This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast.

I listen to quite a few podcasts, but I hadn't heard of Smash Boom Best before LaDawna Harrington, a recently retired school librarian from New Jersey, introduced me to it. Now I'm hooked! And you'll be hooked on this month's One Lesson at a Time episode, where LaDawna talks to us about how she used this energetic, fun podcast as a template for a lesson that gets students excited to learn.

LaDawna's years of librarianship and as a classroom educator are a gift! She brought so many awesome lesson ideas to our conversation that we had trouble picking just one! We finally settled on talking about LaDawna's lesson, "Smash Boom Best Meets Neurons and Endorphins." In it, students are put into a head-to-head debate to defend an assigned topic, using not only research but also creativity and cleverness to support their side.

One of my favorite elements of this lesson is the way it gives students the room to get creative about sharing what they know. Lessons often require a very specific product, but LaDawna's unit encourages students to be clever in creating a final product that is interesting, engaging, and informative—and that can take any form they wish.

In addition to being a fun lesson, it's one that will work across grade levels and will allow for collaboration with any subject area. LaDawna did this lesson in conjunction with a high school science teacher, and the students had a blast; but this could also be a great chance to work on information literacy and research skills, while also providing an excellent opportunity to collaborate—and perhaps with a subject area that doesn't often get as much library time as English or history.

View LaDawna's lesson plan, catch the original version of the episode, and even get a PD certificate!

Follow the link: https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Home/Display/2337511

I first met Andrea at our state school librarian conference. She was wearing rainbow colored sneakers, and I had to compliment her on them. We struck up a conversation, and became fast friends.

Andrea is a school librarian passionate about providing her students a safe, welcoming space and making sure they feel connected and respected. This lesson is just one of the ways she helps bring that message to all of her students!

Guest: Andrea Caporale, aka Mrs C, Library Media Specialist

Grade(s) Taught: 9, 10, 11, 12

Resources:

• Freedom to Read Lesson: https://sites.google.com/somervilleschools.org/shs-lmc/lessons/freedom-to-read?authuser=0

Book Break:

• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

• Additional authors to check out:

• • Kacen Callender

  • Casey McQuiston

  • Dashka Slater

  • Too many to list! LOL

Where to find Andrea Caporale, aka Mrs C, Library Media Specialist:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/somervilleschools.org/shs-lmc/shs-library-media-center?authuser=0

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrsc_library/

• Twitter: https://x.com/TheVilleLMC

Check in with us, and check us out!

• Have an idea, a question, or a lesson you want to share? Email SchoolLibLearning@gmail.com

• Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

**This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast.**

I have been fortunate enough to know K.C. for several years now, and she is always doing amazing things with her students - and this lesson is no exception!

View K.C.'s lesson plan, catch the original version of the episode, and even get a PD certificate!

Follow the link: https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Article/2291201

Ashley is one of my first stops when I am trying to expand my knowledge of manga, and I was very excited when she shared out this lesson on social media. She is also one of the authors of a book for educators on incorporating manga into schools!

This lesson has my brain buzzing with all the possibilities - I hope you enjoy learning about it!

Guest: Ashley Hawkins

Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3K/PreK

Resources:

• Lesson Plan: Manga & Comic Con Project Based Learning Lesson: https://mangalibrarian.com/2024/07/29/lesson-plan-manga-comic-con-project-based-learning/

• Add’l Links:

  • Manga Goes to School: Cultivating Engagement and Inclusion in K–12 Settings (AASL Standards–Based Learning Series) by Ashley Hawkins, Emily Ratica, Sara Smith, Julie Stivers, and Sybil “Mouna” Touré
  • Jarrett Lerner's website has some great "Make your own comic" and introduction to drawing activities and resources!

Book Break:

• What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

• Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, translated by Geoffrey Trousselot

Where to find Ashley Hawkins:

• Website: https://mangalibrarian.com

• Handle: Generally @mangalibrarian, but it has variations

• Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/mangalibrarian.bsky.social

• Instagram: instagram.com/themangalibrarian

• TikTok: tiktok.com/manga_librarian

• Twitter: twitter.com/manga_librarian

• Other Social Media: https://linktr.ee/manga_librarian

Check in with us, and check us out!

