Course+Syllabus

Hypothetical Community High School English Department Banned Books 101

Mr. Michael Dorsam Room 123 dorsam93@yahoo.com
 * __Instructor Information__**

Banned Books 101
 * __Course Title__**

This three-week online course challenges students to confront literature that has been frequently challenged in classrooms and school libraries across America in recent years. In this course students will gain a better understanding of censorship in America – why books are challenged and removed and why books with controversial material are important to read.
 * __Course Description__**

The class Wiki has everything you need: http://mdorsamclass.wikispaces.com/
 * __Where to Start__**

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: · Recognize patterns common among books that have been frequently challenged in a step toward better understanding social and political objections to literature. · Identify reasons for parental and community objections to certain literature and classify these reasons as social, political, or moral justifications. · Evaluate literary controversies according to historical and social contexts. · Understand the process of both challenging and defending literature through the process of creating either a challenge or a defense to a controversial book that the students have read.
 * __Course Objectives__**


 * __Course Schedule__**

For your Yodio assignment, email me the link to your Yodio. This is how you will "turn in" assignments.
 * All assignments that are to be completed in Google Docs, share the document with me using my provided email address.


 * Week 1:**

Read the Challenged and Banned Books lecturette.

Students will select a book from the five most frequently challenged books list for 2009, as provided by ALA: [|bannedbooks] No more than five students may read the same book, so you will submit to me your list of the five books in order of your preference and I will do my best to match you up with your first or second choice.

As you read your book, record in a Google doc notes of elements that might be objectionable and categorized them based on the information you read in the Challenged and Banned Books lecturette.

Read your chosen book (that means the whole thing this week!)


 * Week 2:**

Participate in your team Discussion, following the instructions on the Discussion page of the Wiki.

Complete the Group Assignment, following the instructions on the Group Assignment page of the Wiki.


 * Week 3:**

Complete the Final Assignment, following the instructions on the Final Assignment page of the Wiki.

Detailed instructions for all assignments can be found on the Wiki.