GAPS Libraries Resource Update

Neighborhood Forest gives free trees and plants to youth in the United States, Canada, and Mexico by partnering with local organizations, like libraries and schools. If you’re interested in increasing the tree canopy, getting kids excited about plants, or participating in a great program, this is a great opportunity to sign up your school!

Here’s how it works: you register your institution in January, and get a registration link to share with parents/guardians/caregivers. They sign their 0-18 year-old- up for a free tree before the March deadline, and in April you receive a box of free trees! For kids without a yard, Neighborhood Forest provides free indoor plants and mini-food forests to bring the joy of nature indoors.

For more information and to register your school, visit the Neighborhood Forest website.

Great work! 🎉 Keep reading! 🎉 Use the button below to access more support materials, and encourage students to keep reading and logging their minutes!

The AI Innovator Studio strengthens AI literacy while empowering students to use AI as a tool for creativity, problem-solving, and positive change, and equipping teachers with the resources and community they need to guide innovation confidently. The 2026 AI Innovator Challenge will open for submissions on January 9th. More than a competition, this is a chance for your students to:

• Apply their AI literacy to solve real-world problems
• Grow as ethical digital citizens
• Amplify their voices on an international platform

Want to learn more? Visit the AI Innovator Studio website for details.

Join Facing History & Ourselves February 5 - March 4, 2026 for a new 4-week mini-course focused on their US History Curriculum Collection: Democracy and Freedom, a curated set of US history units and C3-style inquiries. Students explore how progress toward greater freedom, equality, and justice is not inevitable but rather a result of choices that people make. This mini-course is led asynchronously and content can be accessed and completed at your own pace and on your own schedule.

Do you lack resources or want to fill in gaps in your knowledge to be more comfortable teaching copyright to K-12 students? Join the Copyright & Creativity for Ethical Digital Citizens Ambassadors (fellow teachers!) on Jan 15, 2026 at 1:00 PM as they share their experiences teaching with FREE resources -- lesson plans, slides, videos, handouts, activities, and more. Learn how to teach the essentials of copyright, fair use, Creative Commons, public domain, how to find creative work that is free to share and re-use. Register here!

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books published in 1930, films released in 1930, and other works published in 1930, entered the public domain in the United States in 2026. Here is a list of creators whose works entered the public domain in 2026 under common copyright regimes. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

The State of Oregon recently launched the 988 Oregon: Connect to Hope campaign, aimed at making sure everyone knows they can call or text 988 for free, confidential mental health or substance use support. Schools and Districts can help spread the word about 988 Oregon in their community at 988oregon.org/partners/. Oregon Health Authority can help organizations create and share content that raises awareness about 988 Oregon. Have questions? Visit 988oregon.org/partners

The Educator Lending Library is a free service provided by the Mid-Valley STEM-CTE Hub, housed at Linn-Benton Community College, and available to all public school educators in Linn and Benton Counties. The collection includes over 100 whole-classroom STEAM kits, supporting Pre-K through 12th grade, designed with equity, access, and ease of use in mind.

Kits are delivered directly to each of the 11 public school districts served by Mid-Valley STEM-CTE Hub. Each kit includes hands-on materials, teacher-friendly startup guides, and everything needed to engage large groups of students in active, enriching learning experiences. Want to learn more? Check out the Educator Lending Library Quick Start Guide.

June 24-25, 2026 | Portland State University

Engage with the updated 3rd edition of C-GEO's online Student Atlas of Oregon. Access multi-subject integration and teaching strategies for the K-12 classroom while learning from the Atlas cartographer and other TCs. Help create new Student Atlas of Oregon activities and lesson plans and be able to take a professional development template back with you to share in your school with colleagues.

Application deadline February 28, 2026 -- more information here.

District Google accounts (including email) are blocked by default from international locations. The Tech Dept is happy to add anyone to an exception group when they are traveling. Here's how to request this access:

• Open the GAPS IT Helpdesk
• Login in the top right corner
• Select Forms
• Select Security > Access | Foreign Travel

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