Hush

Use these questions and 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

1. What does racism mean? What are some of the different ways in which people can display racist attitudes or behavior toward someone? What does racism look like in the context of America?

Teaching Suggestion: Hush focuses on a Black family who enters the Witness Protection Program because the father, a former policeman, speaks out against his colleagues who shot and killed a Black boy. Racial Bias and Stereotypes is one of the themes explored in the novel, and a discussion on racism and its different expressions may help set context.

• Consider using this article to define racism and introduce students to the different places and times in history defined by racism.
• With sensitivity in mind, excerpts of this essay from 2020 might be helpful in initiating reflection on racism in America.

2. What do you know of the Federal Witness Protection Program? Why do you think it exists? How does it work? What impact do you think it could have on the children who are part of the program?

Teaching Suggestion: The protagonist-narrator of Hush is 13-year-old Toswiah Green. Throughout the novel, she struggles with her family’s relocation as part of the Witness Protection Program. It may be helpful to introduce the program to students and have them think about the impact it can have on children in particular.

• This CNN article provides some details on the Witness Protection Program, and how and why it works.

Personal Connection Prompt

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

How would you describe yourself to someone you are meeting for the first time? What are the things that define you?

Teaching Suggestion: At one point in the novel, Toswiah remembers responding to a similar question in her class in Denver. However, her sense of self is shaken by her family’s sudden move; in fact, every member of her family struggles with their changing identities. Prompting students to think about their identities and the things that define them will help orient them toward the theme of Navigating Identity.

Differentiation Suggestion: English language learners or students who find verbal or written language challenging can bring artifacts or photographs from home to help supplement personal descriptions and expression of their identities.