Fire on the 57 Bus – Activity

Directions: This activity is designed to be an extension. Extension activities are an opportunity to expand on traditional classroom learning through an independent study. The purpose of an extension is to synthesize a rigorous (high school) text, and apply higher level thinking to it. For this assignment, you will read a retelling of an event known as “The 57 Bus Fire” and answer a series of questions. Take a moment to read the questions before you begin.

The story you are about to read is very complex. As you read about the case, you will have the opportunity to learn about the defendant and the victim. Both profiles are told through an empathetic lens. The story isn’t a joyful one, and it involves some violence. The story centers on the political issues of gender identity, race, and the US incarceration system. That said, this story is true. The people on both sides are real humans, 2 of which are close to your age. It is important that you remember these are real people, and consider any connections you can make to them, as well as the implications their lives have on yours.

Recommendations: As you read, you should annotate the text. If you are using a hard copy, this may include notes in the margins. If you are completing this activity on your phone, try taking notes on a separate piece of paper, or opening “Notes” on your smartphone. If you are using a computer, then your annotations should be in the form of the following:

1. Highlight the selected text you wish you annotate
2. Insert a comment. This can be done using
   1. Typing: Command+Option+M
   2. Clicking the plus sign on which will appear on the right edge of the document
   3. Going to the toolbar (top) and selecting: Insert->comment

When interacting with a text, your comments should show your thinking. Go beyond simple notices like “describing his appearance” and include your own comments. “This describes his appearance, which reminds me of _____.”

It is recommended that you read the questions and vocabulary terms (found at the end of this packet) BEFORE reading the text. You should keep the terms and ideas in mind as you read.

To download this worksheet – click the link below: