Ban This Book

What does Amy Anne learn about speaking up for herself? Why do you think she struggles to voice her opinions at first? What events cause her to change? What evidence is there near the end of the story that she has grown into a more confident person?

Teaching Suggestion: Younger students may need their attention drawn to the beginning-middle-end structure of this prompt. They may also benefit from a discussion of which sections of the prompt are “why” questions and which are “how” questions. If your students are ready for a challenge, you might discuss how both plot detail and characterization can be used to support “how” and “why” arguments and then challenge them to use both kinds of evidence in their responses to this prompt.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with attentional and organizational challenges may benefit from filling out a graphic organizer that explicitly asks for evidence from the beginning of the story that shows why Amy Anne has trouble voicing her opinion, evidence from the middle of the story that shows the events that push her to learn to speak up, and evidence from the end of the story that demonstrates that she has changed. If your students are answering in writing, those who struggle with written expression might be allowed to turn in such an organizer in lieu of a full written response.