6. Exploring Contemporary Times

"It all starts with saying yes to the things that make you uncomfortable." ~ Suli Breaks

The Lesson

Just as the classics addressed the important concerns of society at the time, so do novels written for today's youth. Young adult and adolescent literature addresses topics such as bullying, conserving the environment, body image, racism, immigration, fitting in, and many more issues that concern our students.

For this lesson, I want you to consider an issue that you feel is important to explore with students. Think about news headlines and what you have witnessed in schools. Think about disruption--what issues do you want students to consider from multiple perspectives? Then, research and read a book on that topic that has been written for adolescents and teens and has been published since 2019.

The Challenge

Because this is book is about a topic that you personally feel is important, we want to see you talk about it! So, you will create a vlog that is similar in style to John and Hank Green--the Vlog Brothers.

In your vlog, you should explore the following questions:

What is the societal issue you identified and why is it important to explore with kids?
How does the book address this issue and how does it help students think differently about it?
What are some specific passages in the book that could cause disruption? That could make them ask questions?

Post your response to your portfolio by 4:00pm on Feb. 20th.