Ways to share your students' solutions to gun violence

PBS social media activity: In addition to walkouts, what are ways to express your solutions to gun violence? Share @NewsHourExtra using #StudentGunReformIdeas

Carly Novell is a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. She has been an outspoken voice on the issue of gun violence in the aftermath of the attack at her school.

Middle and high school students have been sharing their thoughts on gun violence with the NewsHour since the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. One thing all students agree on: Change is possible and action must be taken.

Activity 1:

• Read the NewsHour opinion piece written by teenagers across the country: How teens want to solve America’s school shooting problem.“
• While a variety of thoughts about gun violence and solutions to school shootings were represented in the story, “One thing all students agree on: Change is possible and action must be taken.”
  • Answer the question below in full sentences. You may base your response on examples from the article, ideas you have learned about elsewhere or your own solutions. Essential question: What are some actions that could help solve school shootings in the U.S.?
• Have students read aloud their responses directly (avoid paraphrasing) in small groups of three to four students. Each member of the group should write down one idea that impacted them in some way from each of their peers’ responses. Then have students share these impact statements with each other after everyone has read their piece.
• More voices – different medium. A good media literacy practice is to learn about an issue through a variety of forms. Watch one of the student-produced videos via NewsHour’s Student Reporting Labs below. If time permits, watch them all!
  • What was your experience like watching the videos as compared to reading the NewsHour article?
  • What medium did you prefer and why?

Activity 2:

Watch the NewsHour video below on student walkouts. Do you think student walkouts will help to make change? Would you consider participating in a walkout? Why or why not?

PBS social media activity: In addition to walkouts, what are ways to express your solutions to gun violence? Share @NewsHourExtra using #StudentGunReformIdeas

Teachers and students: Constructive feedback on this lesson is welcome. Please email newshourextra@gmail.com.