Fahrenheit 451 WebQuest Project

A WebQuest project uses the resources of the Internet to explore and answer questions pertaining to a particular topic. In preparation for our reading and study of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 we are going to explore the issue of censorship past and present.

Introduction
You have been appointed to the government's Freedom of Speech Commission. The Commission is studying issues related to Censorship and has asked you to investigate some of the history of censorship and to use the information to help the Commission make judgments about contemporary censorship issues. You will be using this WebQuest to find information about some of the instances of censorship the Commission is interested in.

Task
The WebQuest is comprised of two parts. Part I: Your task is to explore Web sites on censorship in the past and the present. You will be provided with a selection of web sites related to these issues from which to choose. Part II: You will be required to compose an essay on a contemporary censorship issue. The essay must use information from the Web sites, so you will need to take notes as you explore the sites. (Remember to record both Works Cited and in-text citation information and
refer back to the research documents still posted for you on my.uen website if you need help.)

Process
Step A: Explore these sites for information on the kinds of historical censorship Ray Bradbury discusses in Fahrenheit 451 (the next novel we will be reading and studying). For this part of the WebQuest, I will be collecting your typed thoughtful and thorough responses to the questions that accompany each web site listed below:

1. The burning of Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer: a. What is heresy? b. Why were they burned at the stake? c. Why did the Queen of England accuse Hugh Latimer of heresy? d. What was Latimers final quote to his friend, Nicholas Ridley? e. What do you think this quote means? f. Why was Latimer confident that they were doing the right thing? g. Why would it be important to remind people of this history?
h.

Thomas Cranmer was in a tough spot when the Queen ordered him to give up his Protestant beliefs and write a letter of submission to the Catholic Pope. He didnt want to disobey the law, but he also didnt want to switch religions, so he tore up the first few drafts of this letter. Finally, though, he signed a copy of the note and turned it in.

Why, then, did the Queen execute him? http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Latimer_Ridley_Cranmer.htm http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/269.html 2. The Trial of John Peter Zenger: The case of John Peter Zenger reminds us of a time when freedom of the press could not be taken for granted. Censorship was a normal activity. a. Why was Zenger on trial? b. What is seditious libel? c. How might our news media be different if Zenger had lost his case? http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/johnpeterzenger1.htm http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/johnpeterzenger2.htm http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/zenger/zenger.html 3. Nazi Book Burning: a. Why did the Nazis burn books? b. At a Berlin university where one act of this nature took place, people remembered the prediction of the poet Heinrich Heine, who had spoken a very relevant quote, only one century earlier. What was this quote? c. What do you think the quote means? d. Identify a modern day movie that contains a scene or makes a reference to the burning of books, then discuss, describe, and explain why. http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/bookburn.htm http://fcit.usf.edu/HOLOCAUST/gallery/01622.htm http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?ModuleId=10005852

4. McCarthyism and Blacklisting in Hollywood: This site will take you to a page of links. Each link takes you to a page that tells a small part of the story of Blacklisting in Hollywood in the late 1940s and early 1950s. You will need to look at several of the pages to get a complete picture. a. Why did it happen? b. Was it right or wrong? c. Could it happen again? www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/blacklist.html http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/bios/31.html

Part II
Explore these sites to look at censorship issues that are in the news today. These questions are designed to guide your thinking for the essay you will write in Part III. Select the area of censorship you are most interested in exploring further and writing an essay demonstrating your thoughtful analysis and thorough reflection. Questions to consider as you read and research your selected topic in preparation for composing your required essay: Who is in favor of these limitations on freedom of speech? Why are they in favor of them? Who is opposed? Why are they opposed? Which side do you agree with? Why? Web Sites and articles on all kinds of censorship:
Music Censorship in America: A Brief Overview http://ericnuzum.com/banned/ Warning Labels on CDs http://www.findarticles.com/m1571/n2_v13/20121875/p1/article.jhtml The V-Chip and Movie Ratings: Controlling Access to Violence and Sexuality in the Media http://www.cep.org/boycott.html Decency and the Public Funding of the Arts http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=10906 Book Banning http://www.luc.edu/libraries/banned/ Banned Books and Censorship: Information and Resources http://libraries.luc.edu/about/exhibits/banned/index.shtml

