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Tappan Zee High School Library

Your Task

Complete the WebQuest worksheet:  Banned Books Assignment and hand it in.  It is worth 20 points.

Now that you have a little background on banned books, it's time to create your cartoon in ToonDoo.com The purpose of your cartoon is to:

  • Inform other students and faculty about book banning and censorship
  • Encourage the reading of banned books (and all books)
  • Show an appreciation of our First Amendment Rights
  • Here's an example of a "general" cartoon on censorship
  • Your cartoon will be about a specific book (or series) or a specific censorship case you learned about through the webquest or through your research.

Step One:

Select a book, series, author, or a specific court case that is or has been associated with book banning.  To do this, check the list of banned books at the American Library Association's The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books by Decade. You may also use any of the Banned Books Resource Guides located in the reference section of the library (REF 098.1) 

Step Two:

Does the Tappan Zee High School Library have your book? Does the high school include this book in its curriculum?  Check our online catalog to see if the library has a copy of the book.

Step Three:

Write a short paragraph about your banned book. Be sure to include the reason given for banning, restricting, or challenging the book.

  • Why was your book challenged or banned?
  • Was there a court case?
  • What was the end result?
  • Where did this take place?
  • Who were the book banners?
  • How did they explain their reasons?
  • When did this happen?
  • What was the end result?

You can find this information in our print sources, at the banned books online web site (where you can actually READ the banned book itself) or do your own search using Proquest, a periodical database on the library's research page.

Be sure to cite your sources. Your paragraph should include internal citations and a separate sheet should include your works cited. This is worth 10 points.

When you have answered all of the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How questions on your particular book, series, author, or court case, you are ready to create your cartoon in ToonDoo.com.  Your teacher will give you login instructions. Learn how to use the program and collaborate with your other group members to come up with a concept for your cartoon. Your cartoon can be serious or funny, direct or satirical.

Step Four:

Create your cartoon. Be prepared to explain it to others and include your short paragraph underneath your cartoon, if there's room or print it out.  Your cartoon will be added to those of others in the class to create a cartoon book on censorship.

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS WEB QUEST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP INFORMING OTHERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND OUR FREEDOM TO READ.