What is Censorship?

Step 1:  First you will research the pros and cons of book banning. Copy and paste the below links to investigate book banning to learn more about the pros and cons of book banning.

Banned Books: A Librarian's Perspective
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,55630,00.html

Schools, Libraries See Hundreds of Requests to Ban Books
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-10-22-challengedbooks_N.htm

School Libraries Should Ban Books with Explicit Language, poll says
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/newslettersnewsletterbucketextrahelping2/890229-477/americans_school_libraries_should_ban.html.csp

Pros and Cons of Censorship
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-censorship.html

Conflicts of Censorship: The Pros and Cons
http://general-law.knoji.com/conflicts-of-censorship-the-pros-and-cons/


Step 2: List the Pros and Cons in the attached table


Step 3: Make a list of at least 10 books that were banned and the reason they were banned. You MUST INCLUDE at least one book written by an American author, one book written by a British author, and one book written by an author from another country besides the United States and Britian in your list. Copy and paste the links below to help you. Fill in the attached table.

Banned Books 2012
http://www.banned-books.org.uk/all

Top Ten Banned Books
http://712educators.about.com/od/bannedbooks/tp/banned_books.htm

Censorship and Book Banning in the United States
http://712educators.about.com/cs/bannedbooks/a/bookbanning.htm

50 Banned Books that Everyone Should Read
http://www.onlinecollegedegrees.org/2009/05/20/50-banned-books-that-everyone-should-read/


Step 4:  Finally, you will write a letter using the propaganda techniques and the 5 paragraph persuasive letter format (argument, opposition's argument, rebuttal) to write a letter to your district requesting that a banned book of your choice be permitted in schools and give reasons to support why it is important to read this particular book. You will need to use and submit the attached persuasive letter graphic organizer as well as the final letter.