The “Flipped: Gun Control” video by Discovery Education helps teach students the consequences of inappropriate use of guns.
Maurice,16, and Nick,19, like to shoot guns. They feel that guns give them power, makes them men. They learn a tough lesson about guns while starring in a video for teens. Flipped Gun Awareness is an MTV video, distributed by Discovery Education, also known as United Streaming. In the video, Maurice talks about how he shoots guns for fun while spending time with friends. He says that he does not shoot at people; he is careful to shoot up into the air or at an angle. Maurice says that he would use a gun to defend himself. Nick, on the other hand, says that guns make him feel like a man. Guns make him feel powerful. He says that he “…doesn’t like to be pushed around.” Both teens participated in a 24-hour experiment in which they lives were controlled by MTV. Maurice became a homicide investigator for the day, working side-by-side with an experienced detective. Nick worked side by side with a doctor at UCI Hospital. Exposed to families and real people who have suffered from the aftermath of gun violence, the teens are scared straight into avoiding guns.
A teacher’s guide accompanies the video. The teacher’s guide has free lesson plans and suggested activities, including hands-on activities, activities providing a link to the real world, writing, cultural diversity, and critical thinking skills. Teachers can also use the guide to help teach vocabulary, related to the video. Lesson plans can be adapted to last several days or just a couple of days in the classroom. This video is suitable for social studies, health, and literature classes; it could be tailored to fit in other high school classes.
Preview the video before showing it to your class. There are some medical scenes, showing gunshot wounds. Students thought that the scene in which a mother learns that her daughter was shot and killed was obviously unreal. Yes. Some of the scenes, performed by regular people, not actors, were a little over the top, but the end of the video pulled heartstrings. Most students relate to the video on some level.
