{"id":4710,"date":"2021-03-16T07:31:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-16T11:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/?p=4710"},"modified":"2021-03-18T12:37:10","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T16:37:10","slug":"celebrate-freedom-of-information-day-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/2021\/03\/celebrate-freedom-of-information-day-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrate Freedom of Information Day 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What is the FOIA?\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Meske8JKQEE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/2021-MAR-Celebrate-Freedom-of-Information-Day.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/2021-MAR-Celebrate-Freedom-of-Information-Day-200x300.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4807\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/2021-MAR-Celebrate-Freedom-of-Information-Day-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/2021-MAR-Celebrate-Freedom-of-Information-Day-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/2021-MAR-Celebrate-Freedom-of-Information-Day.png 735w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reaganlibrary.gov\/archives\/speech\/proclamation-5776-freedom-information-day-1988\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Freedom of Information Day<\/a> takes place on March 16th- <a href=\"https:\/\/guides.loc.gov\/james-madison\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">James Madison<\/a>&#8216;s birthday. It is commemorated on this day because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.americaslibrary.gov\/aa\/madison\/aa_madison_subj.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Madison<\/a> was a staunch proponent of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spj.org\/smack.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free press <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/fas.org\/sgp\/congress\/2005\/s340.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">flow of information<\/a> to the public. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foia.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Freedom of Information Act<\/a> was first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/first-amendment\/article\/1081\/freedom-of-information-act-of-1966\">enacted in 1966<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/1960s\/freedom-of-information-act\">updated<\/a> 50 years later in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/114\/bills\/s337\/BILLS-114s337enr.xml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2016<\/a> after a lengthy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eff.org\/issues\/transparency\/history-of-foia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">process that started in 1955<\/a>. Freedom of Information Week is celebrated as part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsleaders.org\/sunshine-week-about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sunshine Week<\/a>, a week devoted to educating the public about the importance of open government and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Celebrating <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bellevue.edu\/library\/index.php\/2017\/03\/freedom-of-information-day\/\" target=\"_blank\">this day<\/a> (and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/stories\/sunshine-week.html\" target=\"_blank\">this week<\/a>) in schools\u00a0 &#8211; from <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/celebratepicturebooks.com\/tag\/freedom-of-information-day\/\" target=\"_blank\">elementary <\/a>to <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spj.org\/sunshineweek8.asp\" target=\"_blank\">secondary<\/a> &#8211; can be done in a variety of ways. If you would like to build your own lesson plan(s), check out the variety of resources available from the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archives.gov\/foia\/electronic-reading-room\" target=\"_blank\">National Archives<\/a> and an <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/georgiasouthern.libguides.com\/c.php?g=834505\" target=\"_blank\">FOIA Libguide<\/a> developed by Georgia Southern University. There are also many resources available as starting points, like the Whistleblower Project&#8217;s &#8220;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spj.org\/whistleblower\/whistleblowers.asp\" target=\"_blank\">25 Moments That Changed History<\/a>,&#8221; the US Department of Justice&#8217;s FOIA 50th Anniversary<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/5Pyo9v4WTzM\" target=\"_blank\"> video<\/a>, and C-Span&#8217;s <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.c-span.org\/video\/?458644-1\/national-freedom-information-day-discussion-part-1&amp;playEvent\" target=\"_blank\">National Freedom of Information Day audio and video series<\/a>. This set of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/nynpa.com\/docs\/nie\/SWGraphicOrganizers2013.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">graphic organizers<\/a> about open government and freedom of information is an excellent resource for research assignments. The <a href=\"https:\/\/education.blogs.archives.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2016\/11\/foia-infographic.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">infographic below<\/a> is the perfect introduction to the Freedom of Information Act.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><a href=\"https:\/\/education.blogs.archives.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2016\/11\/foia-infographic-web.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/education.blogs.archives.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2016\/11\/foia-infographic-web.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you would prefer a ready-made lesson to use as is or modify, there are several available. These <a href=\"https:\/\/eslholidaylessons.com\/03\/freedom_of_information_day.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ESL<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lessonplanet.com\/teachers\/freedom-of-information-day\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lesson Planet<\/a> lesson plans contain a variety of activities, including a quiz. Lessons are also available for specific topics like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schooljournalism.org\/celebrating-sunshine-week\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sunshine Week<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.muckrock.com\/news\/archives\/2017\/mar\/15\/foia-4-kidz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Freedom of Information Act<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/09\/12\/learning\/lesson-plans\/freedom-of-speech-a-lesson-on-understanding-the-protections-and-limits-of-the-first-amendment.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">freedom of speech<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/newseumed.org\/tools\/lesson-plan\/world-press-freedom-map\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">world press freedom<\/a>. In addition, the National Archives DocsTeach site has an amazing interactive activity in which students examine documents released under the Freedom Of Information Act from the FBI case file about Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama entitled \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.docsteach.org\/activities\/teacher\/the-impact-of-bloody-sunday-in-selma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Impact of Bloody Sunday in Selma<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Celebrating Freedom of Information day is an educational adventure into the past, present, and future! As always, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/?s=freedom+of+information\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TeachersFirst<\/a> for more resources, and happy Freedom of Information Day!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Freedom of Information Day takes place on March 16th- James Madison&#8216;s birthday. It is commemorated on this day because Madison was a staunch proponent of a free press and flow of information to the public. The Freedom of Information Act was first enacted in 1966 and updated 50 years later in 2016 after a lengthy &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/2021\/03\/celebrate-freedom-of-information-day-2021\/\" class=\"more-link\">read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[229,187,53,230],"class_list":["post-4710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-classroom-application","tag-freedom","tag-information-literacy","tag-media-literacy","tag-press"],"modified_by":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4710"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4710\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4825,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4710\/revisions\/4825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}