Free Lesson Plans For Teachers: A Horrible Day at Virginia Tech

Pass-Ed.'s Living Textbook
Free Lesson Plans for Teachers
Alpha Stage

A Horrible Day at Virginia Tech.
April 17, 2007

The entire country seems to be focusing on the horrendous events that
occurred at Virginia Polytechnic Institute yesterday.

The New York Times is running an article entitled, "Drumbeat of
Shots, Broken by Pauses to Reload."

It feels awkward to select just one quotation to represent the worst
mass murder in U.S. history. But, at a time like this, it's important to
both ask and answer questions.

The quote - " Every so often, the shots paused for a minute or so.
That was the gunman, who was in the midst of the worst shooting
rampage in American history, stopping to reload. When it was over,
33 people, including the gunman, were dead and at least 15 more were
injured."
Read the Article!!

Discussion-Starters for Younger Children

When somebody is sad, what are some ways that you can
make him/her feel a little less sad?

Consider asking students to draw a picture of something
that somebody can do to help somebody else feel better.

When you are angry what are some things that you can do to
calm yourself down?

Students could make a list of things that they could do
to calm themselves down.

If somebody hits your students what do they think they should
do in response? Why?

Do your students think it's better to hit back or to tell a
teacher or another adult? Consider comparing the pros
and cons of each of these possible responses?

Have your students ever really liked a toy that broke? How did
it break? What did they do with the toy after it broke? How did
they feel? Would there have been any way to fix the toy? If so,
how?

Students could write a few sentences about a favorite
toy that they no longer get to play with.

Discussion-Starters for Older Students

Vocabulary terms to discuss: Horrific; Engineering;
Preternatural; and, Consoling.

Do your students think that people should be allowed to carry
hand guns? Why/why not? Are there any circumstances in
which your child(ren)'s answers would be different? If so,
when?

Students could respond to these questions in a five point
essay. Consider asking them to incorporate a core
democratic value into their response.

Pose: Imagine that you are an advisor to President Bush. The
President wants advice as to how to make American schools
safer. Shooting should simply never occur in schools. What
would you advise? Why? (Note: President Bush believes that
people should be allowed to own guns. He will not accept any
advice to abolish this right.)

These questions could prompt an important class
discussion. Be sure to respond to the concerns of all
students. Take advantage of resource people in your
school and beyond.

Pose: Imagine that you are an advisor to the president of
Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He asks you for advice on how
to memorialize the 32 individuals who were murdered on
campus yesterday. What would you advise? Why? Should
anything be done to remember the life of the shooter?

Students could develop "memos of advice" in groups of
two or three.

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