PRoposed Banned Books Week Events 2015
Censoring Student Reading - A “Living” Brainstorm
During the beginning of September the librarian will utilize the glass windows in the front of the library and paint pens to create a comparison chart/list of the risks and benefits of reading banned books. The librarian will prompt study hall students “caught” in the act of reading (for pleasure or for information) to think about the benefits and risks of reading banned books. The librarian will provide background on Banned Books Week, an informational flyer and will encourage each student to contribute to the chart by writing or drawing their thoughts, risk and/or benefit of reading banded books. As Banned Books Week approaches a wall of benefits (and less risks) will fill the windows and add to our display. Participants will earn a raffle ticket for a drawing for a KindleFire.
[adapted from http://www.teachhub.com/banned-book-week-activities]
Virtual Read-Out
What is it?: “Are you looking for a way to celebrate your freedom to read during Banned Books Week? Consider participating in the Banned Books Virtual Read-out! Since the inception of Banned Books Week in 1982, libraries and bookstores throughout the country have staged local read-outs—a continuous reading of banned/challenged books—as part of their activities. Now in it's fourth year (2014), readers from around the world can participate in the Banned Books Virtual Read-Out by creating videos proclaiming the virtues of the freedom to read that will be featured on a dedicated YouTube channel” (American Library Association, 2014).
Criteria: See http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/criteria
Students who submit the best Virtual Read-Outs will be given a Young Adult Banned Book and the first place winner will earn five raffle tickets for a drawing for a KindleFire.
WLYM – Creating and Reading PSAs and Display of Winning Work
The Lyme-Old Lyme High School has a Live News Broadcast called WLYM – Wildcats News. Within their broadcast students will promote Banned Books Week events using digital flyers and skits that they develop after consulting the librarian. The news team will also create PSAs and read brief passages, highlight titles and reasons for banning certain titles. The WLYM news team will also take the submissions from both the poster and video challenges and highlight them prior to or after the news broadcast. Live feed from the library during events and interviews with stakeholders, panel discussion member and the librarian will occur and be archived on either our High School YouTube Channel or on the Library website. The librarian will award raffle tickets for a drawing for a Kindle Fire to members of WLYM for their efforts.
Banned Books “2” Movie Event
The Library-Media Center staff, English Department, and Social Studies Department will collaboratively host a movie night on the Thursday within Banned Books Week. The night will begin with a public viewing of both our Animated Video Challenge and Virtual Poster Challenge. Next, break-out discussion groups about the consequences of censorship and the need for free and open access to information will be facilitated by the librarian and a panel of English and Social Studies teachers. Passages within banned books selected by teachers will be used to start conversations. Finally, a showing of film based on a banned book will occur.
The target audience is the student body. Community members and stakeholders such as the Board of Education will be invited. The title of this film will change from year to year and preferably be recent and have great appeal among students. After the conclusion of the film participants will be asked to complete an exit slip: What are the consequences of banning books? Specifically, what if books such as this were never to become movies? We will use Twitter, our website and a blog to share these responses. Each participant will earn one raffle ticket for a drawing for a Kindle Fire.
A Panel Discussion on the Freedom to Read
This panel discussion would occur during our Advisory period within the month of September. The Wednesday during Banned Books Week would be ideal. We would invite a teacher, bookseller, ACLU-CT representative, public librarian and a community member etc. to sit on our panel. We would begin the panel discussion by showcasing the winners of our animated video challenge. We would then move into a series of questions for the panel participants that will showcase the consequences of censorship and why the freedom to read (freedom of information) is important.
Banned Book Sit-ins; Board of Education
During Banned Book Week we will encourage staff and students to stage a banned books reading sit-in within our school’s common spaces. Students and staff will read banned books in heavily populated areas throughout the school, especially in the Commons during lunch period. Students and staff participants will be provided with caution tape arm-bands or sashes to wear while staging their reading sit-in. Likewise, during the October Board of Education Meeting the librarian will organize a banned books reading sit-in to raise awareness of the consequences of censorship and will showcase the efforts, videos, posters, and events of this promotional reading plan. A written report including visual evidence and the analysis of the data collected as well as an Animoto Video will be shared with the Board of Education and the Community.
