Discussion questions:
- Essential question : Following the March For Our Lives, what measures need to be taken to ensure changes to gun policies are made?
- If you marched, why did you decide to do so? If you didn't, why did you decide to do so?
- What struck you the most about the students' stories in the videos? Did you hear anything you particularly agreed with? How about disagree with?
- Another student walkout is scheduled for April 20th. What has your school said about how they will address walkouts? Do you think schools should support student walkouts? Explain your response.
- What do you know about the term civil disobedience ? What forms of civil disobedience took place during the civil rights movement? If you are not sure, how could you find out?
- Is it considered a form of civil disobedience if school administrators decide the terms of a student walkout?
- Media literacy : Do you think the media is doing a good job covering the issue of gun violence in the wake of the Parkland shooting? should cover gun violence? Explain your response.
Extension activity:
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To learn about civil disobedience, ask your students to take a look at this case study about walkouts in Portland, Oregon, " School Walkouts as Civil Disobedience ," by the Justice in Schools Program at the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University. Use the case study discussion protocol as a guide. You may also wish to watch the video featuring future teachers to see how they developed this project.
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Read the Student Voices' piece written by students after the March For Our Lives: ‘We were there. We were making history.’ Students reflect on the March For Our Lives. Did any stories resonate with you? Explain.
- Read NewsHour Extra's Student Voices' blog How teens want to solve America’s school shooting problem . Then share your class's own solutions @NewsHourExtra via Twitter using #StudentGunReformIdeas .
Photo Caption: Tori Titarenko and Maggie Nagar, Webster Schroeder High School students from Webster, New York, on their way to the March For Our Lives in Washington D.C. Photo by Sandy Nagar