Memoir of a -- banned -- curriculum:
A middle school teacher's journey through Language Arts and challenged content -- the curriculum speaks for itself.
The following Language Arts curriculum integrates reading, writing and critical thinking. Multiple intelligences are facilitated, and the zones of proximal development are flexible.
The literature's settings begin with the subjugation of indigenous people by European conquerors in Mexico, and scaffold to the racism and prejudice of 1933 Mississippi; this facilitates a preparedness to read about 1933 Germany and the systemic racism of the Nazis, and racism and prejudice promoted by nationalism and the Ku Klux Klan in 1924 Vermont.
And, it all begins here:
Meaningful -- and real-world -- content is the key to this interdisciplinary curriculum, which, as a result, facilitates student interest and growth. This year-long, 7th- or 8th-grade curriculum was also recognized in 2019 by the Mizel Museum in Denver for “commitment to fostering cross-cultural understanding, combatting racism, and promoting social justice.” Unfortunately, two of the novels included in this curriculum have been found on multiple banned book lists, and the important content and themes included have also been challenged in recent times.
Meaningful and Integrated Content, 3 Levels of Questioning, and Literary Analysis are the Keys to Success.
"TO BUILD A FUTURE, YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE PAST." ~Otto Frank