Banned Books WebQuest

Library

BannedBooks

Introduction

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. (U.S. Constitution. the Bill of Rights).

Our constitution guarantees us many freedoms. We can have ideas and opinions that might be unpopular or controversial. We can write them down and share them with others and we can choose to read about them.

In our nation's history, this freedom has often been challenged. Individuals and groups have objected to the content of books and have sought to have those books removed from classrooms or library shelves. Librarians and others have often defended our "right to read."

The Task

Censorship is a complicated issue. This webquest will give you an opportunity to read banned books and research the topic of censorship. You will formulate and hear arguments from several points of view. You will gain a better understanding of who bans books and why.

Your teacher may choose to have you complete some or all of the following tasks.

Look at lists of banned books.
Read a banned book.
Use a variety of print and electronic resources to research the topic of censorship.
Use print and electronic resources to research the history of the book and/or author.
Discover who objected to the book and why.
Assume a role and analyze the book from that point of view.
Work in groups.
Participate in discussions.
Write a persuasive letter from a particular point of view.

The Process

These are the steps you will go through to complete this assignment. The assignment may be modified to accommodate the needs of your particular class, so please pay close attention to your teacher's directions.

You will choose (or be assigned) a banned book.
Read the book.
Using a variety of print and electronic resources, (see lists of resources below) research the book to discover who objected to the book--and why.
You will be assigned one of the following roles; an author, a public librarian, a school librarian, a concerned citizen/parent, or perhaps a lawyer.
Take notes and formulate a list of "talking points". These talking points are the arguments that the person you are role-playing would be likely to use to persuade others.
Also read and take notes on some of the opposing viewpoints so you will be prepared to counter their arguments.
Participate in a group discussion with others playing the same role. (For example: all the authors get together.) Use this discussion to strengthen your point of view.
Participate in a discussion with representatives from different groups.
Write a letter to a fictional school board expressing a point of view that is different from the one you role-played in the above discussion.

Links to Internet Resources

American Library Association Banned Books Website
Includes a list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books

Banned Books and Censorship Resources (Loyola Uninversity)

Censored (Links to many resources)

Freedom to Read Week (Canada)

Intellectual Freedom Issues

Kids speak out against censorship!

Parents Against Bad Books in Schools Speeches

“What Johnny Can’t Read” an essay by author, Suzanne Fisher Staples

GHS Library Books

Our library has numerous books to help you with your research. Some may contain information on specific books. Others are useful for providing an overview of censorship from a historical perspective. You may also find them useful in helping you formulate arguments from your assigned "point of view". The books listed below can be located in The GHS Library. If you need help, please ask at the circulation desk.

323.44 Foe
Foerstel, Herbert N. Banned in the U.S.A.: a reference guide to book censorship in schools and public libraries. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.

323.44 Jan
Janson, Sue Curry. Censorship: the knot that binds power and knowledge. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.

323.44 Leo
Leone, Bruno ed. Free Speech. San Diego: Green Haven Press, 1994.

323.44 Lew
Lewis, Felice Flanery. Literature, Obscenity, & Law. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1976.

323.44 Mcc
MccGwire, Scarlett. Censorship: changing attitudes 1900-2000. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 2000.

323.44 Mar
Marsh, Dave. 50 Ways to Fight Censorship: and important facts to know about the censors. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 1991.

323.44 Net
Netzley, Patricia D. Issues in Censorship. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2000.

323.44 Nob
Nobel, William. Bookbanning in America: Who Bans Books?--and why. Middlebury, VT: Paul S. Eriksson, 1990.

323.44 Rei
Reichman, Henry. Censorship and Selection: issues and answers for schools. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 1993.

Riley, Gail Blasser. Censorship. New York: Facts on File, 1998.

323.44 Rol
Roleff, Tamara L. Censorship: opposing viewpoints. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2002.

323.44 She
Sherrow, Victoria. Censorship in Schools. Springfield, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 1996.

323.44 Sta
Stay, Brian ed. Censorship: opposing viewpoints. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997.

323.44 Tay
Taylor, C. L. Censorship. New York: Franklin Watts, 1986.

323.44 Wes
West, Mark. Trust Your Children: voices against censorship in Children's Literature. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 1997.

Evaluation

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Research	Lists only one or two resources Lacks documentation. Does not use both print and electronic resources. Notes are incomplete and not logical.	Uses at least three properly documented resources (print & electronic). Notes are complete and logical.	Uses four or more documented resources (print & electronic). Notes are logical and organized and reflect a point of view.	Uses five or more documented resources (print & electronic). Notes are organized & logical. Anticipates responses to conflicting points of view.	20
Talking points (a list of arguments that reflect a particular point of view)	Talking points are few or non-existent.	Has one or two talking points.	Has three or more talking points that are logical and well thought out and reflect a point of view.	Has three or more talking points that reflect an understanding of the issue from multiple points of view.	20
Discussions	Very little participation in the discussion.	Utilizes talking points to contribute to the discussion.	Demonstrates a good understanding of their role's point of view. Utilizes talking points. Makes a significant contribution & uses discussion to bolster argument.	Good use of talking points. Demonstrates a good understanding of their role's point of view. A major contributor to the discussion, is able to respond to and refute opposing arguments.	20 each
Letter	The letter is poorly written, contains spelling and grammar errors and does not express a coherent point of view.	The letter is mostly free of spelling and grammar errors and begins to express a point of view.	The letter is free of spelling and grammar errors. The format is correct and the point of view and supporting arguments are clearly stated.	The letter is properly formatted, contains no spelling or grammar errors, clearly expresses supporting arguments and addresses possible opposing arguments.	20

Conclusion

Once you have completed this WebQuest, you will be more knowledgeable about the topic of censorship . You will have gained a better understanding of the issue from a variety of perspectives.

Credits

Thanks to Brenna Autry, Davia Dymond, Erin McNamara, Colleen Ottalagano, and Claudia Stone for their cooperation and valuable assistance in designing this WebQuest.

Last updated on September 8, 2003. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page

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