PR+Assignment+Goals

=**Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes**=


 * Overall Goal:** To increase students' awareness and knowledge of intellectual freedom and their rights to access and read information in school and beyond.


 * Objectives:**
 * Students will become familiar with censorship: its history, causes, and effects.
 * Students will celebrate the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment.
 * Students will be able to practice critical thinking skills as they evaluate censorship and Banned Books Week resources.


 * Outcome:** The school population will become more aware of the effects of censorship in all its forms and more appreciative of differing perspectives and opinions.

Events and activities for Banned Books Week will be in development for approximately one month before the event. The event itself will last for one week (September 25, 2010, to October 2, 2010).
 * Development and Implementation**

We will develop and use Banned Books Week as an opportunity for school-wide collaboration and involvement, and as an opportunity to increase awareness and use of the school library website:
 * Instructional partnerships between school librarian(s) and content area teachers, particularly in English and Social Studies (includes History and Government)
 * Art teachers and art students can create graphics and other visual images
 * Technology teachers and students to add website features or alter the website design for the week
 * Faculty members as guest wiki discussion leaders or bloggers
 * School newspaper and yearbook staff/students to document the week’s events
 * Install a website analytics tool to collect user traffic data on the site before, during, and after Banned Books Week
 * Prior to Banned Books Week, the librarian will review and update the on-site professional development collection regarding intellectual freedom, and will create an online list of available print and electronic resources

Development and planning will include outreach to local businesses who have ties to the school or that would support the activities and events as sponsors or donors of goods or services.

The target audience for this project will be students at high school and middle school levels. Students at those levels will be able to more fully grasp the concept of banned books, differing perspectives and opinions, and they will benefit from the critical thinking skills that Banned Books Week events, activities, and discussion forums entail.
 * Target Audience

**Teaching and learning about Banned Books Week aligns with national standards and state curriculum for middle and high school students**.

Sample alignments include:

AASL’s Standards for the 21st-Century Learner** (2007) Standard 3: “Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society,” and these related responsibilities:
 * ** 3.3.1 Solicit and respect diverse perspectives while searching for information, collaborating with others, and participating as a member of the community. **
 * ** 3.3.2 Respect the differing interests and experiences of others, and seek a variety of viewpoints. **
 * ** 3.3.3 Use knowledge and information skills and dispositions to engage in public conversation and debate around issues of common concern. **
 * ** 3.3.5 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within and beyond the learning community. **
 * ** 3.3.6 Use information and knowledge in the service of democratic values. **
 * ** 3.3.7 Respect the principles of intellectual freedom. **

7.0 Ethical Use of Information: Students will demonstrate responsible attitudes toward the use of information. **
 * //Maryland State Curriculum – School Library Media, Grades 6-12// (draft, 2004)
 * ** A. Ethical use of information **** 1. Exhibit respect for the intellectual property rights of others. **
 * a. Review and independently apply strategies for avoiding plagiarism. **
 * b. Review and independently apply strategies for complying with fair use and copyright laws. **
 * c. Review and independently apply strategies for citing sources of text and digital information used. **

Maryland State Department of Education, High School Assessments (HSA), Core Learning Goals for Government Goal 1 Political Systems: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the historical development and current status of principles, institutions, and processes of political systems. **
 * ** A. Ethical use of information **** 3. Utilize freedom of access to ideas. **
 * a. Review and independently apply strategies to seek information to facilitate appropriate participation in our democratic society. **
 * ** Expectation 1.1 The student will demonstrate understanding of the structure and functions of government and politics in the United States. **
 * ** Indicator 1.1.1 The student will analyze historic documents to determine the basic principles of United States government and apply them to real-world situations. **
 * ** Assessment limits: Documents: Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, //United States Constitution//, and the //Bill of Rights//. Students are to know which rights/protections are addressed by the //first ten amendments.// **

Materials will be shared with students through: **
 * Dissemination Points (see Multimedia Plan page)
 * ** the school website home page **
 * ** the school library website **
 * ** librarian developed, monitored, and linked wikis and blogs **
 * ** morning announcements **
 * ** school newsletters **
 * ** bulletin boards **
 * ** posters displayed in the media center and hallways **

