Two Can Keep a Secret

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What are some long-term effects of violence? You might consider how the effects differ or are similar from an individual to a family, a peer group, a community, or a school.

Teaching Suggestion: This topic is central to the novel and the theme of The Lingering Effects of Violence. Violence can be difficult to discuss, especially for people with first-hand experience. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, a private, individual response may be most appropriate, with optional sharing and discussion. Viewing the video offers an opportunity to hear from experts in an interview format, not always a commonly studied form. This resource also explores how violence can compound and affect those indirectly involved, including front-line workers living in the neighborhood they serve, like Ryan in the novel. Starting with the CDC article and then studying the PBS video offers the opportunity to “zoom in” from nationwide statistics to statistics from one city (Chicago). Students might return to either resource during the reading of the novel to make additional connections.