Censorship Project
Due Monday May 5th. These will be presented in class; if time permits.
Certain novels are read at school and certain novels are omitted. In years past, To Kill a Mockingbird was
banned from many high school classrooms.
Use the following sites for your information gathering and to help you answer the following questions.
Some questions are opinion questions:
ABC News: 10 Books That Keep Getting Challenged
PBS: Definition of Censorship
Banned Books Timeline
Pros and Cons of Censorship
Banned Book Awareness: To Kill a Mockingbird
What elements in To Kill a Mockingbird do you think cause it to be banned? Explain.
Do you think those same elements call for the book to be banned now? Explain.
In your opinion, why are books banned from schools or public libraries?
What is censorship?
Do you think it is appropriate to censor classroom material? Why or why not?
With a partner, go to the American Library Association’s banned or challenged classic novel list.
Between the two of you, how many of these books have you read in school? Have been told to read?
Then with your partner, decide if you are for the banning of books or against it.
Ask yourselves the following questions:
What might be the benefit of banning books?
What might be the disadvantage of banning books?
What might be the benefit of not banning books?
What might be the disadvantage of banning books?
You and your partner(s) (no more than four in a group) will create a Power Point or Prezi presentation
that outlines the advantages and disadvantages of banning books. You will also need to include your
opinion on the banning of books.
Read the next page for more information:
Censorship Power Point or Prezi Presentation
Your Power Point or Prezi Presentation will vary in length, depending on how many group members
you have. Essentially everyone will have the following:
1 introduction slide
1 table of contents slide
1 works cited/source slide
5 slides discussing the disadvantages of censorship
5 slides discussing the advantages of censorship
Total 13 slides
Depending on how many group members you will have:
1 opinion slide if you choose to do the project by yourself (14 total slides)
2 opinion slides if you have a partner you will work with (15 total slides)
3 if you choose to work with two more people (16 total slides)
4 if you choose to work with three more people (17 total slides)
Rubric:
10
5
Introduction
Slide
The introduction slide is
present. It includes a title
and the names of the
group members
Table of Contents
Slide
The table of contents slide
is present. It includes the
advantages and
disadvantages and the
opinion slides
The sources slide is
present and it contains all
the appropriate links for
the pictures (5) and any
additional sources used in
research if needed.
All five slides are present.
Each slide has all three
reasons listed.
The introduction slide is
present but it does not
have a title/and or is
missing group member
names
The table of contents slide
is present. It includes
most the information but
is missing one section.
Sources Slide
5 Slides
discussing the
disadvantages
5 slides discussing
the advantages
All five slides are present.
Each slide has all three
reasons listed.
Opinion slides
The required number of
opinion slides per group,
based on the number of
individuals in the group
are provided.
The presentation is
thoughtfully organized. It
Creativity, design
3
0
There is no introduction
slide.
The table of contents slide
is present but it is missing
more than one section.
There is no table of
contents slide or the slide
is too incomplete to
consider finished.
The sources slide is
present but it has only
four or three links for the
pictures used in the
presentation.
The sources slide is
present but it has only two
to one of the links for the
pictures used in the
presentation.
The works cited page is
either too incomplete to
be considered finished or
is not provided.
Four to three slides are
present. They are missing
some of the reasons or
they have all of the
reasons there just are not
enough of them.
Four to three slides are
present. They are missing
some of the reasons or
they have all of the
reasons there just are not
enough of them.
Two to three slides are
present. They are missing
some of the reasons or
they have all of the
reasons there just are not
enough of them.
Two to three slides are
present. They are missing
some of the reasons or
they have all of the
reasons there just are not
enough of them.
Only one slide is present.
It may or may not have all
three reasons provided or
no slides are presented.
Only one slide is present.
It may or may not have all
three reasons provided or
no slides are presented.
One opinion slide or more
is missing or they are not
included in the
presentation at all.
The presentation is mostly
well organized. It has a
The presentation lacks
creativity and design.
The presentation looks
like it was thrown
and organization
has an attractive design
and is creative in its
overall presentation.
mostly creative design but
could have more.
There was some thought
put into organization but
it could have more.
Pictures
All five required pictures
are provided. The pictures
are relevant to the
presentation and they are
classroom appropriate.
There are four to three
pictures provided. All
pictures are relevant to the
overall presentation and
they are classroom
appropriate.
There are two to one
pictures provided. All
pictures are relevant to the
overall presentation and
they are classroom
appropriate.
Totals for each:
Overall score:
together at the last
minute. It has no
organization or creative
design.
There are no pictures
provided or they are not
considered classroom
appropriate.