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Homework 11/18

Final CB project due; all parts (Author's note, persuasive essay and art)
Be ready to present. Thank you.

Guidelines copied again here for easy access and quick reference:


Final Project for Maya Angelou’s
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
“To ban or not to ban, that is the question.”

Part 1: The Written Part
• Imagine you are a lawyer in the case of Banned Books for a Better America versus The Coalition for Freedom of Speech in Schools. Next, decide which side of the issue you want to support.
• You job is to write a solid five paragraph essay to support your decision.
• The question: Should Dr. Maya Angelou’s book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, be banned from being taught in high schools in America?


Some questions/issues to keep in mind:
• Does the text have literary value?
• What is the potential benefit/harm from reading this text?
• What would banning (or even limiting access to) this book accomplish?
• What would be accomplished if this book was kept in high school classrooms?
• Are there cases to which this can be compared?


The following must be included:
• Three specific quotes from the text to support your position.
• Three specific quotes from non-text sources to support your position.
o Previous court cases
o Quotes from experts in the field
o The Bill of Rights


• Parenthetical citation and works cited is required (mini-lessons and examples will be provided).

• The final paper must go through the entire writing process. The final product must be a five paragraph essay with proper works cited.





Part 2: The Author’s Note
• The author’s note is a personal five paragraph essay separate from the Written Part. This essay, the author’s note, is a place to informally share your thoughts on the research, the topic and the emotions that were involved in the process of completing this project.
• A separate sheet of paper should be dedicated to the author’s note (see example). It must be placed in front of the Written Part and labeled Author’s Note.
• The author’s note is also a place to include a musical connection if you wish; this is an optional component of this project. A musical connection would be a nice accompaniment to the presentation.


Part 3: The Art Part
• Pick a major national magazine (Time, Rolling Stone, SPIN, and so on) and design a cover that informs the public of the outcome of the court case (see examples).
• The cover you create should look like an actual magazine cover. This will be the cover of your essay.
• You may also design a replacement book cover for the novel instead of the magazine cover.


Part 4: The Choice Part
• Due to the interest and powerful discussions in class surrounding the reading of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, you also have the opportunity to select a topic that can replace the assigned prompt given in the Written Part. The suggested topic must be approved by Mr. Ernewein and Ms. Ertenberg. Proposals must be written in the form of a thesis. All other guidelines will apply.

posted by Mr. Ernewein @ 9:13 AM