Fostering Critical Thinking with Ayn Rand's Anthem
Help me give my students a classroom set of Ayn Rand's controversial novel, Anthem!
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Okamura's classroom raised $279
This project is fully funded
My Project
In order to learn how to become better readers, writers, and compassionate members of our communities, my students need a class set of Ayn Rand's Anthem as we explore the merits and pitfalls of living in community with one another.
By engaging with Anthem, students will learn about the ongoing struggle between the forces of collectivism and individualism to better understand and engage with the world around them.
Students will then engage in various socratic seminars around what makes communities work, and when communities create conflict individuals and their desires. The story of Anthem is accessible enough to resonate with teenagers who are grappling with their own sense of self, and at the end of the unit, students will write an argumentative essay debating the merits of Ayn Rand's message.
My students attend a low-income urban school in Philadelphia and hail from a variety of backgrounds, many of whom will be the first in their families to face the challenges of attending high school, college, and beyond. This book is designed to get students excited about reading and the rich peer to peer conversations that can flow from a story that is easy to read, but complex enough to have a discussion about. Therefore, this project has two purposes - cultivate a love of reading, and build community at the same time.
Long-term social change is enacted not by catchy political slogans or through committed educators, but through our youth engaging in school, reading cool books, and building a compassionate learning community.
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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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 Mr. Okamura and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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