Objective:
To understand the current state of gun control in the USA and to discuss possible solutions.
Procedure:
- Begin by asking students if they have ever heard of gun control. Write their responses on the board.
- Watch the video below and ask students to take notes on what they see and hear.
- After the video, ask students to share their notes with a partner and discuss what they learned.
- Read these texts:
- 8 facts about gun control in the US – This article provides an overview of gun control in the USA and highlights some associated challenges.
- What comes next for US gun control? – This article discusses possible solutions that gun-control advocates and gun-rights proponents say could help stop escalating gun violence.
- Gun Control in the U.S. – This article provides a historical perspective on gun control in the USA.
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The Right to Bear Arms – NDLA
- As a class, discuss the following questions:
- What is gun control?
- Why is gun control important?
- What are some of the challenges associated with gun control?
- What are some possible solutions to gun violence?
I accidentally shot dead my little sister’
Sean was 10 years old when he found a gun in the house and thought it was a toy. The weapon accidentally went off and a stray bullet pierced the heart of his younger sister, Erin.
Thirty years on, Sean and his mother reflect on how those few tragic seconds changed the course of their lives.
Video by Hannah Long-Higgins and Angélica M Casas
Essay questions
- What are the main arguments for and against gun control in the USA? How do they relate to the constitutional right to bear arms?
- How does gun violence affect different communities in the USA? What are some of the social and economic impacts of gun violence?
- What are some of the best practices or examples of effective gun control policies in other countries? How could they be adapted or applied to the USA?
- “What are the long-term effects of accidental gun deaths on the families of the victims and the perpetrators? Discuss with reference to the case of Sean, who accidentally shot his younger sister Erin when he was 10 years old.”