Guide Entry to 06.03.04
In the past few decades civilian casualties in wars have increased. Half of those casualties are children. It is important for high school students to understand that over 2 million kids have died from wars; that over 8,000 of them are killed by landmines each year; that those who aren't killed, but are directly affected, are either severely wounded, recruited as child soldiers, raped, and/or orphaned (UNICEF). Rather than wait for my students to learn half-truths about the damage war can do to civilians, in particular children, I want to expose them to this topic by way of children's literature.
By exposing my students to these experiences via children's fiction and nonfiction literature, I hope that they will achieve a broader view of the world. I expect that my students will develop sympathy for the plight of others as they learn about the horrors some children face. Along the way, I intend to teach my students to develop a critical eye for texts; improving their ability to make decisions about the validity and purpose of literature.
(Developed for Language Arts, grade 9; recommended for Language Arts, grade 9)
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