Unit Title: Fahrenheit 451Date: ______

Lesson 1: Censorship

Time: 75 minutes

Lesson Expectations: The students shall:

  1. Learn the history of book burning and become familiar with a major theme from Fahrenheit 451 (Censorship).
  2. Reflect on and express their personal ideas and opinions on the topic of censorship.

Anticipatory Set:

7 min / Write a quotation from the novel on the board :
“A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon. Breach man’s mind. Who knows who might be the target of a well-read man?” Beatty, p. 58.
While students are reading the quote and thinking about it, take attendance. Ask students if they know the context and significance of the quotation.
Play the video clip “Fahrenheit 451 Book Burning”
 Ask students to contemplate: Why would someone want to burn books?

Instructional Strategies:

5 min / Concept mapping around the word censorship. Instruct Students to quickly jot down what comes to mind when they think of censorship (definitions, examples, opinions, etc.)
10 min /  Discussion: What is censorship? (Students share their ideas)
15 min / Socratic Lecture: Introduction to the history of book burning (See lecture notes).
- Handout: Book Burning Through the Ages
20 min /  Follow-up discussion:
- Is there any justification for banning certain books (or movies, or art)?
- If so, what would your criteria be?
- Have you ever read or seen anything so offensive that you wished it would be banned? How did it make you feel?
- Why do you think fire is used to destroy books? What is its symbolic significance?
10 min /  Hand out daily questions and give students time to start them in class.

Assessment strategies:

(1) Observation: Gauge prior knowledge and understanding through questioning the students and listening to their opinions and observations during the discussion periods.

(2) Concept mapping (assess prior knowledge)

(3) Daily questions

Materials Needed:

(1) Digital projector and computer or DVD player and television (to play video)

(2) Question sheets

(3) Lecture notes

(4) Picture or video of Nazi book burning

(5) Quotation: TBA

Accommodations:

 For an English Language Learner:

-Speak clearly

-Avoid colloquialisms and explain unusual words or terms

-Provide a copy of the lecture notes and discussion questions before the lesson

-Additional teacher support during concept mapping activity

-Check to make certain all the vocabulary in the daily questions is familiar to the student

-Provide a dictionary and a glossary of terms

 For a student with a grade 4 reading level:

-Provide a copy of the lecture notes and discussion questions before the lesson

-Additional teacher support during concept mapping activity

-Provide additional help with daily questions: verbal explanations and guidance

-Glossary of terms.