What do Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Ann Coulter have in common? How do they differ from Adolf Hitler, Ayn Rand, Michael Moore, Andrew Breitbart, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Michael Savage? A Rebel Pundit survey last month asked, “Which of these books would you be interested in having banned, if you could have books banned?”
The results were overwhelmingly in favor of banning the books of Palin, Beck and Coulter, though the math of the survey is a little confusing since the results don’t add up to 100%. That said, what’s going on here?
Rebel Pundit’s reporter set up on the street in Chicago, during the Printers Row Literary Festival. As these alleged book lovers passed by the reporter, he asked them which books they’d like banned, telling them they could ban up to three, and handing them a Sharpie so they could make tick marks under their choices. Before I go on, watch the Rebel Pundit video of folks participating in the survey:
Sadly, people take the marker and willingly step up to the poster. The editing of the video suggests the participants aren’t really thinking much. They don’t even interact much with the reporter, other than taking the Sharpie from his hand.
In fairness, Rebel Pundit does explain that there were naysayers:
Nine people explicitly stated to us they thought banning books was wrong, including two individuals who voted on the board but later approached us to say, (paraphrasing) “I think I made a mistake, and wanted to take my votes back if I could, because after further reflection, I think banning any book is wrong.”
Only nine people of 147 protested the idea of banning books. Of course, the point of the survey isn’t really book banning. It’s to demonstrate that people make choices without thinking.
My hunch is that the reporter expected people to vote unthinkingly. Rebel Pundit is a conservative blog. According to their About page, they are “a beacon of truth, showing the unholy alliance of the local mainstream media and the progressive Democratic Party.” Since Chicago is a traditionally liberal town, the video and related article depict the people of Chicago as foolish lemmings:
While there were in fact less than two handfuls of individuals who did tell us they don’t think any books should be banned, unfortunately there were a shocking amount of guests at this book fair who were quite open to the idea, and in fact lined up quite excited for the opportunity to voice their opinion.
Given the audience of the Rebel Pundit site, the site likely guessed that their readers would draw the connections that the liberal democrats at the book festival were actually interested in limiting individual freedoms by stepping up happily to ban books. You don’t need to read many of the comments to see that it worked.
How to Use the Video in the Classroom
Because of the way that people blindly choose to ban books, the video can be a useful part of class discussion of censorship and book banning. Though it’s a tempting idea, I would not set up a classroom or school survey to trap students into similar behavior. I want students to think critically about censorship, and I don’t think labeling them as unthinking is a good way to do that.
Instead, I want to play the video for students and ask them what they think is happening. Why are the participants so willing to participate in this book banning activity? I want them to identify how much thought is going into the participants’ decisions and how much peer pressure and the public nature of the survey contribute to participation. I’ll also ask students to look at the setup of the survey. It’s just a simple tick mark on a piece of poster paper. Does that simplicity or the presence of the reporter influence them to participate?
I don’t think the decision to add a vote to the poster is part of some great political agenda, so I will downplay those connections at the beginning of the discussion. When the political aspect of the survey does come up, and I’m sure it will, I’ll ask students to think about how the choice of books and the setting for the survey were part of the reason people were eager to ban the books on the poster. What would happen if the same survey were set up in a conservative town or event?
There are also questions of graphic design to consider: does the layout of book covers on the poster play a part in the response? What would happen if the books are arranged differently on the poster or if the choices were shared only with words (without those very identifiable faces on the book covers)? If the survey itself were presented some other way, would the decision to participate be different?
After all this discussion, I’m thinking of introducing a research project on book banning. Students can research censorship events, like Nazi book burning to more recent censorship of bloggers in countries like China and Egypt. The focus can be widened to include films, songs, and other texts as well. Research questions like these could inspire papers or presentations:
How does peer pressure contribute to participation in book burnings?
What other persuasive devices were involved?
Are there political agendas at play in the choice of what has been banned?
Does the fact that just one book is banned simplify participation?