Censorship and Fahrenheit 451 http://homepages.ius.edu/admklein/Fahrenheit_451.html Censorship in the Age of Multiculturalism: Interview with Ray Bradbury http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/451/451.html Article on the US Patriot Act http://foi.missouri.edu/usapatriotact/reader.html Facts and Figures About Our TV Habit http://www.tvturnoff.org/images/facts&figs/factsheets/FactsFigs.pdf Music Censorship http://webserver.rcds.rye.ny.us/publications/forum/Spring96/music.html Timeline of Censored Music http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/censorship/11454res20050926.html ALA (American Library Association) Banned Books Info http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/challengedbanned/challengedbanned.htm#wbc Banned Book and Censorship Resources http://www.georgesuttle.com/censorship/censors-all.shtml Faulty Filters Article about family-friendly browsers that block kid-friendly material http://www2.epic.org/reports/filter-report.html Article Fahrenheit 451.2: Is Cyberspace Burning? http://www.aclu.org/privacy/speech/15145pub20020317.html Fahrenheit and Censorship of the Internet http://www.angelfire.com/sc/utterlunacy/censorship.html Movie Censorship Software http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=15772 Media Censorship and Free Press http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Media_control_propaganda/MediaCensorshipFreePress.html Press Censorship During Wartime http://www.pbs.org/weta/reportingamericaatwar/teachers/debate.html Article: NBS Defends Censorship of Kanye West http://www.showbizdata.com/contacts/picknews.cfm/39457/NBC_DEFENDS_CENSORSHIP_OF_KANYE_WEST Freedom of Musical Expression http://www.freemuse.org/ Article: Howard Stern and Free Speech? Not After Today http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=entertainment&id=3646147 Article: Stern Taking Otherworldly Talent into Satellite Radio http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=entertainment&id=3710365 Article: Art Teacher Censors Religious Drawing http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/Speech/studentexpression/news.aspx?id=19869 Article: Underground School Newspapers http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/Speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=underground_newspapers Article: Students and Cyberspeech: Under what circumstances may school officials punish students

for the content of their online expression? http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/Speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=cyberspeech Article: Book Censorship http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/Speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=book_censorship Article: Hate Speech: What You Can and Cant Say In School http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/Speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=hate_speech Article: Clubs in Schools: Can School Officials Decide What Kinds of Extracurricular Clubs Are Allowed? http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/Speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=Clubs Article: Free Speech in School http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/Speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=speakingout Article: Ohio Girl Suspended Over MySpace Page http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/25343prs20060425.html Article: Colorado Student Suspended Over MySpace Posting http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/24236prs20060221.html Article: Internet Blocking in Public Schools http://w2.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/net_block_report/ Article: School Play Cancelled Because of Censorship http://ncac.org/education/20080228~OR~Letter_Opposing_Censorship_of_Play_About_Bullying_at_Sherwood_Middle_School.c fm Movie The Golden Compass BANNED! http://ncac.org/literature/20071210~USA~Challenges_To_The_Golden_Compass.cfm Music Censorship Articles on Nine Inch Nails, Slipknot, Jadakiss, Britney Spears, Marilyn Manson, and Indigo Girls. http://ncac.org/action_issues/Music.cfm Articles about TV and Radio Censorship ranging from political advertisements and war coverage to violent TV shows and even PBS! http://ncac.org/action_issues/Radio_&_Television.cfm Articles about schools censoring scientific information http://ncac.org/science/index.cfm Article: NJ Yearbook Censored! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19420828/ Article: Censorship: Focus on New Jersey http://www.njsbf.com/njsbf/student/eagle/fall03-3b.cfm Article: Stop The Presses: Censorship and the High School Journalist http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3994/is_200010/ai_n8907907/pg_16 Article: Wikipedia and the Art of Censorship http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20070818/ai_n19472696 Article: Censorship of Mel Gibson Film http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20070105/ai_n17112020 Article: TV Show About Censorship Is Censored http://www.democracycellproject.net/blog/archives/2005/03/censorship_prog.html Article: Super Bowl Censorship Upsets Rolling Stones http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=entertainment&id=3887268

