Banned Books Lesson Plan

Media Specialist Name: Angela Clark

Teacher Name: Melonie Windham

Grade: 12th AP

Library Context:
x Fixed  Flexible  Combination  Individualized Instruction

x Stand-alone lesson  Lesson in a unit  Multiple lessons in a unit

Collaboration Continuum:
 None  Limited x Moderate  Intensive

Content Topic: Banned books

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner:

1.1.3 Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new understanding.
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.2.1 Display initiative and engagement by posing questions and investigating the answers beyond the
collection of superficial facts.
2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve
problems.
3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding
in ways that others can view, use, and assess.
4.2.3 Maintain openness to new ideas by considering divergent opinions, changing opinions or
conclusions when evidence supports the change, and seeking information about new ideas encountered
through academic or personal experiences.

Local or State Standards:

ELAGSE11-12SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-
one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building
on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively
c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure
a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and
conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.

Reading Comprehension Strategy: Making Predictions and Drawing Inferences

Lesson Objectives: Students will understand their rights to read books and learn about Banned Books
Week

Overview of the Lesson: Mrs. Windham’s class will go to the library to hear Ms. Clark talk about the
history of banned books week and the first amendment. After listening to Ms. Clark, the class will begin
a Socratic seminar. After the seminar student will create flyers from what they have learned.

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 INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN:
(This is the where you will provide all the details for teaching the lesson)

Estimated lesson time: 2 – 55 minutes days

Resources: (List the names of the resources next to each relevant type.)
 Online subscription database(s):
 Web sites: Flyer: www.smore.com and Presentation: www.prezi.com Suggested websites for
students: www.ala.org, www.bannedbooksweek.org,
 Books:
 Nonprint: Students’ research
 Software and/or Apps:
 Technology: Promethean Board
 Other:

Instruction/activities:
(Provide step by step details describing how the lesson will be taught. If this is a collaborative lesson
specify who will lead each of the instructional activities--the teacher or the library media specialist.)

 Direct instruction: Ms. Clark’s lecture

 Modeling and guided practice: The students in the AP class have been through the Socratic seminar
process before. Mrs. Windham will review with the students in class prior to today.
 Independent practice, Sharing and reflecting: Students will reflect on what they learned today and
the flyer being created and by writing a 1 – 2 page reflection paper that will be due within five days.
 Strategies for Differentiation: The Smore flyer that the students will create can be done by the
individual student, a group of two students or a group of three students. The more students in the
group, the more will be required (See rubric).

(A week before lesson, Mrs. Windham reserved the library for one day and the computer lab for the next
day. Ms. Clark and Mrs. Windham have met about this lesson for the last week in preparing for the
presentation. Students have also been doing their research to be prepared for a Socratic seminar.)
After attendance is taken, Mrs. Windham will bring her class of 19 students to the library (5 minutes).
The library is already set up for the seminar. Tables and chairs are formed into a circle. Ms. Clark will
begin her presentation on the history of banned books week and the First Amendment Rights. This will
lead into the book that the students will be reading, The Catcher in the Rye.

The questions on the Prezi presentation were the questions that were given to the students to help with
their research. Ms. Clark will answer any questions that students may have about the presentation or
banning books in general. This can include personal stories about this subject. Ms. Clark will anticipate
questions about being involved with any books that have been challenged or banned during her position
as Media Specialist (15 minutes).

Slide 1 – Title
Slide 2 – Ms. Clark will say that Banned Books Week started in 1982 because of the number of books
being challenged or banned surged. It is celebrated the last week in September.
Slide 3 – The difference between a challenged book and banned book is the challenged book is an
attempt to remove or restrict materials, and the banned book is a removal of the book.
Slide 4 – Why do you think these books were challenged? One that was strange to me was Where the
Wild Things Are. I remember this book when I was younger. I did not think anything about the scariness

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or the monsters. I didn’t worry about the monsters in the book. It was the ones under my bed. (I always
try to add a little funny somewhere.)
Slide 5 and 6 – These are the questions that you used to do your research on.
Slide 7 – These are some reasons that have been used for banning books. Can you think of more reasons
(sexual preference, ethnicity, magic, vampire,…)?
Slide 8 – This was the first book banned in America. This book showed compassion to the Native
Americans and satire to Puritans. The critique could be summarized in Morton’s comment that the
Puritans “make a great show of religion but no humanity.”
Slide 9, 10 and 11 – The First Amendment and a quote about taking away someone’s rights by banning.
Slide 12 – This is the next book that you will read in Mrs. Windham’s class. It has been a banned book
and still is in some libraries.
Slide 13 and 14 – These are where I got my images and resources.

