try to do a card for every book I read for school
with notes on who would probably like it i.e. girls, boys, age level, etc. I
keep them in alphabetical order according to author. I let the students look
through to get more info on a book I may have read. The binder keeps them
organized. HOpe this helps. :)
***************************************************
I used to use a large size recipe box with the colored file cards, to sort
of (?) define age levels and/or categories. I always put title, author,
number of pages, copyright date, usually the publisher, then setting and
time, then major characters with a line or two of information about
each, other major things that I might want to have my memory jogged on. Now
it would be easy to set it up in the computer. And yes, it would be a
great idea to note that somewhere in the catalog info.
There were lots of times my recipe box sprouted those scraps of paper, and
then I would do a major catch-up day and transfer info to the cards.
***************************************************
I keep a spread sheet of books that I have prepared talks for and have the
English classes (at JHS) or classrooms (elem) listed across the top.
I check off a title under the appropriate column when I have booktalked it.
That way I can make sure I am introducing new books and not repeating
myself.
***************************************************
If you kept your notes on cards, they could be saved two ways: In a recipe
size box and then scanned into a file on your computer.
****************************************************
I like to keep 3x5 cards with notes about the books. It really makes it
easy to pull together the books to book talk. Plus I have very little
preparation work to do
**************************************************************
I used a hybrid system:
Book notes were on 4x6 index cards, alph by TITLE. On each card were key
points for booktalk, other/related titles, list of 'topics' book could be
used for.
Separate database kept complete list of books, with fields for author,
title, copyright date, call number, and up to 4 possible topics for each.
That way I could search for titles to use, and then have a cheat-sheet for
each book in hand.
***********************************************************
In this library, i inherited a large box just wide and tall enough for 5X7
notecards, and about a foot deep. I think that large photo boxes may be
this size. I keep my booktalks here, alpha by author, and also sections
that I regularly use (fantasy for 7th grade, etc). It's marvelous, and I
like the hands-on quality, making it easy to carry and review a group I
need, and also to add or shift any titles.
*********************************************************
I keep all the books i have booktalked in a binder. i am in the process of
putting those color coded tabs to organize them by genre.
************************************************************
I booktalk weekly in two different classes; I keep an Excel spreadsheet for
each teacher. The spreadsheet contains titles, authors, and the
date on which I booktalked it. This way I keep from bringing the same title
to the same class. My system isn't fancy, but it seems to work for me.
***************************************************************
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