Official Rules for Amphitheatre

Overview

In the Amphitheatre, a team’s unique talents shine by creating a performance or drawing based on a book-related prompt.

Team members will:

• Create a performance or drawing based on a prompt provided to them

• Work as a team to create their chosen work on the spot

• Perform or share their work during the judging time

• Earn points based on adherence to the rules, teamwork, presentation, and creative use of book details.

Amphitheatre - Rules

1. Upon entering the Amphitheatre, each team will be given two “cue cards” with a book-related performance option or a book-related drawing option. Teams will have five minutes to review the cue cards and choose a battle book to feature.

2. At the end of five minutes (or when ready), each team chooses one cue card and turns in the other card. Teams can begin working as soon as their selection is made.

3. Each team will have 15 minutes of production time to prepare their performance or draw their work. Paper, pencils, props, and other creative supplies will be provided in the Amphitheatre.

4. The performance or presentation about the drawing should not exceed 3 minutes long.

5. At the end of 15 minutes, an announcement will be made that teams have entered practice time – a period of 10 minutes where teams are encouraged to practice the presentation of their work. Teams can keep working during practice time with no penalty-- it is a guideline only.

6. At the end of practice time, teams will move into groups (approximately four teams per group) to share their work with each other and for two judges.

7. The judge will announce each team by name. At the start of their time slot, the team captain will stand up and clearly state whether the team chose to do a performance or drawing and which battle book they chose to feature.

8. While all team members should be involved in the development of the performance or drawing, not all team members need to perform or stand up to share the work. Performers/presenters can read from notes or papers in their hands.

9. Teams are encouraged to applaud for other teams when they finish sharing their performance, written work, or drawing.

10. At the Tournament, two separate judges will view each work/presentation and evaluate it. Judges will award points for how well the team followed the stated rules (5 points). Judges will look for whether all team members were involved in the production and practice of the work (15 points). Judges will assess the work considering factors such as completeness and creativity (15 points). Judges will look for whether/how the work includes book details (places, characters, or events in the story) (15 points).

Amphitheatre Scoring

Followed Rules - 5 points

Teamwork - 15 points

Presentation - 15 points

Creative Use of Book Details - 15 points

11. The scores provided by each of the two judges will be added together to calculate the team’s total points for Amphitheatre out of a possible 100 points.

Official Rules for Amphitheatre updated 2/11/2024 for the 2024 Battle of the Books Tournament.