Who decided what was banned? What motives were at play?
If I decide not to go with a research activity, I may stick with the survey itself and ask students to write short responses that they’d give if they were asked, “Which books would you ban?” Answers can be anything from a 140-character Twitter posts to a video response or PowerPoint presentation. The resulting pieces can be part of public service announcement campaign during Banned Books Week.
When learning stops during the summer, students suffer from what is referred to as the summer slide—a loss of ability and knowledge from the close of school in the spring to the reopening in the fall.
Take advantage of the long summer days, and prevent summer learning loss with Thinkfinity’s fun, interactive games and activities. In addition to online games and engaging summertime activities, you’ll find recommended reading lists as well as a discussion forum where parents and educators can interact.
For a review of the resources on ReadWriteThink, watch the new Engaging Students After School and at Home video, and check out the calendar entries, lesson plans, and classroom activities below for more classroom and summer ideas. Have a great week!
June 6: Celebrate Cynthia Rylant’s birthday! Students work in small groups or as a class to map the plot of a selected Cynthia Rylant story and create original literary works using the plot diagrams. (For grades K–8)
June 7: Poet Nikki Giovanni was born in 1943. Using the poem “My First Memory (of Librarians),” students connect memory, their senses, and the language of poetry. (For grades 1–12)
June 8: Commercial ice cream is first sold in the U.S. in 1786. After finding advertisements from the past, students evaluate them and discuss how ads have changed over the years. Students then create an advertisement for a new flavor of ice cream. (For grades 5–12)
Look ahead to next week for lesson plans and activities on Anne Frank’s diary, Flag Day, and the birthdays of author Brian Jacques and Chris Van Allsburg.
It’s the time of year when spelling exotic words that you’d never use in day-to-day communication is all the rage. The final rounds of the Scripps Spelling Bee take place, with daily coverage on ESPN.
As I wrote in an NCTE Inbox blog post a couple of years ago, the problem is that while spelling has apparently become prime time entertainment, spelling bees still aren’t good pedagogy. A 2007 Washington Post article explains that spelling bees provide limited support to students learning about words and the ways that they work. Sue Ann Gleason, the teacher quoted in the article explains the spelling bees “honor the children who already know how to spell, but they do little to support those who need explicit instruction.”
So while the Spelling Bee may get kids and their families interested in spelling for a few days, take a look at the spelling lesson plans and activities on ReadWriteThink for ways to support every student (not just the ones who can spell funny words like weissnichtwo. And check out the calendar entries, lesson plans, and classroom activities below for more classroom-ready ideas. Have a great week!
New Resources
Listen to the most recent podcasts on ReadWriteThink:
Are your budding scientists eager to discover what makes plants grow? Check out The Science of Spring from Science NetLinks and watch students’ imaginations bloom.
Inspire students with some summer reading activities:
May 31: Today is Walt Whitman’s birthday. Students write and illustrate their own children’s stories using the text from a Walt Whitman poem. (For grades 7–12)
June 1: CNN debuted as the first television news network in 1980. Students brainstorm a list of modern news sources and from previous centuries. Groups then research one of these sources and create a timeline showing the evolution of news. (For grades 3–12)
June 3: Jesse James robs the Obocock Bank in 1871. Students listen to folksongs and related information about Jesse James, and then research James’ life and write new folk songs about James or another famous outlaw. (For grades 3–12)
Look ahead to next week for lesson plans and activities on the Crystal Palace, the first sale of ice cream, and the birthdays of authors Cynthia Rylant and Nikki Giovanni.
Now that classes are nearly over, it’s that time when I begin reflecting on the year and deciding which activities I want to be sure to try again next year. I try to think of the resources that surprised me or particularly engaged students.
One of my favorites is Cooking Up Descriptive Language: Designing Restaurant Menus. It gave students a chance to compose menus that reflected their family and cultural backgrounds, and they were able to learn more about text design and layout. I’ll definitely try it again, and I’m considering other possibilities for the activity, like using it as a book report alternative by asking students to create a menu for a restaurant that characters in a novel visit (or might visit). It was definitely a keeper!
