Lesson Plan 1: Fahrenheit 451 Book: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Class: American Literature (Juniors) Level: College

Prep 1 Objectives: 1. Students will consider the purpose of censorship, its positive and negative attributes, and evaluate its effectiveness in creating a society with individual freedoms. 2. Students will discuss what the United States considers dangerous through assessment of the list of banned books. 3. Students will consider the purpose of literacy and the potential effects of eliminating it. Understandings: 1. Students will be able to establish and discuss their opinions about censorship independently and in groups. 2. Students will understand the definition of censorship and book burning and banning, as well as the potential motivations for such transgressive acts. Censorship: the use of state or group power to control freedom of expression. Book Bannings: books are challenged for different reasons such as subject matter and declared prohibited for the public or a group to read. Book Burnings: the practice of ceremoniously destroying by fire one or more copies of a book or other written material. 3. Students will cite and analyze examples of censorship with modern examples (current book bans, edited CDs, materials not allowed in school, etc.). Students will understand that censorship still occurs and affects our lives today, including the school environment. Assessment: Exit ticket: students will answer the following question in their notebooks: What books, current movies, videos, or television shows do you think are inappropriate for people your age to read or view? Should our community (a) ban them, (b) make them off-limits to certain people, (c) not worry about them, or (d) discuss them with an open mind? Explain your answers Questions and responses during class discussions and pair work.

Instructional Approach: Order Time

Activity

1.

3 minutes

2.

5 minutes

I will begin the class with a still photo, and I will ask students for their observations. I will create a list of cold call questions to ask them about the photo. Then, I will introduce students to the novel and its main themes. Students will answer in their notebooks, then some students will share with the class (I could cold call here): Why do people read? What might happen if books didnt exist? Would people become too reliant on technology? Would they find other sources of entertainment? Imagine that you were never taught to read. What might that be like? What is the purpose of reading and literacy? Why read at all? Burning books: to destroy. Purpose of books: to educate and create knowledge and new worlds. Concept of book burning in Fahrenheit 451. Class will define: censorship and book burning and banning. Student definitions (refined by me, if necessary) will be written on the board with student generated examples. If the students cannot create examples, I will have some in mind. Project a copy of a brief list of the most frequently "censored" or controversial books in America. Students write the ones they have either heard of or read and why they think the book is on the list. Students will write on a scrap piece of paper. As a class, brainstorm reasons why these books are banned and write these ideas on the board (I will preview list and know specific reasons for some books). Imagine you are in charge of banning and burning books today. What would your criteria be? Community values, etc. At the end of the activity, I will tell the class 2/3 examples of why some of the books have been banned. I will choose the books that the students were most interested in discussing or were surprised by their presence on the list. Students will likely say some of the reasons about why the books were banned, and the true reasons for banning will validate their ideas or provide a new perspective about book banning. Ask students to share an experience they have had with censorship. For example: watching a T.V. show or movie with the profane words edited out, buying an album with an explicit warning label on it, etc. Write these ideas on the board. The class will discuss what censorship means to them, how it affects them, and how it relates to their daily lives. Students will work in groups of four (there are sixteen students). I will assign the groups. Each group will be given a different question to discuss, and the questions will be projected on the board. After the discussion, a representative will share the groups answer with the entire class. Do you think that censorship from profanity and violence effectively protects you from harm? Will you see negative behavior

3.

3-5 minutes

4.

5 minutes

5.

10 minutes

6.

10-20 minutes 4 groups

7.

10 minutes

elsewhere? Provide examples (films, internet, news). Assess the influence of censorship on individual freedoms. When might too much censorship be harmful? School environment: what types of things is the administration trying to prevent you from seeing, hearing, etc.? What does censorship and the banning or burning of books accomplish? List pro (positive) and con (negative) arguments. Extra question (for further discussion): What would it be like if there was not censorship of these media? Would it be harmful, beneficial, or both? Bias/ privacy: newspaper, propaganda commercials for presidential elections, and advertisements on Gmail/Facebook. Come back together as a class to share our thoughts. The pairs will share their responses with a group, and I will generate more discussion and questions. Exit ticket: Students will provide a written answer the following question in their notebooks. What books, current movies, videos, or television shows do you think are inappropriate for people your age to read or view? Should our community (a) ban them, (b) make them off-limits to certain people, (c) not worry about them, or (d) discuss them with an open mind? Explain your answers Note: homework will be written on the board, and I will remind students about it at the beginning and end of class. The agenda will be written on the board, and the objectives projected.

8.

5 minutes

Skills to be emphasized: Evaluate the legitimacy of censorship and justify opinions in writing during pair activity. Verbal communication during pair and group discussions. Listening and visual skills will be enhanced during the photograph hook. Materials Needed: Group activity and journal entry: notebook paper Projector/computer: to show list of banned and censored books and activities such as the exit ticket. Sponge Activity: Students will begin reading the novel as homework. If we finish significantly early, we can begin reading it aloud together.