Get ready to celebrate Banned Books Week!

Students brainstorm reasons why certain books might have been banned and discuss common reasons why books are challenged.

Grades   7 – 12

John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, was born in 1775.

Students use the Timeline Tool to organize details about Chapman's life, the Venn Diagram to organize information, and the Shape Poems Interactive to create poems about apples or Johnny Appleseed.

Grades   3 – 8

Thomas Nast was born on this day in 1840.

Students explore free speech issues, search the newspaper or Internet to create a list of current events, and draw original political cartoons.

Grades   9 – 12

Scotland Yard was established this day in 1829.

Students explore the resources on the Scotland Yard website and compare the advice given to London's citizens to the advice available from the local police department.

Grades   9 – 12

Elie Wiesel was born on September 30, 1928.

Students compare and contrast two views of the Holocaust from different authors. Students may also research stories of other survivors who may or may not be published and create a presentation on this survivor.

Grades   7 – 12

Find favorite book picks in the Children's Choices.

Students create lists of their favorite books and then the class creates a "Top Picks" class booklist. Students can use the Book Cover Creator to create a book jacket for their favorite book.

Grades   K – 6

Get ready for National Bullying Prevention Month!

Students create a poster to enter into a poster contest that educates others about issues surrounding bullying.

Grades   1 – 12

Author Tim O’Brien was born on this day.

After reading O’Brien’s story “A True War Story” from The Things They Carried, students choose a powerful event from their own lives and map it using the Timeline Tool. They then create a fictional version of this event.

Grades   9 – 12