Celebrating Black Excellence

DEERWOOD ACADEMY MEDIA CENTER

"Once You Learn to Read, You Will Be Forever Free" -Frederick Douglass

"Once You Learn to Read, You Will Be Forever Free" -Frederick Douglass

The month of February is full of reading and fun! This month, we will continue the Superintendent's RACE2READ Challenge as we continue to work to surpass our goal! We will also celebrate Black History Month, Valentine's Day, President's Day, and more with reading and literacy opportunities embedded in each observance. Please continue encouraging students to read on Class Pass, Eread Kids, Myon, and Overdrive Kids. Need help with MyOn, Accelerated Reader, Beanstack, Class Pass or materials to support lesson planning? Just send me a quick email @drrice@atlanta.k12.ga.us. Happy Reading!
"Once You Learn to Read, You Will Be Forever Free" -Frederick Douglass

CHECK OUT OUR AR KICKOFF VIDEO

Many of you have already begun working with Accelerated Reader in your classrooms and I am excited to announce that our official kickoff has been going very well! Students are excited and are working hard to meet their reading goals! The AR Prize Patrol will begin making its rounds next week! If you'd like assistance with AR, please email me and I will help get you started! If you haven't had a chance to view the AR video, please click the graphic below for information and a special appearance by Therrell High School! Students have been super excited to see the high school students!

Learn About Black History Month

Click HERE to access the PBS Learning Media video on Black History Month. Project to your Promethean Board and share with your students!

Black History Icon Library

Please find below a few resources to celebrate Black History Month with your scholars. These links go directly to Youtube so please project to your Promethean board and select a different informational video about some of our favorite Black History icons each day. Ask students to discuss how they plan to contribute to the world. CLICK PICTURE OR LINK BELOW...
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQeCf-BdDpCoYIbK5fFQpvYGJYUFSjxy9YdB2F6cVCcmJaJnuPImF93WBMI6g9L0mGBNS7zRil5Rx87/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Black History Exhibit Hall Created by Mike Rawls

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRMacntrPo67WMlEPQ9S8vagzSpOe3aybc6QYMT69gvLmyBeN6FxBJBQ9GGuiAZ0OBBa9VriGpXuwxE/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Exhibit Hall Info...

  • You'll find 28 different exhibits in our "museum" - one for each day of February - highlighting Black heroes like Matthew Henson, Oprah Winfrey, Wilma Rudolph, and Viola Desmond; students will learn the roots of rap music, drumming in Congo Square, and Trombone Shorty; there are stories of historical events like the civil rights movement, the Tulsa Race Massacre, and Juneteenth; and books celebrating Black joy.


  • Each image in the gallery is linked to a book on Epic! If you don't have an account - sign up; it's free! You must be logged into your Epic account for the link to automatically access the book.


  • Many of the exhibits have a YouTube icon located below the image. Click these icons for a short video that highlights the person/place/event. These have no advertisements and are presented in full screen mode for zero distractions.


  • As always - please vet the videos and the books beforehand to make sure they are appropriate for the age group you teach both in terms of content and attention span. For example, Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre is an outstanding book for fifth grade, but not something you'd likely share in kindergarten or first grade.


-Mike Rawls

Black People Who Changed The World...

Please share this fun and informative song and video with your students. It is one of my absolute favorites and the kids love it! Project to your Promethean and let students dance and learn! Click here to view.

READ SULWE

Join Lupita Nyong'o for Story time as she reads her book, Sulwe. Click HERE for a fun Pixel Art Mystery Reveal Comprehension Check! As students answer questions, a picture will populate right before their eyes! You can also project this from your Promethean and complete it as a class.
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Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices

The Netflix Bookmarks series features the works of African American authors being read aloud by celebrities. You may watch at your home on Netflix, or watch for free using the links provided below. I have provided links to all 12 episodes for your use. All require YouTube access, so you must project from your boards for student viewing.


Lupita Nyong'o, Sulwe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vujbTOuzg2Q&t=83s


Grace Byers, I am Enough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_l4jeZH84k


Kendrick Sampson reads Antiracist Baby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gezd_Y_Kqc


Misty Copeland reads Firebird

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzUZEaceZKc


Jill Scott reads Pretty Brown Face and Brwon Boy Joy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHyZndYggp0


Jacqueline Woodson, The Day You Begin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDs5d_qFbEs


Tiffany Haddish reads I Love My Hair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfXijL4sEfo


Common reads Let's Talk About Race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40ORHCOA9fE


Marsai Martin reads ABCs for Girls Like Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh4OQGkn0JI


Marley Dias reads We March

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJDH4qt8heE


Caleb McLaughlin reads Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1yCg2PdeEA


Karamo Brown, I Am Perfectly Designed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9UtYtbCQrk

Click HERE for discussion questions for each of the books featured as well as other resources for similarly themed books. Scroll to middle of page and select questions by age group.

Read "Change Sings" by Amanda Gorman

Please take a moment to stop by the Learning Commons to checkout Change Sings by Amanda Gorman and share with your students. Click HERE for the read aloud. Click HERE to access the Amanda Gorman classroom. Find out who she is and what she has accomplished.
Amanda Gorman | Change Sings Picture Book

Amanda Gorman Classroom

Who is Amanda Gorman?

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSlWmbZikuoujXkzwyMtgLCM2wAglaboxGQRZWEAb0r3Pv0bH02hde_DMED8ByLyNhXVgBGPNcL_P5b/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Celebrate the Lunar New Year

Click HERE to access a Lunar New Year Choice Board.

Click HERE to access a National Geographic Kids article on the Lunar New Year.

Click HERE to access a read aloud library and share a story about the Lunar New Year with your students.

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Celebrate Valentine's Day

Click HERE to access our Valentine's Day Choice Board. Project your screen to share songs, videos, read alouds, drawing, etc.

Create a Digital Valentine's Card with your Students

Make a virtual Valentine's Day card with your class or share the link and allow them to make one for each of their classmates. Find link HERE .
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Celebrate President's Day

Click HERE to access a President's Day Library. Share the read alouds with your students!
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Kindness day is February 17th! Celebrate with your Students!

Click HERE to access the Kindness Library!
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CELEBRATE TWOSDAY! 2.22.22

CELEBRATE TWOSDAY! 2.22.22

Twosday, a combination of the number two and Tuesday, is a day where we celebrate whatever we want, but typically just the fact that this is such a rare occurrence. The last one was in 1622, the closest one currently is in 2022. The next one will be in 2422. Why is it so special? It is a day that only happens every 400 years. A once in a lifetime date with a perfect 2/22/22 that lands on a Tuesday!

VOCABULARY WORD OF THE DAY FOR KIDS: PALINDROME

CELEBRATE TWOSDAY! 2.22.22
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TWOSDAY IDEAS AND ACTIVITIES

Please find a few ideas and resources to use with your classes on TWOSDAY! Revise or change as you see fit! Don't forget to wear your tutu and/or tie on TWOSDAY and twin with a friend!
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Click files below to download TWOSDAY activities to share with your students!

Don't Forget to Log All of your Reading on Beanstack!

https://apsdeerwoodacademy.beanstack.org/reader365

February Faculty Fun Calendar

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Deedre Rice

Deedre Rice

Deedre Rice
Media Specialist

Deerwood Academy

drrrice@atlanta.k12.ga.us (404) 802-3313 ricereads.wixsite.com/mediacenter