INQUIRY (5E) LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Teachers: Summer Reynolds Subject: English Grade: 8th Grade

Common Core State Standards:

8.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one‐on‐one, in groups, and teacher‐led)
with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
Objective (Explicit):
 Students will be introduced to the concept of censorship- what it looks like in their lives, why it
matters, and different circumstances surrounding censorship throughout history. They will break into
groups to discuss what they know about censorship, and be introduced to different banned books.
Evidence of Mastery (Measurable):
Students will be completing a 4 question Quizziz before leaving class about Banned Books. Example questions include: 1) Differences between a
book being banned and a book being challenged. 2) Which amendment protects ideas and language used in books? 3) Who can tell you what you
can and cannot read? 4) The ability to search and get information on your own without anyone controlling you is called…. ?

Sub-Objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex)

Students will be able to understand what effects censorship has had on society, identify and discuss the issues surrounding the banning or challenging
of texts, and explore the issue of free speech and how it relates to the classroom and their lives. They will be taking a look at the First Amendment to
dive deeper into this topic.

Key vocabulary: Censorship, Free Speech, First Materials: Computers or iPads, Post-it Notes
Amendment, Bill of Rights, Suppression
Engage
Teacher Will: Students Will:
Begin the lesson by asking students to brainstorm reasons why they Break into groups of 3-4 to have initial discussions and go over
believe books would be banned, challenged, or not allowed in schools. the questions posed together. We will then come together as a
What types of things would people find offensive? This will lead into group and discuss what they answered.
the next discussion:
Have they felt as though they have been censored in their own lives?
What does that censorship look like? Should you have the choice to
read anything you want?

Explore
Teacher Will:
Give students the opportunity to use their school laptops or iPads to
research different books that have been banned and challenged.
They will also be encouraged to discover what their rights are in
relation to free speech. Which Amendment should they be looking for?
Guide students to think about their previous history lessons and the
Bill of Rights.
Some websites for them to browse:
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallen
Students Will:
Begin to conduct their own research on what books have been
banned in the past, and why. They will be encouraged to visit and
research multiple sites to discover why the books were banned,
who they were offending, and the difference between a book that
has been challenged and book that has been banned.
They will then be asked to look at the Bill of Rights to see what
Amendment pertains to their free speech, and how it relates to
banned books and the classroom.

gedbooks/classics
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/
Explain

Teacher Will: Students Will:

Hand out post it notes to each student to take down notes and
information while they are researching.
Then post these Guiding Questions on three different large sized
sheets of paper around the room. These questions will be: What are the
reasons for banning or challenging a book? Why would someone want
Conduct their research keeping in mind the guiding questions on
the boards. They will then put their post-it notes with their ideas
on each respective board. We will then discuss their ideas
together as a class.
to protect a child from some of the ideas in a banned book? Why would
it be important to explore sensitive or controversial topics?
The final piece of paper will be a large chart saying:
Should everyone have the choice to read anything they want?
And students can put a tally in the yes or no box with whatever they
feel.
Then we will go over their answers on the post it notes.

Elaborate
Teacher Will: Students Will:
Ask the question, “Is there a time and place where censorship would Answer the question using their research and the discussions
be a good thing?” with their peers as evidence.

Evaluate
Teacher Will: Students Will:
Have the students break into groups and ask a few more summarizing Summarize their findings with discussions with their peers to
questions of what they learned during the lesson. The teacher will be answer how the First Amendment is relevant to banned books,
walking around the room and interjecting when appropriate to provide and different reasons why books have been banned.
additional information, suggestions, or to have them stay on task.
They will then be completing the 4 question Quizziz before they leave.