Introduction
Just recently, an advocacy group by the name of No Left Turn in Education has begun to raise eyebrows as books are being banned from many public school systems. While this is not a new concept, it has increased dramatically since the 1980's. Books being banned are those that focus on sexual activity, sexual identity or gender identity. Some books that are highlighted are To Kill a Mockingbird, The Handmaids Tale and Of Mice and Men. These popular books have been used in high school literature classrooms for many years. While books are meant to provoke thought and conversation, they also open the doors for criticism and tension. As a student, do you think specific books should be banned or not?
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22914767/book-banning-crt-school-boards-republicans
Task
Pretend you are on a committee where your voice gets to be a deciding factor of whether certain books are banned or not. Pick a partner and research books being challenged or that have recently been banned. Come up with a pro's and con's list for at least five books. Use the resources below to research books frequently challenged. Use Google search to look up a summary of what each book is about. When you are done, produce a video stating why you believe one of your chosen books should not be banned. You can use YouTube, a cell phone recorder, or TikTok to produce your video.
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/2020-banned-challenged-books-list/
https://ncte.org/statement/righttoreadguideline/
https://www.youtube.com/bannedbooksweek
Process
You get to pick a partner to complete this assignment!!!
First, choose five books that have been challenged or banned over the past couple years.
Next, write a pros and cons list of why YOU believe these five books should or should not be banned.
Then, choose one book to create a video where you and your partner will become an advocate of your chosen book. Tell your audience what the book is, who wrote it, when it was published, and why it has been challenged or banned. You will then explain why it should still be used in schools today. BE CREATIVE. Again, you can use YouTube, a cell phone recorder, or TikTok to produce your video. Video must be at least 5 minutes in length.
YOU WILL GET THE CHANCE TO PRESENT TO THE CLASS ONCE EVERYONE HAS FINISHED!
Evaluation
Use the link to access the scoring rubric for the assignment.
https://1drv.ms/w/s!AvyqJj6o1BWNmRqF5aKO_3qQTEkh
Conclusion
While books help people to celebrate their history, culture, race, and identity, they also create conversation, elicit creative and critical thinking, allow a reader to escape into another world, and provide information. This project is geared toward high school literature students and challenges them to evaluate and construct their own opinion and advocate publicly on one specific challenged or banned book in recent years. This project was produced based on the recent uproar in schools across the country today and the voices of students as they speak out against many banned or challenged books. Students get the opportunity to be heard, to advocate for something they believe in and challenge the audiences views.
Credits
"Why book banning is back." https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22914767/book-banning-crt-school-boards-republicans
"Central York School District book ban inspires banned book giveaway." YouTube.com
"Book Ban Efforts Spread Across the U.S." nytimes.com
"Banned and challenged books." https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
"2020 Banned & Challenged Books." https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/2020-banned-challenged-books-list/
"National Coalition Against Censorship." https://ncac.org
"National Council of Teachers of English. The Students' Right to Read." https://ncte.org/statement/righttoreadguideline/
"Top 10 most challenged books of 2020." YouTube.com
"What we lose when a book is banned." YouTube.com
"School district bans books on Rosa Parks and Malala. Now students want answers." CNN on YouTube.com
Teacher Page
ELA Teacher: Tracy Hales
9th grade literature
Temple High School, GA.
Contact Information: tracy.hales@carrollcountyschools.com