Crystal Keck, the High School Library Media Specialist, is organizing book tastings for eighth-grade students. This initiative offers them a chance to discover books they might not typically choose. She noted that class schedules can be quite unpredictable leading up to the holidays, making this activity an excellent way to enrich their time in a relaxed setting. This opportunity will be available for eighth-grade classes until the Christmas break.
Exploration by genre
Tables are categorized, allowing students to delve into a few pages from different books within a set timeframe. The arrangement features multiple distinct sections, enabling students to visit at least four tables. Each table showcases specific genres, such as thrillers, memoirs, sports fiction, realistic fiction, dystopian literature, and romance. At some tables, students engage in light discussions, exchanging their thoughts and observations about the books.
Students receive a “menu” to jot down their thoughts about the books, which includes prompts like: What did you like about the section you read? Describe the cover in three words. What rating would you give this book? Would you want to read this book—why or why not? Was there anything you read that you didn’t like?
At the end of the session, students choose their top two favorites from the book tasting and hand in their completed menus to Mrs. Keck. As she skims through their responses, she is impressed by the variety of opinions shared.
