Fahrenheit 451 – WebQuest Project
English 9 2010
A Web Quest project uses the resources of the Internet
to explore and answer questions pertaining to a
particular topic. We are going to explore the issue of
censorship – past and present.
Introduction
As the newly appointed member of the Jefferson Township High School Freedom of
Speech Commission, you have been assigned to the Censorship Committee. The
Commission is studying issues related to Censorship and has asked you to investigate
some of the history of censorship and to use the information to help the Commission
make judgments about contemporary censorship issues. You will be using the
WebQuest to find information about some of the instances of censorship the
Commission is interested in.
Task
The WebQuest will have three parts:
Part I requires you to explore Web sites on censorship in the past and the present. You
will be given a selection of web sites related to these issues from which to choose. Take
notes and print out important information needed for your report to the Commission.
Part II is a list of modern day censorship issues affecting teenagers today. Select a
topic you wish to report on to the Commission.
Part III is an essay on a contemporary censorship issue. The essay must use
information from your research, so you will need to take notes as you explore the sites.
(Remember to record reference/citation information.)
Process
Part I:
Explore these websites for information on the kinds of historical censorship Ray
Bradbury discusses in Fahrenheit 451: For this part of the WebQuest, I will be
collecting answers to the questions that accompany each web site.
Step I: Nazi Book Burning:
 What is significant about the date May 10, 1933?
 In what way might the pictorial images inspired Bradbury to write Fahrenheit
451?
 What effect do you think the burning of books had on the authors whose works
were burned?
Site 1: http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/bookburning/symbol.php
Site 2: http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/bookburn.htm
Step II: McCarthyism and Blacklisting in Hollywood:
 Who is Joe McCarthy?
 What is “McCarthyism”?
 What does HUAC stand for?
 What is the significance of Hollywood and Blacklisting?
 How might it have inspired Bradbury to write Fahrenheit 451?
black·list
(bl k l st )
n.
A list of persons or organizations that have incurred disapproval or suspicion or are to be boycotted or
otherwise penalized.
tr.v. black·list·ed, black·list·ing, black·lists
To place on or as if on a blacklist. See Synonyms at blackball.
black list er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/bios/31.html
http://www.classicmovies.org/articles/aa032899.htm
Part II
The classic movie about man’s responsibility to country over self!
As you explore the questions listed below, think about the censorship issues that are in
the news today. The questions listed below are designed to guide your thinking for the
essay you will write in Part III. I will not be collecting answers to them, but the essay
should demonstrate that you have thought about them.
Questions to consider as you prepare your paper:
 Who is in favor of these censorship limitations?
 Why are they in favor of them?
 Who is opposed to censorship limitations?
 Why are they opposed?
 Which side do you agree with? Why?
 What types of censorship exist at Jefferson Township High School?
CensorshipTopics to explore and consider for your essay:
 Video Game Warning Labels ~ Protect the innocent children!
 Labeling of Music to keep our youth safe from harmful lyrics!
 Movie Ratings: (PG-13/R) Controlling your right to view a movie based on
age!
 Book Banning: Remove books from the shelves of libraries to protect our
society!
 American Library Association (ALA): Defender of First Amendment Rights!
Part III
The Essay Question:
The Jefferson Township High School Freedom of Speech Commission needs you! The
Commission has been studying issues related to censorship, and has asked you to write a
report explaining one of these controversies and make a recommendation for action.
Choose one of the censorship controversies you explored in Part II and write a 5paragraph essay discussing the questions that appeared at the opening of Part II. If you
wish to write about a form of censorship not listed in Part II, see me for approval before
doing the research!
 This expository essay reports on the type of censorship and the relevance to
today’s society.
 Your essay does not need to answer every question, but you must state your
opinion about the controversy and use information you have gathered from the
WebQuest and your own research to support your opinion.
 You may consider how author Ray Bradbury would feel about this type of
censorship using quotes from the author or quotes from the novel, Fahrenheit
451.
Evaluation
Your WebQuest Project will be evaluated in two ways:
 First, I will evaluate your answers to the Questions asked about the individual
web sites in Part I. I will be looking to see that you have explored the web sites
effectively, and that you have thought about the information you found there. 
 Second, I will be grading the essay you wrote for Part III. I will look to see how
effectively you have used information and ideas from this WebQuest to support
your opinions on one of the censorship topics explored in Part II. Good essays
will be 5-6 paragraphs long and will contain specific information on censorship in
the past and in America today. I look forward to reading a well-organized,
interesting essay written in proper Standard English adhering to MLA format. 
 Thirdly, I will stay after school on Wednesdays for anyone who needs to use a
computer or has questions about this project. 
 Happy Writing 