GAPS Libraries Resource Update

GAPS is launching a districtwide reading challenge, Books Build Bridges, through the reading engagement platform Beanstack. Students AND staff can participate, and it's easy! Readers can log minutes read each day, whether they are reading at home or school or anywhere else, and our district readerboard will show how close the entire district is getting to our goal of One MILLION Minutes read by June!

Find more information here, and get ready to read! The challenge will go live next week!

It’s hard to avoid “AI slop” that’s rapidly permeating the internet.

• “AI slop” is low-quality synthetic content designed to grab attention and earn money online — and it often spreads misinformation.
• Fake videos: When scrolling Instagram reels, 15 out of 20 videos online are now AI slop, according to internet culture researcher Aidan Walker. The best-performing AI slop videos play on strong emotions, like fear, anger or sympathy.
• AI lacks oversight: Tech companies are largely failing to flag or label AI-generated posts on their platforms.

Use the “AI slop” slide (slide #10) in Week Seven of the Daily Do Now resource from News Literacy Project for a short video and additional classroom-ready discussion prompts.

❌ NO: Musician Taylor Swift and her fiancé, Travis Kelce, did not announce in an October social media post that she is pregnant.

✅ YES: The image of the couple holding ultrasound photos is AI-generated.

Engagement-bait accounts like the one spreading this rumor attempt to generate traffic by posting fabricated images and fictional news headlines, such as a major announcement from a high-profile celebrity. Help students learn how to think critically about these kinds of false, clickbait claims with these Google Slides from Rumor Guard.

Poetry Out Loud is a contest open to all Oregon high school students. It is a free program encouraging young people to learn about great poems through memorization and competitive performance. Poetry Out Loud is a great opportunity for students who are interested in poetry to dig into what makes great poems, or for students who enjoy writing to be introduced to the genre. It’s also a great opportunity for theater, drama, or debate students to work on their public speaking and performance skills!

Learn more about Poetry Out Loud and the Oregon State Contest.

The Immigrant/Refugee Student Success Plan (IRSSP) was written to address barriers to educational success for Oregon students who identify as Immigrant/Refugee. The goal of these grants is to support efforts utilizing the strategies outlined in the Plan to address issues such as attendance; chronic absenteeism; early childhood to elementary, middle to high school, and high school to post-secondary transitions; and will include a variety of supports including the involvement of parents and communities across the state. Learn More & Apply by December 1, 2025 at 3 p.m. PST

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is seeking K–12 educators, administrators, pre-service educators, and career language arts and literacy professionals to apply to join the panel to review and revise the Oregon English Language Arts and Literacy Standards. More information is available here.

How should we grapple with the legacies of complex historical figures? Join Sphere Education Initiatives and Civic Spirit for this unique virtual professional learning opportunity. The webinar will take a deep dive into building civil discourse around the Founders, who embody both profound achievements and troubling flaws. Explore the challenges of avoiding oversimplification, whether by elevating figures to untouchable pedestals or by dismissing them as wholly illegitimate. More information and registration available here.

GAPS staff and students have access to the following Spanish-language research resources:

• Informe Académico - Una coleccion de revistas hispanicas con textos completos.
• aulaPlaneta Banco de contenidos

Libro.fm offers FREE audiobooks to educators, and this month's selections are here.

ELEMENTARY RESOURCES | SECONDARY RESOURCES