Pick of the Day: Constitution USA with Peter Sagal | DVD

SLJ — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 13:00:27 +0000

ConstitutionUSAwith Peter Sagal. 2 DVDs. 4 hrs. Prod. by TPT National Prods. and Insignia Films. Dist. by PBS Dist. 2013. ISBN 978-1-60883-901-8. $29.99.
Gr 9 Up–Sagal, the find-humor-in-our-everyday-lives NPR host, broadly examines our Constitution in both historical and contemporary contexts in a manner that will transfix viewers. Metaphorically traversing the country on a red, white, and blue Harley-Davidson, his goal is to recount the perspective of the document’s development as well as to examine it in terms of today’s critical issues. “A More Perfect Union,” the first segment, describes the intriguing manner in which our federal system of government was determined and issues facing us today as a result of federal, state, and local control questions. “It’s a Free Country” studies the Bill of Rights, and the controversies surrounding those individual freedoms in today’s society are detailed. The Fourteenth Amendment, passed after the Civil War to guarantee equal protection for individuals and groups, and its subsequent landmark impact is the focus of “Created Equal.” Finally, Sagal leads a discussion about the vitality of this remarkable document from the perspective of the 21st-century social and political milieu in “Built to Last.” The nicely paced presentation uses a variety of presentation techniques, such as graphics and humor, to connect with today’s students. There’s also an effective balance of commentary from constitutional scholars as well as ordinary citizens impacted by this document. Several bonus sections add to its usefulness, particularly commentary by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Each chapter includes the scene selection option. English language subtitles and a Spanish language audio are optional. Both classroom teachers and media professionals will find this a popular addition to every school’s collection.–Dwain Thomas, formerlyLakeParkHigh School,Roselle,IL

Pick of the Day: Orphan Train Rider (Audio)

SLJ — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 13:00:05 +0000

Orphan Train Rider: One Boy’s True Story. By Andrea Warren. 2 CDs. 1:26 hrs. AudioGo. 2013. ISBN 978-0-7927-9640-4. $29.95.”
Gr 4-7–Using one young man’s journey as her focus,Warren tells about the amazing, sometimes heart-warming, and often tragic westward journey (Houghton Mifflin, 1996) that more than 200,000 children took on the Orphan Train between 1854 and1930 insearch of families. Although he was not technically an orphan, Lee Nailling’s father placed him and his brothers in an orphanage after their mother’s death. Dressed in new clothes, Lee rode the train from Upstate New York toTexasin 1926 with two of his six siblings. Not all children found homes, and many were taken in by families who abused them or used them as workers. Lee was lucky to have been placed with loving and understanding parents who renamed him and raised him as their own; he was luckier still to be reunited with some of his siblings late in his life. Chapters alternate between Lee’s experiences and the history of the Orphan Trains, the Children’s Aid Society, and other agencies that placed orphaned or homeless children with rural families. Laura Hicks expressively tells Lee’s emotional tale and exhibits the same enthusiasm when relating dates and facts, varying her inflection for quotes and narration. Have the book available so listeners can peruse the black-and-white photographs and reproductions. This compelling true story, skillfully researched and narrated, will be of great interest to young people.–MaryAnn Karre,West Middle School,Binghamton,NY

School Library Journal» social studies

Pick of the Day: Constitution USA with Peter Sagal | DVD

Pick of the Day: Orphan Train Rider (Audio)