Stung

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

How are bees and other pollinators threatened in today’s climate?  How does this threat affect other species?

Teaching Suggestion: In Stung, bees have gone extinct, causing fundamental shifts in food harvesting and production and resulting in a dystopian society. The extinction of bees is a concern in our own society. Considering the importance of bees to our ecosystems, students might  investigate this scientific topic prior to reading or expand this topic into a larger research project. Students might also take action on this topic if a service learning project is desired. Discussion of key facts regarding the importance of bees will promote a greater understanding of the novel; students might pause during reading and return to their scientific research to make connections or point out inconsistencies. 

• This article from National Geographic examines threats to bees, effects of their endangerment, and ways to help their populations. (Registration may be needed to view.)
• “What Would Happen If All the Bees Died?” from Britannica explores possible effects of bees going extinct.
• In this article on “Bees and Agriculture,” Museum of the Earth explains the crucial role of pollinators in growing crops and how “human pollinators” must do the work of bees in places where pesticides have already caused localized extinction.  

Short Activity

Imagine a future in which a catastrophic event leads to the beginning of the breakdown of societal infrastructure. What would be the most important qualifications and characteristics for leaders to have? Work with a small group to come to a consensus.

Teaching Suggestion: It may be helpful to explain what is meant by “societal infrastructure” and list student-generated examples (e.g., government, transportation, education, health care, emergency response, housing, entertainment, etc.).  Since small groups will be addressing an abstract concept, starting with a specific example could be beneficial. For instance, students might discuss the Covid-19 pandemic and responses that were helpful versus those that were harmful. Students might also begin with a list of qualities from the resources here or those brainstormed as a class and rank them. This activity would also work well in a list-sort-label format: Students create a list of qualities, then group them into categories, then label each category. As students read the novel, they might compare their lists of good leadership qualities to the characters of Soneschen, Bowen, and others who find themselves in leadership roles.

• This article from Harvard Business Review discusses some top qualities of leaders.
• This resource from Municipal World explores important traits in a local elected official.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

In a conflict, disaster, or tragedy, do you think people are more inclined to help others or harm others?

Teaching Suggestion: Depending on the goals and objectives for the study of this novel, students might connect this prompt directly to multiple current or historical events. The class might discuss 9/11, responses to weather events such as Hurricane Katrina, or other real events. The question might serve to connect analysis of other texts the class has studied together. Students might begin noting their thoughts with a journal entry response, then share in a larger discussion. It could be beneficial to define what “help” and “harm” look like and offer examples of each. Connecting this prompt to the pre-reading activity about leadership qualities could be a way to expand thinking on both topics.

• In this opinion piece for The Washington Post, columnist Rubin offers the idea that “We Are Suffering From an Empathy Gap, But We Can Fix It.”
• This 45-minute podcast for the American Psychological Association explores the decline of empathy. (Teacher-appropriate; not student-facing due to length and complexity.)

Differentiation Suggestion: To encourage agency and incorporate various learning styles and talents, students might respond in a variety of ways. For example, they might create visual art, a song, a tableau, a skit, or an activity to communicate their thoughts on the prompt, either in addition to or in replacement of a written response.