For more great classroom activities, check out the calendar entries, lesson plans, and classroom activities below for this week. Have a great week!
New Resources
Share the stories of war, sacrifice and honor of these heroic women and men with your students with this special collection of lessons, interactives and resources on Honoring Our Military.
Help students understand the science of spring with lessons and activities from Thinkfinity.org, including The Science of Spring from Science NetLinks.
Explore the universe with your students. Launch rockets, explore planets and test gravity with lessons and interactive tools.
May 22: Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood premiered in 1967. After thinking about TV shows, books, and movies from their childhood, students write about what they remember and revisit how they feel about it at an older age. (For grades 7–12)
May 23: Author Scott O’Dell was born on this day. Students select a set of books to read and compare fiction and nonfiction books and discuss their findings as a class. Students can follow up by writing short stories about the topics they explored.(For grades 5–12)
May 24: The Brooklyn Bridge opened on this day in 1883. Students explore the literary concept of point of view by examining a pair of picture books that highlight the controversies surrounding the Brooklyn Bridge. (For grades 5–12)
May 25: Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in 1803. Students visit a quotation attributed to Emerson and identify the definition of success. Students then use the Postcard Creator to write a note to a person that they feel is successful. (For grades 7–12)
May 27: On this day in 1907, Rachel Carson was born. Students learn about Rachel Carson, explore different environmental websites, and write a Diamante Poem about a particular habitat. (For grades 3–12)
Look ahead to next week for lesson plans and activities on Memorial Day, the National Spelling Bee, the debut of CNN, Jesse James, and Walt Whitman.
Connecting with Other Teachers
Join the Parents & Families group in the Thinkfinity Community to connect with other parents, ask questions from our guest teachers, and learn more about Wonderopolis® and the other resources that will have your kids enjoying science, math, reading and more.
The school year is soon coming to a close. Students will make their way to summer camps, family vacations, and nearby pools and parks. Before you face that room of empty desks, spend a few minutes thinking about the resource that worked best for you this year, make plans to reflect with students on all you’ve done during the year and encourage families to keep students learning during the summer months. Check out the calendar entries, lesson plans, and classroom activities below for this week and the approaching last weeks of the school year on the ReadWriteThink site. Have a great week!
May 16: The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929. Students make lists of their favorite and least favorite movies and brainstorm qualities that make a film good or bad. Next, students write a movie review for a film they have seen. (For grades 5–12)
May 19: Malcolm X was born in Nebraska in 1925. Students write about the origin of their name and explore the names that Malcolm X used during this life. (For grades 5–12)
Look ahead to next week for lesson plans and activities on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the Brooklyn Bridge, astronaut Sally Ride, and authors Ralph Waldo Emerson, Scott O’Dell, and Rachel Carson.
In her Community Story, Jacquelynn Pleis describes how she uses ReadWriteThink’s Exploring and Sharing Family Stories lesson plan as part of a year-end celebration of students’ cultural backgrounds. If you don’t have time for the kind of cultural fair that Pleis describes, try one of the cultural or historical events from this week’s calendar.
You can look at music and the blues, civil rights in the U.S., and the Puerto Rican Independence movement. For a wider focus, ask students to talk about their personal heroes, whether cultural, historical, or both, as part of a celebration of Star Wars creator George Lucas’s birthday. Finally, May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, so it’s a wonderful time to honor the heritage of Asian and Pacific Americans and their contributions to the United States.
Find lesson plans and classroom activities to kick off your cultural and historical exploration plus what’s new on the ReadWriteThink site detailed below. Have a great week!
