Should people be able to ban books from schools and libraries if they find them objectionable? Scholars read the three main pros and cons regarding banned books. They also review a list of the top 10 challenged books from 2017 and discover the many reasons why people opposed them, including violence, religious themes, and profanity. 

Concepts

banned books, debate, controversial topics, preparing for discussions

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

english language arts

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• Provide a list of banned books and have small groups discuss what life would be like without them
• As a class, discuss what books, if any, should be restricted in schools and libraries 

Classroom Considerations

• Requires computer and Internet access for each individual 

Pros

• Includes an extensive list of footnotes for further exploration of the topic 
• Pros and cons are efficiently organized to help learners access the information

Cons

• Does not provide a thorough overview, so students will likely need to consult additional resources to develop informed opinions for debate

Common Core

RI.9-10.1 RI.11-12.1 SL.9-10.1.a SL.11-12.1.a