How California Teachers and Students Are Getting Through Wildfires Together
Ask students: What happened to Rosebud Elementary School? How many students lost their homes in the Eaton fire?
Amid the devastation of the wildfires that tore through Southern California last month, thousands had their education disrupted. At least a dozen schools were burned or so badly damaged that students can’t return any time soon. William Brangham spent time with teachers and students from an elementary in Altadena to understand how educators keep moving forward in the middle of a disaster zone.
View the transcript of the story.
Discussion Questions
- What happened to Rosebud Elementary School?
- How many students lost their homes in the Eaton fire?
- Who helped provide a temporary relocation space for Rosebud?
- Where does the Young family have to live after losing their home?
- How does teacher Laura Chavez relate to many of her students?
Focus Questions
Many Southern California teachers and students lost their homes and schools in the Eaton fire. Shawn Brown, executive director of Pasadena Rosebud Academy, says that after the fire, the most important thing was to get the kids back in school. How do you think being together after tragedy helps students and teachers get through difficult times?
Media literacy: Has your community or school been affected by any natural disasters or other hardships? How did you get through it and what did you learn from the experience?
Extension Activity
Watch the video below to learn about the challenges facing Black homeowners in Altadena after losing their homes in what will likely become the most expensive fires in U.S. history.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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