This resource is a modification of the Washington Models for the Evaluation of Bias Content in Instructional Materials (2009) that is made available through OER Commons under a public domain license. This resource attempts to both update the content with more contemporary vocabulary and also to narrow the scope to evaluating still images as they are found online. It was developed as a secondary project while working on a BranchED OER grant during summer 2020. It includes an attached rubric adapted from the Washington Model (2009).

While school librarians typically are well exposed to issues surrounding censorship and selection, less attention is paid to the ethics of librarianship and how those play out in the specialized context of school libraries. Attention to the ALA Code of Ethics and the ALA Bill of Rights set the foundation for careful reflection on the role of the school librarian, particularly in relation to the role of libraries in a democratic society.Issues of equity are [inherent] in library service and attention to the dimensions of meaning and implications of the word “equity” is warranted. This module situates equity in the context of educational equity, and the alignment of libraries as gateways to opportunity and education as the pathway to opportunity. School librarians may or may not have opportunities to explore the contexts of “intellectual freedom” in relation to equity.The codification of information literacy in the American Library Association Presidential Committee on Information Literacy Final Report in 1989 paved the way for information literacy to “become the predominant way to frame the educational role of libraries and librarians.” (Seale, 2013, “The Neoliberal Library” in Gregory and Higgins) As such, inquiring into the complexities and nuances of intellectual freedom and equal access to information is essential to understanding the school librarian’s role and responsibilities.Library and school library publications are increasingly recognizing the relevance of social justice to librarianship, as evidenced by a survey of library journals this past year. (example: “Equality vs. Equity” theme, Knowledge Quest, Volume 45, No. 3, January/February, 2017; “Social Justice Symposium” by Erin Hooper in VOYA, June 2017) Recognizing the power of the librarians to not only hold space for critical discourse but to also impact the shape and tenor of that discourse is the first step to fully owning the responsibility that comes with that power.A particularly relevant and useful resource is Information Literacy and Social Justice: Radical Professional Praxis, edited by Lua Gregory and Shana Higgins, Library Juice Press, 2013Learning Objectives:Participants will model, coach, and support "efficient and ethical information-seeking behavior"  (Standard 3: Information & Knowledge 3.1)Participants will support flexible, open access for library services and model and communicate the legal and ethical codes of the profession. (Standard 3: Information & Knowledge 3.2)Participants practice the ethical principles of their profession, advocate for intellectual freedom and privacy, and promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility. (Standard 5: Program Management and Administration 5.2)Participants will understand, model, and share how open education practice brings a transformative shift from a proprietary and industrial education model to a participatory education model. (ISKME: Leadership and Advocacy - Advancing Open Practice) 

The intentional instruction you provide in foundational literacy skills within the context of a rich balanced literacy program will set students on a trajectory toward success in reading and writing. The purpose of this document is to give you the resources you need to teach first grade students the phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and sight-word-recognition skills that will empower them to become confident, competent and thoughtful readers and writers. Instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, and sight words can and should be fun, fast-paced, and brief. The lessons in this document are designed with that in mind. This guide includes routines with sample instructional language to use during lessons

FreeReading is an open source instructional program that helps educators teach early literacy. Because it is open source, it represents the collective wisdom of a wide community of teachers and researchers. FreeReading contains Irregular Word Activities, a page of sequential and supplemental activities that helps teachers teach students to read 30 high-frequency irregular words.

This lesson, the second in a series, encourages students to think and talk openly about the concept of beauty, particularly as it overlaps with issues of race and racial identity.

This guide provides a primer on copyright and use permissions. It is intended to support teachers, librarians, curriculum experts and others in identifying the terms of use for digital resources, so that the resources may be appropriately (and legally) used as part of lessons and instruction. The guide also helps educators and curriculum experts in approaching the task of securing permission to use copyrighted materials in their classrooms, collections, libraries or elsewhere in new ways and with fewer restrictions than fair use potentially offers. The guide was created as part of ISKME's Primary Source Project, and is the result of collaboration with copyright holders, intellectual property experts, and educators.

This guide provides a primer on copyright and use permissions. It is intended to support teachers, librarians, curriculum experts and others in identifying the terms of use for digital resources, so that the resources may be appropriately (and legally) used as part of lessons and instruction. The guide also helps educators and curriculum experts in approaching the task of securing permission to use copyrighted materials in their classrooms, collections, libraries or elsewhere in new ways and with fewer restrictions than fair use potentially offers. The guide was created as part of ISKME's Primary Source Project, and is the result of collaboration with copyright holders, intellectual property experts, and educators.* "Copyright license choice" by opensource.com is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

A collection of word lists by syllable type and phonics pattern based on Orton-Gillingham organization of six syllable types.

This lesson is designed for students in adult basic education grade level E (low and high adult secondary education). The purpose of this lesson is to develop student proficiency in reading and analyzing text. The lesson topic is the issue of an individual’s right to privacy as balanced with the government’s responsibility for security of its citizens.

This lesson is meant for teachers to use during a professional learning session around the science of reading.  Teachers will read an article and reflect on it using the "What, So What, Now What?" routine from Making Thinking Visible.

This module was created in response to an observed need by BranchED and the module authors for efforts to increase the recognition, adaptation, and use of open educational resources (OER) among pre- and in-service teachers and the faculty who work in educator preparation programs. The module's purpose is to position teacher educators, teacher candidates and in-service teachers as empowered content creators. By explicitly teaching educators about content that has been licensed for re-use and informing them about their range of options for making their own works available to others, they will gain agency and can make inclusive and equity-minded decisions about curriculum content. The module provides instructional materials, resources, and activities about copyright, fair use, public domain, OER, and visual literacy to provide users with a framework for selecting, modifying, and developing curriculum materials.

This lesson is meant for teachers to use during a professional learning session around the science of reading.  Teachers will read an article and reflect on it using the "Sentence - Phrase - Word" routine from Making Thinking Visible.

As schools work to increase success for all students, it is important to recognize the impact of bias in classrooms, instructional materials and teaching strategies. Bias in general may be identified by determining whose interest is being portrayed and whose interest is being excluded. Evaluating for bias requires us to learn about others and to respect and appreciate the differences and similarities. This evaluation guide includes components on gender/sex, culture/ethnicity, socio-economic status, disability/status, and family structure.

Developed in 2009, this framework was designed for Washington educators to evaluate instructional content for bias using five dimensions: Gender/Sex, Multicultural, Persons with Disabilities, Socio-Economic Status, and Family.Visit the updated 2020 version: Screening for Biased Content in Instructional Materials | OSPI

Phonics word lists: introduction and lists of closed syllable words with different vowels and patterns.