6-8 Library

• An American Lyric

• TED Talk - Using your voice is a political choice

• Interview - Meet Amanda Gorman

• Poem - Listen to her poem about the pandemic and social isolation

• Hamilton on Broadway changed how we look at and present American history - now you can do the same!

Learn from Hamilton cast members, creators, and others how to dig deep into history and creatively present the people, events and ideas that move you.

You will need an adult to enroll you but it's free through August: www.gilderlehrman.org/programs-and-events/eduham-home

• Learn more about Alexander Hamilton

• Watch the cast perform at the White House for President Obama

• Read aloud - Brilliant Deep by Kate Messner

• Radiolab podcast - Octomom

• Tedtalk - Underwater Astonishments - by David Gallo

• ALA reader's theater - scroll down on this page and check out Bud, Not Buddy, and The Library Card

• A ton of reader's theater scripts! These are for all ages but it doesn't say the age range for each story - explore and see what you can find

• Radiolab Podcast - For the Birds

• Read aloud - Sea Otter Rescue - excerpts

• Read more about endangered species - an article from Kids Discover

• What endangered species live here in NY? Click here for a list from NY Department of Environmental Conservation

• How to create your own comic in 5 easy steps!

• Graphic novels with deep ideas - Listen to Congressman John Lewis talk about his participation in the Civil Rights Movement and his graphic novel March

• Watch an interview with graphic novelist Raina Telgemier

• Watch this interview with graphic novelist Jerry Craft

• Read aloud - an excerpt from Amulet read by the author Kazu Kibuishi

• Now go create your own!

• Podcasts are a great way to give voice to something you care about. Click here to learn about NPR's Student Podcast Challenge. Listen to challenge winners and learn from experts how to create your own.

• Want to just listen to some podcasts? Try these:

  • The Past and the Curious

  • Book Club for Kids

  • Radiolab for Kids

• Check out poet Kwame Alexander

• Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman

• Found poems

• when you want to get serious about found poems

• Read more poems - search the Poetry Foundation for poems for teens, poems for children, poets, topics and others

• Try some haiku:

Away from school now

Hot sun shining all day long

Keep our minds busy

• More poetry (this organization has added a special section based entirely on the Black Lives Matter movement and is working to feature Black, Indigenous, and poets of color. Scroll down to their "Features" section to check it out)

• Two of my favorites: Harlem by Langston Hughes and Still I Rise by Maya Angelou (or this version)