Article: US Flag-In-Toilet Painting Sparks Controversy http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=entertainment&id=3297851 Article: Western Music Banned in Iran http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=nation_world&id=3740546 Article: Survey More Likely to Find an Adult Who Believes in Alien Abductions Than a Voter Who Wants the Feds to Pick Whats on TV http://www.televisionwatch.org/atf/cf/{084110DD-FDFD-481D-9E6F-755FD08705F2}/03.29.06%20POLL%20PRESS %20RELEASEFINAL.PDF TV Watch Statement on Family Guy PTV Episode http://www.televisionwatch.org/atf/cf/{084110DD-FDFD-481D-9E6F-755FD08705F2}/FAMILY%20GUY%20STATEMENT %2011.03.05%20FINAL.PDF The National Ledger: Letter to the Editor Choosing Whats on TV: Should Big Brother Hold the Remote? http://www.televisionwatch.org/atf/cf/{084110DD-FDFD-481D-9E6F-755FD08705F2}/NATIONAL%20LEDGER.PDF Censorship and Controversy in Contemporary Art http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/art/overview.php Smashed Hits: Music and Censorship or The Tunes You Didnt Hear http://www.culturekiosque.com/klassik/news/rhecensor.html NJ News: Whos Afraid of the Big Bad Word? http://www.ncac.org/censorship_news/20030305~cn064~Whos_Afraid_of_the_Big_Bad_Word.cfm NJ Supreme Court Decision Could Allow Student Media Censorship http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:cls4wtXbgeQJ:www.splc.org/newsflash.asp%3Fid%3D1463+censorship+ %2B+NJ&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=26&gl=us NJ Senator Lautenberg Calls for Censorship Hearings http://lautenberg.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=254191 A Band to Scare Parents With http://www.ncac.org/entertainment/19970518~USA~OzzFest_Tour_Threatened_Because_Marilyn_Manson_to_Perform.cfm Letter from NJ English Teacher: Censorship and Ray Bradburys The Martian Chronicles http://www.ncac.org/censorship_news/20030305~cn070~Censorship_and_The_Martian_Chronicles_by_Ray_Bradbury.cfm

Part III
The Essay Question: You have been appointed to the governments Freedom of Speech Commission. The Commission has been studying issues related to censorship, and has asked you to write a report explaining one of these controversies and making a recommendation for action. Choose one of the censorship controversies you explored in Part II and write a 4-6 paragraph essay discussing the questions that appeared at the opening of Part II. Your essay does not necessarily need to answer every question, but you must state your opinion about the controversy and use information you have gathered from the WebQuest to support your opinion.

Evaluation
Your WebQuest Project will be evaluated in two ways: 1. I will evaluate your answers to the Questions asked about the individual web sites in Part I. I will be looking to see that you have explored the web sites effectively, and that you have thought about the information you found there. 2. I will be grading the essay you wrote for Part III. I will look to see how effectively you have used information and ideas from this WebQuest to support your opinions on one of the censorship topics explored in Part II. Good essays will be composed of 4-6 paragraphs and contain specific information on censorship in the past and in America today. Of course, the essay should be well organized, engaging, free of all DIorCry errors, and written in proper Standard English. Additional Web Sites to assist you:
First Amendment Information http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/ Censorship Web Page http://www.booksatoz.com/censorship/index.htm Project Censored: The News That Didnt Make The News http://www.projectcensored.org/ The National Coalition Against Censorship http://www.ncac.org/home.cfm Electronic Frontier Foundation: Defending Freedom in the Digital World http://www.eff.org/ Censorship and Free Speech http://www.caslon.com.au/censorshipguide.htm American Civil Liberties Union http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/17326res20030403.html