Kicking off in Germany on Friday 14 June, Euro 2024 will be a celebration of men's football on the pitch and reading for pleasure in the classroom.
Everyone aged 5 to 14 years is invited to join in the fun (staff included too!) and finish this school year on a footy-booky high!
It's time! Celebrate Euro 2024 with your whole class and discover lots of popular texts to read along the way. There will be as much fun (and drama!) happening in the classroom as there will be on the pitch...
About the challenge
We are excited to bring you engaging Euro 2024 Book Battle teaching resources. These activities support reading for pleasure, reading stamina and reading diversely in your school with pupils keen to read more and discuss different texts through their love of football.
You can access:
- classroom-ready Teacher Guidelines to support straightforward delivery
- a designed Euro 2024 wallchart to help you and your class follow the book battles taking place in your classroom alongside the football matches
- a recommended reading list with lots of great suggestions for ages 5 to 14 years
- a certificate to congratulate all those that participate in the challenge
- plus a live event with legendary author, Tom Palmer! Tom will host the closing ceremony to this unforgettable Euro 2024 Book Battle reading challenge at 09.30 on Friday 12 July.
- bonus content! Tom has pre-recorded an exclusive quiz that you can host in your classroom at any point. This is not connected to our live Book Battle reading challenge. Watch the quiz here.
Why get involved?
This challenge is easy to deliver and uses fun and interactive ways for pupils to engage with reading and different texts.
It supports pupils to make choices and consider different reading formats, e.g. book, magazine, comic, article. Pupils are also encouraged to work with their peers, and to develop their oracy skills such as presenting in class and debating.
Pupils need to champion their choice of text to ensure it wins each 'book battle' to progress through the tournament all the way to the final.
Which text will become champion of Euro 2024 in your classroom?
How to take part
- Sign up for our free live event taking place on Friday 12 July
- Download the teacher guidelines and read through the suggested ways of delivering the challenge
- Print out the Book Battle wallchart (x2 A3 sheets) and display it for all to see
- Decide from the guidelines how best to deliver the tournament in your classroom
- Discuss the challenge with your pupils allowing plenty of time for them to start choosing their texts ahead of kick off on Friday 14 June. The recommended reading list has a variety of ideas for inspiration.
- Run your book battles in line with the football tournament or within a timeline that suits you best
- Present all participants with a celebratory certificate
- Send in a photo of your completed wallchart to competitions@literacytrust.org.uk (deadline for entries, 16 July 2024).
Live event with author Tom Palmer
Teachers and pupils are invited to join us for this lively online event providing a fun finale to the Book Battle challenge. Your class could even have the chance to represent their school by presenting a favourite text live on air and battle their way to European glory!
- Date: Friday 12 July
- Time: 09.30 to 10.00
- Suitable for: ages 7 to 11 (Years 3 to 6 Key Stage 2, Years P4 to P7).
Entering the competition
We hope you have lots of fun with this challenge and manage to complete your Euro 2024 Book Battle tournament.
We would love to see pictures of your wallchart so why not send in a photo to competitions@literacytrust.org.uk along with the name of your school and the class age group.
Be sure to send your entries by close of play on Tuesday 16 July 2024. An entry will be chosen at random and the winning school will receive a box of books to keep all the brilliant reading going long after the tournament ends.
National Literacy Trust Reading Champions is supported by ALCS.
Explore useful teaching resources developed by ALCS to support understanding and communication about copyright with guides for children, young people and teachers. Watch this ALCS animation as a great starting point to helping your students understand copyright in a fun and interactive way.
Find out more about the National Reading Champions Quiz and Challenges.