During the beginning of September the librarian will utilize the glass windows in the front of the library and paint pens to create a comparison chart/list of the risks and benefits of reading banned books. The librarian will prompt study hall students “caught” in the act of reading (for pleasure or for information) to think about the benefits and risks of reading banned books. The librarian will provide background on Banned Books Week, an informational flyer and will encourage each student to contribute to the chart by writing or drawing their thoughts, risk and/or benefit of reading banded books. As Banned Books Week approaches a wall of benefits (and less risks) will fill the windows and add to our display. Participants will earn a raffle ticket for a drawing for a KindleFire.
[adapted from http://www.teachhub.com/banned-book-week-activities]
Virtual Read-Out
What is it?: “Are you looking for a way to celebrate your freedom to read during Banned Books Week? Consider participating in the Banned Books Virtual Read-out! Since the inception of Banned Books Week in 1982, libraries and bookstores throughout the country have staged local read-outs—a continuous reading of banned/challenged books—as part of their activities. Now in it's fourth year (2014), readers from around the world can participate in the Banned Books Virtual Read-Out by creating videos proclaiming the virtues of the freedom to read that will be featured on a dedicated YouTube channel” (American Library Association, 2014).
Criteria: See http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/criteria
Students who submit the best Virtual Read-Outs will be given a Young Adult Banned Book and the first place winner will earn five raffle tickets for a drawing for a KindleFire.
WLYM – Creating and Reading PSAs and Display of Winning Work
The Lyme-Old Lyme High School has a Live News Broadcast called WLYM – Wildcats News. Within their broadcast students will promote Banned Books Week events using digital flyers and skits that they develop after consulting the librarian. The news team will also create PSAs and read brief passages, highlight titles and reasons for banning certain titles. The WLYM news team will also take the submissions from both the poster and video challenges and highlight them prior to or after the news broadcast. Live feed from the library during events and interviews with stakeholders, panel discussion member and the librarian will occur and be archived on either our High School YouTube Channel or on the Library website. The librarian will award raffle tickets for a drawing for a Kindle Fire to members of WLYM for their efforts.
Banned Books “2” Movie Event
The Library-Media Center staff, English Department, and Social Studies Department will collaboratively host a movie night on the Thursday within Banned Books Week. The night will begin with a public viewing of both our Animated Video Challenge and Virtual Poster Challenge. Next, break-out discussion groups about the consequences of censorship and the need for free and open access to information will be facilitated by the librarian and a panel of English and Social Studies teachers. Passages within banned books selected by teachers will be used to start conversations. Finally, a showing of film based on a banned book will occur.
The target audience is the student body. Community members and stakeholders such as the Board of Education will be invited. The title of this film will change from year to year and preferably be recent and have great appeal among students. After the conclusion of the film participants will be asked to complete an exit slip: What are the consequences of banning books? Specifically, what if books such as this were never to become movies? We will use Twitter, our website and a blog to share these responses. Each participant will earn one raffle ticket for a drawing for a Kindle Fire.
A Panel Discussion on the Freedom to Read
This panel discussion would occur during our Advisory period within the month of September. The Wednesday during Banned Books Week would be ideal. We would invite a teacher, bookseller, ACLU-CT representative, public librarian and a community member etc. to sit on our panel. We would begin the panel discussion by showcasing the winners of our animated video challenge. We would then move into a series of questions for the panel participants that will showcase the consequences of censorship and why the freedom to read (freedom of information) is important.
Banned Book Sit-ins; Board of Education
During Banned Book Week we will encourage staff and students to stage a banned books reading sit-in within our school’s common spaces. Students and staff will read banned books in heavily populated areas throughout the school, especially in the Commons during lunch period. Students and staff participants will be provided with caution tape arm-bands or sashes to wear while staging their reading sit-in. Likewise, during the October Board of Education Meeting the librarian will organize a banned books reading sit-in to raise awareness of the consequences of censorship and will showcase the efforts, videos, posters, and events of this promotional reading plan. A written report including visual evidence and the analysis of the data collected as well as an Animoto Video will be shared with the Board of Education and the Community.
