Banned Books Week Scavenger Hunt Template – Banned Book Reading Passages Project

Are you looking for ways to incorporate meaningful Banned Books Week reading comprehension activities and projects that introduce students to the debate on censorship and book bans? Through a combination of a nonfiction close reading activity, a reading passages scavenger hunt, and an informative project, middle school students will deepen their understanding of banning books while strengthening essential literacy skills.

 

This nonfiction reading unit contains 3 scaffolded activities that are designed to help students build their knowledge and then apply their new learning + research to create an informative project to educate others.

 

In the first activity, students will learn more about both sides in the debate on censorship and books bans in a close reading activity that comes with text-based question options and a two-column notes organizer while building their reading comprehension skills.

 

In the second activity, students will learn about the creation of Banned Books Week and challenged books. They will work together in a scavenger hunt activity to stop the mysterious Mother Knows Best from destroying a counterproposal to the school board’s new book evaluation program. Students will have to search and read 10 reading passages to find all 10 code words. Once all the codes have been found, they will have to use them to unscramble and create the final answer code.

 

In the third and final activity, students will use their new learning and research to create an informative project to educate others about the 2025 Banned Books Week theme, “Censorship is so 1984. Read for Your Rights.” There are three project options, strong and weak models, a rubric, and step-by-step instructions included.

 

✍ What’s Included:

• Activity #1 Nonfiction Close Reading Lesson (Editable Materials)

1. Text: “Book Bans in Schools: Granting Parents’ Rights or A Slippery Slope to Censorship?”
2. Text Two-Column Notes Organizer with Multiple Choice Questions
3. Answer Key

 

• Activity #2: Stop the New Book Evaluation Program Scavenger Hunt (Editable Materials)

1. Teacher Set-Up Directions
2. Student Mission and Directions
3. 10 Reading Passages (Full Page)
4. 10 Reading Passage Cards (2 Per Page)
5. Answer Keys
6. Student Answer Sheets

 

• Activity #3: Banned Books Week 2024 Project (Editable Materials)

1. Project Assignment Guide with Suggest Websites
2. Project Rubric
3. Project Planning and Notes Page
4. 25+ Project Template Pages (Sketch Posters, Banners, or Social Media Templates)
5. Strong and Weak Project Samples for Each Project Option

 

• 3 Day Lesson Powerpoint (Editable)

1. Learning Targets
2. Setting Our Purpose Slides
3. Warm-Up Questions
4. Step-by-Step Close Reading Lesson Slides
5. Scavenger Hunt Directions
6. Project Introduction, Model Breakdowns, and Directions
7. Daily Student-Self Reflections

 

• Teacher Guide with Tips and Important Information

 

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Resource:
✅ SAVE your TIME and ENERGY with this LOW PREP Resource

✅ Covers MULTIPLE ELA Standards and Skills

✅ Clear Student Directions, Strong Models, and Rubrics Included

✅ Student-Centered Activity: Let Your Students Do the Thinking!
✅ Print and Digital Resources

 

✋ How Can You Use These Lessons?
– Reading Comprehension Prep

– Test Prep Activities
– Independent Assignment
– Group Project
– Student Presentations

– Sub Plans

– Banned Books Week Learning Stations
– Create Banned Books Door Decorations
– Create a Banned Books Week Bulletin Board