Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl 2013-14

It is Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl time! Last year, ANCS Middle Campus competed for the first time in this Jeopardy-like quiz competition for super readers. Preparation is intense, yet fun, and the competition is VERY EXCITING!! I would like to extend the invitation to our students to participate in this state-wide event. Here are the details:

• Participate by Reading Club option or Competitive Team option
• Reading Club members may attend practice but will not participate in the Bowl. Competitive Team members must adhere to these requirements:
• Sign up in the media center with Ms. Linahan
• Must read 10 out of the 20 books (on which the competition is based) by Nov 1, 2013
• Must submit a summary of each of those 10 books (characters, plot, etc.) to Ms. Linahan by Nov 1, 2013.
• Attend meetings 1x per week with Ms. Linahan and other team members for practice. This will begin in November.
• Commit to becoming an expert on several assigned books and helping create the trivia questions.
• Commit to attending competition dates. Note to parents: set aside 2 - 5 hours depending on the level of competition we attend:
• Local: Saturday, Jan 25, 2014
• Regional: Saturday, Feb 1, 2014
• Divisional: Saturday, Feb 22, 2014
• No more than 10 students are allowed on the team.
• If more than 10 students sign up, team members will be determined by an elimination quiz.
• All team members will participate in the competition by an equal rotation process.
• You may purchase your own books, borrow from the local library, or use the copies in the media center.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

tlinahan@atlncs.org

Banned Books Week - Sep 22-28

As Banned Books Week approaches, I always like to see a list of the year's most provoking titles.  This year, the week to showcase challenged or banned titles begins September 22. The event began in the early 1980s when there was a surge of opposition to books in schools and libraries. While most challenges come with good intentions (protecting children), to remove others' access to materials is censorship, a violation of the First Amendment. I found this great excerpt on the American Library Association's website.

The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom:

1. the material was considered to be "sexually explicit"
2. the material contained "offensive language"
3. the materials was "unsuited to any age group"

Although this is a commendable motivation, Free Access to Libraries for Minors, an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights states that, “Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources.” Censorship by librarians of constitutionally protected speech, whether for protection or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment.

 As Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., in Texas v. Johnson , said most eloquently:

If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.

As a media specialist for middle-grade students, it can be tricky to navigate the "appropriateness" of some books, as the maturity and reading levels at this age group can vary greatly. While most books in our media center are geared for this age-group, we also have select high school and adult level level reads available. Although I try my best to be sure students are selecting wisely, even award-winning classics have a history of rocking the boat. Here are the top five most challenged classics:

1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker

During Banned Books Week, our media center will highlight some of the novels which have been challenged over the years, bringing awareness to the stories and the controversies they have stirred.

What is your favorite Banned Book? I urge families and teachers to check out Banned Books Week YouTube channel for next week's virtutual read-out.

source: http://www.ala.org/bbooks/about

New Extended Hours in the Media Center!

As of September 9, the media center will be open for students to use for

school-related work on Monday and Thursday afternoons. Great uses of time include:

• Homework
• Computer research
• Work on portfolio pieces and "exceeding" options
• Group projects
• Reading Bowl practice

There are just a few simple rules and expectations:

• Arrive no later than 3:55. *Late arrivals must go to after-school with Ms. Santina

• Sign in and stay on task *Students, take responsibility for your actions!

• Leave at 4:50. *No earlier. Adults picking up students in cars must wait until we all dismiss at 4:50. Students whose ride has not shown up by 5:00 will go to after-school.

See you in the media center!!!