On the morning of Thursday, Oct. 1, a heavily armed gunman walked into a community college classroom in Roseburg, OR, slaughtering nine people before taking his own life. It marks yet another mass shooting in a nation where gun deaths occur with alarming frequency.
The following guide suggests balanced ways for teachers to explore and navigate the highly-charged political and emotional issues behind the topic of gun control and gun violence.
Produced in 2013 in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, this project is a collaboration with the National Writing Project, and was written by two English language arts high school teachers - Kirsten Spall of Natomas Charter High School (Sacramento) and Chris Sloan of Judge Memorial Catholic School (Salt Lake City).
Based on content featured on The Lowdown, the guide provides ideas for integrating these heated issues into English language arts and social studies curriculum. It includes Common Core Standards Alignment, a synopsis of key background information, integration tips, and lists of issue pros and cons, creative writing prompts and best classroom practices.