A Book Is A Loaded Gun In The House Next Door. Burn It.
My students need 31 copies of Fahrenheit 451; which includes the original novel, the graphic novel, and one Spanish edition; along with the audio CD and student pack.
"Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me it means texture. This book has pores." This quote, from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, sums up what lesson I want my students to learn.
I have been teaching at a public high school in Central New York for many years.
This district is rich with diversity. About 60% of the students here are classified as minorities, and approximately 10% of the students speak a language other than English at home. Although the poverty level here is high, many of the students I teach have big dreams for the future and plan to attend college.
My Project
Because of the difficult decisions these students face, I'd like to include literature that my students will find interesting and can relate to. While it may seem odd to think that 21st Century teenagers could relate to a dystopian society where firemen burn books, there are many topics in this novel that are relevant today.
I intend to focus most of our class discussion on civil rights and diversity, especially our right to free speech. This is a freedom dear to the hearts of many teenagers. Fahrenheit 451 is the perfect book to kick off this topic because it is a book that shows the dangers of oppressing thought through censorship. At its core, Bradbury's novel is about the dangers of an oppressive government that is capable of suppressing the creativity and freedoms of the members of its society. This is a lesson that our future leaders need to learn.
Your help will enable my students to read literature that relates to their lives and will give us an avenue to begin our discussion on civil rights, including our right to free speech.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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