Socratic seminar will begin. Rules have already been set and discussed prior to today. Mrs. Windham
will remind everyone to be polite and to give others a chance to speak. Since there are 19 students, Mrs.
Windham designated one of the students as the moderator. The moderator will open up with questions
like, “We all have read banned books in school before, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Outsiders,
Fahrenheit 451, did this make the books more interesting and do you agree with reasons for being
banned?” “Why do people object to books and try to have them banned?” Ms. Clark and Mrs. Windham
are outside of the circle listening and watching. We are careful not to interrupt, but will help clarify the
questions or statements when needed. When preparing the research, students were divided into two
groups, those that support banned books and those that do not. This is so the students can hear both
sides. Mrs. Windham had asked earlier in preparation to use real-life situations so that students will
know that banning books is real. Our students have heard about banning books, but have not been
through the process. The other questions will be asked. Notes will be recorded by each student. The
questioning, research and debate is to help students reach their own conclusions on what they have
heard. The debate and research will help students make their own conclusions not only about books but
in real-life situations. The inferences about the debate will help when they begin to read The Catcher in
the Rye. We are teaching our students to be independent by making up their own minds and not relying
on someone else (30 minutes).

With 5 minutes left, students will collect their items and head back to classroom to retrieve their
belongings.

The next day students will arrive in the computer room. The students are to create a flyer using the web
tool Smore. They will be given a rubric. The flyer will include content that they have learned in the
seminar. This will be the only time that students will be allowed to work on flyer during class. Mrs.
Windham and Ms. Clark will be in the computer lab to help answer questions. It will be due within the
five days like the reflection paper.

Assessment:
 Student Product: The Smore Flyer and Reflection paper
 Process: Teacher with the help of Media Specialist will assess during the seminar
 Student self-questioning: This will be in the reflection paper. Some prompts will be: How have
your opinions/feelings changed after the seminar? Is there an understanding of both sides?

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I got the idea of a debate by looking at http://www.teachhub.com/banned-book-week-activities. After
talking with Mrs. Windham, she suggested the Socratic seminar. She has used this in her classroom and
enjoys listening to the students.

Prezi Presentation

http://prezi.com/9t7jh5iey89e/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

https://prezi.com/9t7jh5iey89e/banned/ (Copy and paste in browser)

Smore Flyer Rubric

Skills 3 2 1
Content The flyer is creative and The flyer reflects the The does not reflect the
clearly reflects the topic. topic.
topic.
Language Use Writing is clear, Writing is mostly clear Writing is unclear and
concise, and well and organized. There disorganized. There are
organized. No more are no more than five numerous spelling or
than three spelling or spelling and grammar grammar errors.
grammar errors. errors.
Evidence Individual work Flyer is missing one of The flyer is missing
contains 2 reasons in the numbers of reasons more than one of the
support of one side of required. numbers of reasons
topic. Group of two required.
contains 3 reasons in
support of one side.
Group of 3 work
contains 4 reasons in
support of one side.

Reflection Paper Rubric

Skills 3 2 1
Depth of Reflection Demonstrate a Demonstrate a basic Demonstrate little or
conscious and understanding of the no understanding of
thorough subject matter. the subject matter.
understanding of the
subject matter.
Evidence and Practice Response shows Response shows little Response shows no
strong evidence of evidence of ideas and evidence of ideas and
ideas and insight insight gained insight gained
gained throughout throughout lesson. throughout lesson.
lesson.

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Language use Writing is clear, Writing is mostly Writing is unclear and
concise, and well clear and organized. disorganized. There
organized. No more There are no more are numerous spelling
than three spelling or than five spelling and or grammar errors.
grammar errors. grammar errors.