Research Riddle for Monday, March 10th


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Students Weigh in on Banned Books and the Freedom to Read

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Every year, for Banned Book Week, I prepare a lesson for our 8th graders. It was always teacher directed with discussion until last year . The English I teachers and I created a lesson for the students that included research and writing. I pulled the materials that I wanted them to read, and the students would write a very short essay declaring their belief in the need for teens to be able to exercise their freedom to read what they want to or the need for certain books to be taken off the shelves of the library or pulled from the English curriculum.  Above is the slide presentation that I have made for the students. Included in the slides are several videos that I thought would get the students thinking. There are slides with links to specific articles that we want the students to read and use for the concrete evidence to support their stance. A rubric is included at the end so the students know exactly what is expected. The teachers and I want the writing to have a...
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Banned Book Week: Students Make Comments Pro & Con Censorship

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This blog post is being designed as a lesson for the English I students at PFTSTA. The teachers and I have collaborated on an activity to celebrate Banned Book Week (BBW). Many times in the past during BBW, I have invited the 8th graders into the library to discuss the banning and challenging of books in schools and libraries. I usually show some videos and share books owned by our library that have been banned or challenged somewhere in the US. This activity always spurs great discussion among the students and teachers. This year we wanted the students to create a written response to the presentation. We thought there was a real world connection if we had the students post their opinion online as a comment to someone writing about censorship in schools. The teachers and I want the students to learn how to compose a well thought out comment that is supported by evidence and concrete details. How more real world could it be than having the students comment directly on their librar...
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As of August 1st, I have been officially retired from Jefferson Parish Public Schools. I taught for a total of 41 years--10 in two different early childhood classrooms and 31 in three different school libraries. I knew in August of 2021 that it would be my last, but I did not know how difficult a year that it was going to be.  Last first day of school in August of 2021 First, Hurricane Ida closed the doors to many of the schools in our district for a whole month. We started school in August, but we were out of the building for the entire month of September. Online learning was not an option because there were many who did not have access to electricity or the Internet. Then in November, I was a plaintiff in a litigation trial for two weeks that took a huge emotional toll on me. I finally got my footing in the library, and then at the beginning of February, I lost my dad who was 97 years old. Every time I turned around something else was blocking my path for a normal year. I have be...
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