This month was the 50th anniversary of the Kent State shooting. To many young people today, 50 years ago may feel like a distant time, with issues very different from their own contemporary concerns. How can we make history relevant to students?
Deborah Wile’s newly released Kent State (Scholastic 2020), a novel in verse told from multiple perspectives, invites readers to participate in the events of May 4, 1970 and imagine themselves into the diverse experiences of that day. At the same time, students will connect the issues at stake on that college campus—the right to protest and petition and the right to free speech—to the very same issues they face today.
Make the most out of this YA release and forge deeper connections between past and present with our new Curriculum Connections, including:
- Ideas for the classroom, book pairings, and lesson plans (“Exploring ‘Fake News’ with Kent State” and “Kent State with Primary Sources” by Suzanne Libra
- Investigate Activity on ABC-CLIO’s American History Educator Support site: “Protest Movements of the 1960s”
Curriculum Connections are brought to you by School Library Connection. These resources are written by librarians for librarians to help you engage students, address standards, collaborate with teachers, and continue evolving your practice. Sign up for a free preview of SLC today!
