Media Minute September 2019
News from your Centennial Academy Media Center
What's up in September?
National Hispanic Heritage Month begins September 15 and represents an opportunity to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.
Have you heard about the school in Tennessee that recently banned all Harry Potter books?Censorship leaves us in the dark. Banned Book Week is September 22-28, 2019. Look for exciting library displays that celebrate your freedom to read whatever you want to. Read a banned book! A really good library has something to offend everyone - that's the best stuff!
Playing Matching Games
Fulton County Public Library
Planting in the Bog Garden
Constitution Day September 17
Looking for resources to commemorate Constitution Day on Tuesday, September 17th? Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is observed each year on September 17 to commemorate the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, and “recognize all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens.” This commemoration started in 1940, with a joint resolution by Congress authorizing the President to issue a proclamation for the public recognition of everyone who has attained American citizenship, either through birthright or naturalized. In 1952 Congress repealed this joint resolution and passed a new law moving the date to September 17 to commemorate “the formation and signing, on September 17, 1787, of the Constitution of the United States.” The day was still designated as “Citizenship Day” and retained its original purpose of recognizing all those who had attained American citizenship. This law urged civil and educational authorities of states, counties, cities and towns to make plans for the proper observance of the day and “for the complete instruction of citizens in their responsibilities and opportunities as citizens of the United States and of the State and locality in which they reside.”
For more activities, join iCivics and Discovery Education for a Virtual Viewing Party tailored to engage students to find their voice and know their rights. Register today.
Sharing a new favorite
Research! Always an option
Plenty of space for silent reading
Database Research Tips for Middle Grades
SIRS Discoverer is a general reference database providing age-appropriate, authoritative, curriculum-aligned content and features for use by students and educators in Elementary and Middle/Intermediate Schools. It is particularly helpful to support the most common assignments in grades 4 thru 8.
Gale In Context - Opposing Viewpoints is a premier source for scholars preparing for debate, or exploring controversial issues. Gale databases will allow students to find information without worries about inappropriate or "blocked" sites, as sometimes happens when they use Google.
Gale In Context - High School meets the research needs of our scholars with a user-friendly, mobile-responsive design. Eye-catching, engaging, topical databases deliver trusted content with curriculum-aligned materials that span core subjects. It also has a way-cool tool called Topic Finder that shows a graphic visualization of related topics - in wheel format!
On all these databases, you can "connect with Google" and save full-text articles to your Classroom drive for scholars to read. All of these databases also give scholars the option to CITE THEIR SOURCE so they can create (!) research bibliographies. These sources are so exciting - let me know when I can come play in your classroom.
SIRS Discoverer
Gale in Context - Opposing Viewpoints
Gale in Context - High School
Going "old school" with library materials
The Library as a few library DVD resources parents might find useful (if they still have a DVD player) on the following topics:
- Test taking tips
- How to answer test questions
- The birds, the bees, and me - for boys
- Preparing kids to stay safe at home
- Setting the stage for homework success
- Kids and divorce
- Encouraging good behavior, independence and self esteem
- Managing difficult behavior
Parents are welcome to borrow library materials for their children, and the media center will be open for families to use during Saturday School, 9am-12pm.
About Us
Centennial Academy's mission is to create a culture of opportunity and discovery in which scholars are developed into creative critical thinkers with the vision and courage to impact a global society. As a community school, Centennial Academy readily extends beyond its campus borders in strong partnerships with institutions of early and higher learning, industry, and social service that support a PreK to 8th grade curriculum. To support our school mission and the entire community, our media center is open for visitors before school and until 4:30pm every day
Email: jburke@centennialacademycharter.org
Website: https://centennialplacemediacenter.weebly.com/
Location: 531 Luckie Street Northwest, Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone: 404-802-8550
Twitter: @jdkburke