Discuss the debate around gun reform amid two mass shootings in a week.

Directions: Read the summary, watch the video and answer the discussion questions. For a transcript of the video, click here. 

March 23, 2021 video and resource materials from PBS NewsHour.

Note: If you are an educator or parent, you may want to use this resource from PBS WETA Colorin Colorado, “Talking with Children About Tragedy in the News,” which includes information from a variety of organizations and for students of all ages. 

Summary: A suspect was charged Tuesday in the second American mass shooting in less than a week. The shooting in Boulder, Colorado, which left 10 dead, including a responding police officer, has plunged the city into mourning. Over in Washington, DC, Senators met for a hearing on gun control.

• The victims in Colorado ranged in age from 20 to 65, including  51-year-old police officer Eric Talley. 
• The shooting in Boulder came only a week after a gunman in Atlanta killed eight people. 
• The gun control debate has been taken to Capitol Hill where there is a Senate Judiciary hearing out on gun violence. 

Discussion questions: 

Warm up questions: Have your students identify the 5Ws and an H:

• Where did this happen?
• When did this event happen?
• Who has this shooting affected?
• How does this story illuminate broader issues?
• What has been talked about a lot this week because of these recent events?
• Why is it an important subject to discuss?

Focus questions:

1. What do you think people mean when they say gun violence has become “normalized” in the United States? What do you think are the consequences of normalizing gun violence?
2. What do you think the policy on gun control should be in our country? Can you think of any ways that you can put that into action?

Media literacy: Do you think there are ways that the news media should cover gun violence differently than it does now? What are those ways?

Dig Deeper: 

1. To learn more about the recent shooting in Atlanta, look at this NewsHour video. 
2. Learn about gun violence through a media literacy lens with this NewsHour EXTRA lesson plan. 

Check out our Daily Daily News Story collection, or find more at PBS NewsHour Extra.