May 8: Celebrate blues legend Robert Johnson’s birthday. Students learn about blues music and brainstorm subjects that might give them “the blues.” Finally, they write their own blues lyrics and have the option to perform. (For grades 5–12)
May 11: Pedro Albizu Campos leads the Puerto Rican Independence movement. After learning about the story of Pedro Albizu Campos and his commitment to Puerto Rican independence, students research and share their learning about another nationalist figure from around the world. (For grades 6–12)
May 14: Star Wars creator George Lucas was born in 1944. Students use the Hero’s Journey interactive to describe how Luke Skywalker meets each stage of his journey, and then brainstorm other works that use the formula. (For grades 7–12)
Look ahead to next week for lesson plans and activities on the first Academy Awards ceremony, Raymond Carver, Malcolm X, and Charles Lindbergh.
Connecting with Other Teachers
Get connected! Join our group focusing on all things reading and language arts.
May is Get Caught Reading Month, a nationwide public service campaign launched by the Association of American Publishers to remind people of all ages how much fun it is to read. The celebration is supported by hundreds of celebrities, including LL Cool J, Dylan and Cole Sprouse, and the newest addition, Olivia the Pig.
This week on ReadWriteThink, you can find activities for Get Caught Reading Month and many other events as well as other lesson plans and classroom resources. Have a great week!
New Resources
What’s a TV writer’s day like? Learn how to write a TV script from The Simpsons’™ Michael Price on Wonderopolis.
The NCTE Media Literacy Award is presented to an individual, team, or department that has implemented and refined exemplary media literacy practices in their school environment. Application deadline: June 30.
Need K–5 book ideas for the summer? The latest episode of Chatting About Books: Recommendations for Young Readers focuses on Summer Series.
From the Calendar
May 1: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is in May! Students consider the portrayal of Asians in popular culture by exploring images from classic and contemporary films and comparing them to historical and cultural reference materials.
(For grades 9–12)
May 1: May is Get Caught Reading Month! Celebrate by doing a reading-related service project such as planning an intergenerational reading day or organizing a book drive. (For grades K–12)
May 2: Teacher Appreciation Week honors our teachers. In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, students read a book about a teacher and follow up with an activity related to the book using the Venn Diagram, Letter Generator, Story Map, or Essay Map. (For grades 3–12)
May 2: Celebrate National Children’s Book Week! Children show support for their favorite Children’s Choice Book award finalist by designing a promotional book cover. (For grades K–6)
May 3: National Public Radio began broadcasting in 1971. Students make predictions about the content of some of NPR’s programs, then listen to the programs and report on the contents and discuss with the class. (For grades 7–12)
May 5: It’s Cinco de Mayo. Students research a piece of art, music, dance, literature, or food that suitably represents Mexico and create a presentation for the class. (For grades 7–12)
Look ahead to next week for literacy activities on blues legend Robert Johnson, Newbery Medalist Christopher Paul Curtis, the Puerto Rican Independence movement, and Star Wars creator George Lucas.
Do you learn best through direct instruction? Do you learn new material best through lecture or hands-on activities? Read about a recent study and share your experience.
April 30 is El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros (Children’s Day/Book Day). Developed under the leadership of author Pat Mora, this celebration focuses on providing children with books in many languages and making reading an integral part of their lives.
El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros is supported by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and REFORMA, an ALA affiliate that provides library and information services to Latinos and the Spanish-speaking community.
This week on ReadWriteThink, you can find activities for El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros as well as other lesson plans and resources for timely classroom activities. Have a great week!
Read about the new National Geographic Education website and then explore the site’s features, which include activities rich with photography and video; interactive maps that can be customized for specific projects; and a growing reference library. (For grades K–12)
Explore Thinkfinity’s classroom resources on baseball & spring fitness. There is something for every classroom!
