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Additional Resources for Mrs. Keenan's Readers

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Katherine Johnson

Modern Figures: Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently asked questions about the movie Hidden Figures. NASA participated under a Space Act Agreement with 20th Century Fox in activities around the movie Hidden Figures, based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly, to provide historical guidance and advice during the filmmaking process.

Reaching for the Moon

Who Was Katherine Johnson?Katherine Johnson loved math. Early in her career, she was called a “computer.” She helped NASA put an astronaut into orbit around Earth. And then she helped put a man on the Moon.

Mattel models new Barbie doll after NASA 'hidden figure' Katherine Johnson | collectSPACEA once-"hidden figure" from NASA history is being honored by one of the best-known toy lines in the world. NASA computer Katherine Johnson is among the first historical figures to be modeled in Barbie's "Inspiring Women" doll series.

<<<Click on the book cover to read a Preview

9/11

Listen to the story of Salman Hamdani, a 23-year-old emergency medical technician, NYPD cadet, and aspiring medical student who rushed to the World Trade Center that morning to help...

...and then was accused of being responsible for the incident.

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John and JoeRetired firefighter John Vigiano Sr. lost both his sons on September 11, 2001—John Jr., also a firefighter, and Joe, a police detective.

Armeen Hamdani and Talat HamdaniTalat Hamdani remembers her son, a NYPD cadet who died at the World Trade Center on 9/11 and was wrongfully accused of having terrorist links.

How do you move on when you lose both of your children in one day? One moment? One incident?

Learn what has given John Vigiano Sr. a sense of peace as he deals with the loss of his sons in the 9/11 attacks at Ground Zero.

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The poet, Richard Blanco, reminds us of the lasting impact of 9/11. He says, "We should remember how people of all nations, races, faiths and walks of life came together, united in their response to the horror and shock of 9/11. WE CAN REUNITE AGAIN."

<<<<<< Listen to a performance of his poem.

Anne Frank

The Secret AnnexTake a look around and explore the Secret Annex where Anne Frank was in hiding for more than two years during World War II, and where she wrote her diary.

Anne Frank: BiographyThe story of Anne Frank is among the most well-known of the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust. Her diary is the first encounter many people have with the history of Nazi Germany's attempt...

This Is What Anne Frank's Arrest Looked LikeAnne Frank was captured by the Nazis on this date in 1944.

Books vs. The Internet

Your paper brain and your Kindle brain aren't the same thingIf you've given up on reading paper books for the ease of your e-reader's screen, you may want to step back a bit. Neuroscience confirms that our brains use different areas to read on paper and screens, and you need to exercise both.

Vaping

Different Perspectives of War

Why German Soldiers Don’t Have to Obey OrdersThe country's military is disobedient by design.

Simone Biles

Simone BilesSimone Biles is the most decorated American gymnast, with more than two dozen Olympic and World Championship medals to her name.

The above link takes you a collection of articles about Simone Biles, her accomplishments, news stories, and controversies.

Malala & the Nigerian School Girls

U.S. First Lady "outraged" over Nigeria kidnappingsAhead of Mother's Day, U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, a mother of two girls, says she's "outraged" over the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

Kidnapped as Schoolgirls by Boko Haram: Here They Are NowThe New York Times met and photographed dozens of the students abducted by Boko Haram. Now at a university, they say they are the lucky ones. But their celebrity has a price.

My daughter, MalalaPakistani educator Ziauddin Yousafzai reminds the world of a simple truth that many don't want to hear: Women and men deserve equal opportunities for education, autonomy, an independent identity. He tells stories from his own life and the life of his daughter, Malala, who was shot by the Taliban in 2012 simply for daring to go to school. "Why is my daughter so strong?" Yousafzai asks. "Because I didn't clip her wings."

These titles are available in the Media Center:

Rescue and Therapy Dogs

Dogs Are Beloved New Warriors on the BattlefieldThe canine that went on the Navy Seals’ raid of Osama Bin Laden’s compound last week has generated a wave of interest in military dogs, which are on a surge into Afghanistan.

Should Emotional Support Animals Be Allowed on College Campuses?Students say they feel less anxious and less stressed when they are allowed to have comfort animals on campus.

The veteran and the labradoodle: How a service dog helped a TEDActive attendee step back out into the worldLon Hodge and his labradoodle, Gander, are at a McDonald’s near the Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois, a quick stop for a bite as they travel across the United States. “He never leaves my side,…

In the Media Center:

Stories of WWII

Before He Animated For Disney, He Sketched Cartoons In An Internment CampAs a child, Willie Ito spent nearly three years in a Japanese American internment camp. At StoryCorps, he tells his son how he went from doodling on Sears catalogs to animating for Walt Disney.

OMG! You must watch this. I found myself staring at the screen with my hand over my mouth at the conclusion!

Another amazing story of brothers separated by war!

Why I love a country that once betrayed meWhen he was a child, George Takei and his family were forced into an internment camp for Japanese-Americans, as a "security" measure during World War II. 70 years later, Takei looks back at how the camp shaped his surprising, personal definition of patriotism and democracy.

In the Media Center:

Global Environmental Concerns

Climate Change: Earth's Giant Game of Tetris

Time-lapse proof of extreme ice loss

Teach About Climate Change With These 24 New York Times GraphsWe’ve gathered graphs previously published in The Times that illustrate different aspects of climate change. Plus, we suggest strategies for helping students analyze what they see.

A Refuge for Orangutans, and a Quandary for EnvironmentalistsSome worry that a palm oil company’s gift to endangered Borneo orangutans distracts from a big threat to the species: deforestation by such companies.

In the Media Center:

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