Beware the Book: Teaching Persuasion Through Banned Novels
My students need a classroom library of banned books to challenge their minds and build their persuasive skills through a class presentation over their books of choice.
No book worth reading is without some controversy. In my AP Language class, my students will create a persuasive presentation either defending or advocating the censorship of classic works of American Literature as a culminating assessment in a unit on persuasion. To do this, they need the books!
My students are a diverse group of scholar artists - in our performing arts high school, students dedicate themselves to an 8:00-5:00 school day in order to pursue professional training in theatre, music, dance, or visual arts in addition to their academic curriculum.
Our school is unique because of its status as a public performing arts school; because many of our students come from low-income backgrounds, they might never get the chance for this education without our school. Part of our school's mission is to cultivate the multicultural talent in our city, and our recruiters scout for promising hip-hop dancers, graffiti artists, and singers and give them the chance to train professionally.
The students in my class this year are perhaps the most dedicated in the school, as they have chosen to take on Advanced Placement classes on top of their already strenuous work load. They deserve the most challenging and engaging experience I can provide for them.
My Project
In our AP Language class, we will be studying the art of persuasion throughout the year. Although we will focus mostly on non-fiction, I want them to have the opportunity to engage with some of the great works of American literature - all of which, at some point, have been banned. In alignment with the ALA's banned books week, students will read a "banned book" of their choosing, research the history of its controversy, and create a persuasive project defending either the book or its censors. Reading these books will challenge students to explore both the nature and history of controversy and hone their own persuasive skills, and will help them to continue their growth as critical readers of high-level texts. Because of the freedom of choice, this project will help develop students as independent readers and give them a greater investment in the texts.
Great literature prompts us to question and challenges our perceptions, and my students are hungry for this opportunity to explore.
Your donations to this project will provide both my current and future students with the opportunity to engage in a critical conversation about literature and the role of control in our society.
Because of the socioeconomic make-up of our student body, many of my students would not be able to purchase these books on their own. Your contribution helps provide them with both exposure to great literature and an opportunity for personal growth.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Miller and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