We will primarily use existing resources, such as school websites, library resources, and free promotional graphics and items from Banned Books Weeks sources and from the school community at large. Using existing resources and donations of time, talent, services, and products from the community should keep expenses low.
 * Materials Required** (see Multimedia Plan page)

The ALA Banned Books campaign publishes posters, buttons, and t-shirts each year for Banned Books Week. The links lead to items that were used in 2009. The undated items could be used to help promote the 2010 program. Some materials can be downloaded for free, and others would be paid for out of the library budget or purchased with cash donations from sponsors such as local businesses. **
 * Prototype of Materials
 * Free downloadable materials from ALA's website
 * Materials for purchase from the ALA Store
 * Public Service Announcement Script from ALA
 * Banned Books Week Proclamation from ALA
 * Letter to the Editor of a Newspaper Promoting Banned Books Week from ALA


 * Annotated References**

Abilock, D. (2007). Four questions to ask yourself. //Knowledge Quest 36//(2), 7-11. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database.
 * Abilock’s article is good background reading that gives context to Banned Books Week. Her four questions (below) relate to intellectual freedom, collection development, self-censorship, and students’ rights.
 * 1) Why should I make my selection process transparent?
 * 2) What can I do to protect both students and the First Amendment?
 * 3) How can I help students understand global censorship without imposing American values?
 * 4) Why must I confront my deeply held beliefs?

Adams, H. R. (2009). Banned Books Week: Just the beginning. //School Library Media Activities Monthly 26//(1), 48-49. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from EBSCOhost Professional Development Collection database.
 * Adams suggests using Banned Books Week to help students distinguish between “banned” and “challenged.” She reminds educators that intellectual freedom is a ongoing topic that pervades all content areas. She suggests promoting intellectual freedom daily through modeling and instruction.

American Association of School Librarians. (2007). //Standards for the 21st-century learner//. Retrieved November 14, 2009, from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards.cfm
 * Educational activities and events related to the marketing and promotion of Banned Books Weeks aligns with AASL standards.

Foote, C. (2010). Looking to ramp up your library web site? Try a blog [Electronic version]. //School Library Journal//. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6712732.html
 * Foote provides simple advice, pros and cons, and examples about how to add and maintain a blog on your school library website. Blogs and wikis are labor intensive for the administrator/content manager/facilitator. If the content isn’t fresh, users won’t come back, and then the main sources of comments are gone. But a Banned Books Week blog could be a good way to test out blogging because of the finite time period (one week), with the possibility of extending it as a regular feature.

Haynes, C. C., Chaltain, S., Ferguson, J. E., Jr., Hudson, D. L., Jr., & Thomas, O. (2003). //The First Amendment in schools: A guide from the First Amendment Center.// Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum.
 * This book is a primer for educators. It includes case law samples and explanations.

Maryland State Department of Education. (2004). //Maryland state curriculum – School library media, grades 6-12// (draft). Retrieved April 11, 2010, from http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/library_media/school_library_media_secondary.pdf

Maryland State Department of Education. (2009). //School improvement in Maryland: Standards 9-12//. Retrieved April 11, 2010, from http://mdk12.org/assessments/standards/9-12.html

Maryland State Department of Education. (2009). //School improvement in Maryland: State curriculum//. Retrieved April 11, 2010, from http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/index.html
 * Educational activities and events related to the marketing and promotion of Banned Books Weeks aligns with content area standards.

McNicol, S. (2007). An open letter: Teenagers' views of censorship in libraries. //Knowledge Quest, 36//(2). Retrieved November 14, 2009, from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/v36/362/362mcnichol.cfm
 * McNicol is a former school librarian who wrote convincingly from the teen point of view.

Rettig, J. (2008). A fundamental freedom: Celebrate during Banned Books Week. //American Libraries 39//(8), 8. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from EBSCOhost Health Source Nursing Academic Edition database.
 * Rettig (ALA president 2008-2009) championed Banned Books Week. He stated, “Values, like muscles, atrophy without exercise. Each fall, Banned Books Week…offers an exceptional opportunity for all who value First Amendment rights” (p. 8)