Activity To Frame Discussion Around The David Streitfeld Article On The

Internet Archive

Objective: In this lesson plan, the aim is for students to think critically about the reading for the
day (the Streitfield article) and put its ideas into both larger and more personal contexts. With
doing this, I also hope that members of the classroom gain a better understanding of each
other’s own experiences related to the subject of accessing written works and digital/analog
means of doing so.
Student Materials: None, though they would have needed to have read the article beforehand.
Instructional Materials: Chalkboard and chalk to write out leading questions.
Format: Small to large group discussion
Time Estimate: 20-30 minutes

General Layout and Outline

- People get in groups of 3-4.
- Other members of instructional staff will join groups and contribute.
- Central guiding question on discussion: "What do you think is important to a reader when
accessing or finding text? What do you think is owed to them?"
- Groups will be given the following supporting prompts (which will be on the chalkboard)
to think about, share with each other, and discuss for around 10-15 minutes:
- How/where do you usually get or find books or other writings you want to read?
- What format (digital, physical, or both) do you prefer to get these writings in?
Why?
- How significant of a role have libraries played in your access to these works?
How different would your obtainment process look without them?
- Think back to the On the Rights of Molotov Man reading. How much control do
you think creators should have on the sharing and transfer of their work? How
much do you think they have?
- Think about Berger’s Ways of Seeing. Do you think there is an element of
“mystification” tied to the medium and methods by which we access literature? If
yes, how so?
 - We will as a class go through the individual prompts and ask each group their findings
and connections.
- Mini class discussions can launch from a group’s answer.
- We can circle back to some of our initial thoughts and impressions after the text
discussion concludes and see how our previous experiences and findings connect to the
issue at hand.

Assessment
This activity will not pair with a deliverable form of assessment, though we will gauge the
student’s engagements with each other, the texts, and their own backgrounds through quality of
discussion. We will also ask some wrap-up questions, like “Did anyone see the issue differently
now than they would have a week ago?” or “So what do you think the role of libraries will be in
future contexts?”.