March Book Madness Sweeps the School!

For the last several weeks, all Lakeside students have been reading and discussing a very special set of books in anticipation of voting on them in a bracket-style "tournament" this March -- just in time to harness the bracket banter that comes with the NCAA tournament, and just in time to celebrate March as Reading Month.

Sixteen picture books have been shared in classrooms and in the learning commons with students in all grades, while 4th- and 5th-grade students have had access to (and conversations about) sixteen middle-grade chapter books. When they visited the learning commons, Lakeside readers have had the opportunity to discuss, debate, review, connect with, and respond to the books, which were selected around the theme "Compelling Characters" by the organizers (two teachers in Ohio) of this annual, national event.  Many of the chapter books proved so popular that we developed wait lists for them!

March Book Madness books about Compelling Characters

In mid-February, tons of students gathered in the learning commons during their recess to view the video announcing the bracket pairings. There were cheers, groans, and exclamations when students saw exactly which books would be pitted against each other.

Students gather in the learning commons to see bracket pairings revealed

First-round voting began on March 7, and students had one week to vote for their favorites. On Wednesday, March 14, Mrs. Doublestein was able to announce the Elite Eight on the morning announcements, giving students the information they'll need in order to be informed voters in the next round.

We can't get over the suspense and enthusiasm March Book Madness has generated at Lakeside this spring. If you're in the building between now and spring break, be sure to check the bracket display in the hallway outside the Learning Commons to see which books are advancing through the next rounds. We'll announce the winners here when they're revealed -- and, best of all, we're grateful that these much-loved, much-discussed, amazing books will remain part of the collection here at Lakeside from now on.