Unit Guide

Freedom or Silence

Julette Grusell

This unit introduces high school English Language Learners to the concept of censorship through the reading of the novel Fahrenheit 451, and the analysis of several court cases that involves book censorship. Students will examine the reasons, and outcomes of book censorship to determine whether the arguments presented are trustworthy. Through the use of journal writing, book review, online role play, debates, and researched students will develop their arguments, and take a position as to whether the reasons for said censorship was credible. The goals of the unit are for students to understand the impact of book censorship, while thinking critically about the effects of censorship. This unit is structured for tenth grade English Language Arts classrooms, but could be incorporated in a ninth grade Civics class.