April 26: The Spanish town of Guernica was bombed on this date in 1937. After students view Picasso’s Guernica, they are provided with background information, share their impressions, and write about Picasso’s purpose in creating the painting. (For grades 3–12)
April 27: Playwright August Wilson was born in 1945. Students use the Timeline Tool and Drama Map to create a decade-by-decade record and play of their community’s history. (For grades 9–12)
April 28: Author Lois Duncan was born on this date in 1934. Solve and brainstorm the attributes of a good mystery. Small groups compose short mysteries using the Mystery Cube interactive. (For grades 3–12)
April 29: Poet Yusef Komunyakaa was born in 1947. Read and analyze the language use in Yusef Komunyakaa’s poem “Camouflaging the Chimera.” (For grades 8–12)
Look ahead to next week for literacy activities on Get Caught Reading Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Teacher Appreciation Week, the founding of National Public Radio (NPR), and Cinco de Mayo.
Connecting with Other Teachers
Connect with teachers across the country and around the world in our Reading & Language Arts group in the Thinkfinity Community.
April is both National Poetry Month and National Humor Month. Celebrate by having students write funny poems and perform them for their classmates. Try using interactive poetry tools, or challenge your students to create a video about their written work to share with others. For more ideas, check out how others bring humor and giggles into their classrooms on the Thinkfinity Community.
This week on ReadWriteThink, you can find more resources for timely classroom activities. Have a great week!
Explore Thinkfinity’s classroom resources on baseball & spring fitness. There is something for every classroom!
From the Calendar
April 18: Paul Revere began his famous midnight ride in 1775.
Through the study of Paul Revere, students learn about primary source documents while researching their family histories, with which they create and compare their family trees.(For grades 4–8)
April 20: Celebrate author Mary Hoffman’s birthday. Students write original picture books based on their own aspirations and dreams and share with the class or with younger students. (For grades 1–9)
April 21: Barbara Park, author of the Junie B. Jones series, was born. Students write their own “Junie B.” stories, based on the Junie B. Jones series, after brainstorming issues they’ve experienced during the school year. (For grades 1–6)
April 22: Celebrate Earth Day! Students research famous environmentalists and write letters to them asking for their opinions on current issues and turn their letters into a poem. (For grades 3–12)
April 23: William Shakespeare was born in 1564. Based on grade level, students learn about rhyming structure, experiment with the Shakespearean Insult Kit, or study scenes from Othello and watch an adaptation of that scene from the movie O.(For grades 1–12)
Look ahead to next week for literacy activities on the Library of Congress, the bombing of Guernica, and the birthdays of Coretta Scott King, August Wilson, Lois Duncan, and Yusef Komunyakaa.
Connecting with Other Teachers
Connect with teachers across the country and around the world in our Reading & Language Arts group in the Thinkfinity Community.
This week on ReadWriteThink, you can find more resources for Earth Day and other poetry activities, lesson plans, and calendar resources to support you. Have a great week!
New Resources
Prepare students and their families for Drop Everything and Read Day (April 12) with the new Make Time for Reading tip sheet.
International Reading Association launches Learning Pages partnership with ePals to engage schools, parents, and students across the entire suite of ePals products with their own collaborative programming.
Look ahead to next week for literacy activities on Paul Revere’s midnight ride, Earth Day, and the birthdays of writers William Shakespeare, Mary Hoffman and Barbara Park.
Connecting with Other Teachers
Connect with teachers across the country and around the world in our Reading & Language Arts group forum in the Thinkfinity Community.
Hi, I’m Traci Gardner, known in most circles as Tengrrl. I’ve been exploring and writing about the best ways to teach composition using digital technology for over 20 years. You may have come here because you’re looking for my Lists of Ten or because you know my work on the ReadWriteThink website. You can also find my daily collection of links to news stories about technology and the teaching of writing, literacy, and literature. You can read more on my About page, or connect with me on one of the networks below. Thanks for visiting the site.
What do Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Ann Coulter have in common? How do they differ from Adolf Hitler, Ayn Rand, Michael Moore, Andrew Breitbart, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Michael Savage? A Rebel Pundit survey last month asked, “Which of these books would you be interested in having banned, if you could have books banned?”
Hi, I’m Traci Gardner, known in most circles as Tengrrl. I’ve been exploring and writing about the best ways to teach composition using digital technology for over 20 years. You may have come here because you’re looking for my 
