Ms.

Belardos Lesson Plan

February 16th, 2017
ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S):
o What is censorship?
LESSON TOPIC:
o Intro to censorship (Fahrenheit 451)
SUBJECT, GRADE LEVEL:
o English 10
APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF LESSON:
o 50-55 minutes
CONTENT STANDARDS:
o Standard - CC.1.2.9-10.C
Apply appropriate strategies to analyze, interpret, and evaluate how an
author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order
in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and
the connections that are drawn between them.
o Standard - CC.1.2.9-10.D
Determine an authors particular point of view and analyze how rhetoric
advances the point of view.
o Standard - CC.1.4.9-10.A
Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine and convey complex
ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately.
o Standard - CC.1.4.9-10.B
Write with a sharp distinct focus identifying topic, task, and audience.
GOALS/OBJECTIVES:
o Identify the definition of censorship.
o Understand multiple circumstances and degrees to which censorship applies.
o Create an opinion based on a court case discussed in class. Are you with or
against the students?
o Write a speech based on the opinion that opposes your own belief.
Illustrate different perspectives.
SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
o Class will begin with regular call for attendance.
o I will have a PowerPoint open on the screen that is blank and begin by speaking to
the students about how they will begin to ready Fahrenheit 451 following their I-
Search presentations.
o The discussion of class will begin by stating that many literary critics have found
the novel to be based upon (tap on screen) censorship!
o I will ask the class the question What is censorship? Depending on whether the
students answer or not, I will ask follow up questions or make hints regarding the
meaning by explaining when curse words are cut out of a song, or why you cant
say certain things in public.
o The next slide will include a broad and concise definition of censorship.
o I will give a brief explanation as to why certain books have been banned/
censored from school districts to give students a better idea as to what
censorship is.
o Following the books, I will play a short clip of two songs for the students that
include the use of the word God; however, one song has God muted while the
other does not.
o I will give a few more descriptions of songs that have been censored or band from
radios such as Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by The Beatles which alludes to
the use of LSD, Picture to Burn by Taylor Swift that once included the lyrics
go and tell your friends that Im obsessive and crazy, thats fine Ill tell mine
youre gay which Swift eventually had to change because of the fault of
spreading rumors, and American Idiot by Green Day which was intended to
insult to President of the United States, George W. Bush.
o A clip of the film The Great Dictator will be shown, and I will ask students why
the film might have been censored not in America, but in other parts of the world.
The next slide will discuss why The Great Dictator and The Interview
were banned/censored
o Quickly discuss the battle over whether art featuring the naked human body
should be censored.
o Two students will be asked to read seemingly harmless childrens poetry by Shel
Silverstein. I will ask the students why they may think these poems were removed
from elementary schools.
o We will then discuss the First Amendment, and talk about freedom of speech. But
it is vital to include that obscenities are not protected under the First Amendment.
o Questions will pop up on the board for students to think about for a moment.
Should students be allowed to wear armbands to protest a war?
Quick discussion of Tinker V. Des Moines, and how because the
students form of protest did not disrupt or harm anyone, they were
allowed to continue to wear armbands.
Should students be allowed to make speeches at assemblies including
obscenities and inappropriate innuendos?
Quick discussion of Bethel V. Fraser, and how because Fraser used
obscenities in his speech he was not protected under the First
Amendment.
Should students be allowed to write about teen pregnancy and divorced
parents in a school newspaper?
Quick discussion of Hazelwood V. Kuhlmeier, and how the student
newspaper was not allowed to include ideas that the school found
to be profane and unacceptable because it was a school sponsored
activity.
o If there is time left, students will be asked to do a writing assignment.
The students will have to choose one of the three cases described and
write one sentence as to why they agree/disagree with the outcome of the
case.
 The students will then have to write a speech defending the opposing
opinion.
The speech will act as an exit card from class.
ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION:
o Students will be evaluated on their understanding of the concept of censorship.
This will be displayed through:
Questions they ask
Answering questions I have asked
Completing the monologue they are assigned
MATERIALS/RESOURCES:
o Paper
o Pen/Pencil
o PowerPoint presentation
REFLECTION:
o I am curious to know if students follow directions accordingly, so when I begin
reading their speeches I will be looking for an explicit I agree on the front and
I disagree on the back and vice versa. I will see if students use points made
during class discussionsuch as obscenity not being protected under the first
amendment.