SUMMARY
Two years after Hurricane Helene ripped through much of the Southeast, many of the communities affected by that storm are still recovering. A new project has chronicled their journey, using what might seem like an unlikely medium: a graphic novel. William Brangham discussed "Islands in the Sky: A People's History of Hurricane Helene" with Andrew Aydin. It's for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What do you want to learn more about? You can also make a Google doc copy of these general discussion questions.
News alternative: Check our recent segments from the News Hour and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. See the Google doc above for discussion questions.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- How many years has it been since Hurricane Helene?
- What hurricane was previously the deadliest in the U.S.?
- Who is Andrew Aydin, and what is his background?
- How did the graphic novel described in this segment get its title?
- Why did the artists that created "Islands in the Sky" decide to take on the project?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- In this interview, Andrew Aydin says that he believes the overarching theme of the novel, humanity, is a “guide for the rest of the country.” What do you think he means by this? What kind of scenarios or issues can this apply to?
- How do you think "Islands in the Sky" might help other communities prepare for natural disasters?
Media literacy: Why do you think Aydin and his collaborators chose to tell the story of Helene's impact through comics? What can a graphic novel convey best compared to text-based journalism, or a video documentary or any other media? If you were telling the story, what creative media would you use? Why?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Check out this lesson plan on Hurricane Helene by Tim Smyth, social studies teacher and writer of "Teaching with Comics and Graphic Novels." In the lesson, you will watch a video reporting the aftermath of Hurricane Helen, answer a few questions and look through selected pages from the graphic novel “Islands in the Sky: A People’s History of Hurricane Helen,” featuring the stories of 11 people who were affected by the storm.
Written by PBS News Hour Classroom's intern Sophia Sharaa with editing from News Hour Classroom's Luke Gerwe
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