Pbs Learning Media: The Lowdown: Gun Violence, Gun Control, Gun Rights: Where We Go From Here Lesson Plan

While tragic mass shootings like the ones in Las Vegas and Orlando shine a spotlight on our nation's lax gun laws, these horrific events make up a tiny percentage of U.S. gun deaths. Suicide, other types of homicide and accidents play a major role in death by firearm. The United States far outpaces the rest of the world in gun ownership and gun-related deaths. Despite these statistics and public outcry following each mass shooting, federal gun control efforts have stalled, a situation unlikely to change anytime soon. In this Lowdown instructional activity, students will evaluate and reflect on the arguments for and against gun control, as well as analyze data around gun deaths and gun violence in the United States and efforts to curb deaths caused by firearms.