• Have an idea, a question, or a lesson you want to share? Email SchoolLibLearning@gmail.com

• Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

Friends, I may have earned a doctorate, but Dr. Andrea Trudeau EARNED her doctorate! In addition to all her coursework, she's published several studies on her area of interest, virtual and augmented reality and its effects on students. She is an amazing resource, and I'm so glad she offered to share with us!

Guest: Dr. Andrea Trudeau

Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8

Resources:

• “Stories of Displacement: Promoting Empathy and Understanding Through VR and Text” Resources: https://padlet.com/andrea_trudeau/stories-of-displacement-vr-empathy-wtm0kwz7nekvqslz

Book Break:

• That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America by Amanda Jones

• The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power, and Facts by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

Where to find Dr. Andrea Trudeau

• Website: https://www.noshhlibrarian.com/

• Twitter: @Andrea_Trudeau twitter.com/Andrea_Trudeau

Check in with us, and check us out!

• Have an idea, a question, or a lesson you want to share? Email SchoolLibLearning@gmail.com

• Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

I was fortunate enough to work with Wendy on the AASL Member Engagement Committee. There, I learned she is a dedicated, hard-working individual who gets stuff done. And on top of that, she does amazing things for her students! Check out her materials on getting an origami program going in her library!

Guest: Wendy Garland, Librarian

Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Resources:

• “Origami in the Library” Lesson: https://listenconnectempower.blogspot.com/2024/09/origami-in-our-library.html

Book Break:

• Author Susan Hood! From historical fiction middle grade novels to exquisite nonfiction picture books and poetry - what CAN'T she do?

• Lifeboat 12

• Lifeboat 5

• Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World

• The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics

Where to find Wendy Garland, Librarian:

• Website: https://listenconnectempower.blogspot.com/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dancelibrarian

Check in with us, and check us out!

• Have a comment, an idea, a question, or a lesson you want to share? Email SchoolLibLearning@gmail.com

• Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

Tim Smyth is a school-librarian-by-association. We've known each other since I met him at a school librarian conference where Tim was presenting on the importance of having comics and graphic novels in classrooms and school libraries. He and I are definintely on the same page!

Here, Tim shares a lesson that is near and dear to his heart, and his work as an educator.

Guest: Tim Smyth, educator and Eisner award nominated author

Grade(s) Taught: 9, 10, 11, 12

Resources:

• Comics as Artifacts Lesson: https://historycomics.edublogs.org/2014/09/25/comics-as-artifacts/

• Add’l Links:

• HistoryComics.Net

• https://www.historycomics.net/free-comics-1

Book Break:

• March Trilogy by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell

• Run by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell, L. Fury
• The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln
• H.P. Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness by Gou Tanabe
• The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard
• An Antarctic Mystery by Jules Verne

Where to find Tim Smyth, educator and Eisner award nominated author:

• Website: https://www.historycomics.net/

• Handle: @historycomics

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@teachingwithcomics

• Twitter: twitter.com/historycomics

Check in with us, and check us out!

• Have an idea, a question, or a lesson you want to share? Email SchoolLibLearning@gmail.com

• Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

Tennessee school librarian Katie Capshaw is one of those people who feels like a friend after you've just met. She's here to share how she introduces her 8th graders to AI. This lesson has lots of adaptability, and could easily spin off some additional lessons. Settle in and enjoy the final episode of Season 1!

Guest: Katie Capshaw

Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8

Resources:

• Introduction to Ai Lesson: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/what-is-ai

• Add’l Links: https://schoolai.com/

Book Break:

• Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd

• The Women by Kristen Hannah

Where to find Katie Capshaw:

• Website: katiecapshaw.weebly.com, mrscapshawslibraryworld.wordpress.com

• Handle: @mrscapshawbooks

• Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/mrscapshawbooks.bsky.social

• Instagram: instagram.com/mrscapshawbooks

• TikTok: tiktok.com/mrscapshawbooks

• Twitter: twitter.com/mrscapshawbooks

Check in with us, and check us out!

• Have an idea, a question, or a lesson you want to share? Email SchoolLibLearning@gmail.com

• Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org