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The purpose of this text set is for students to be able to process, debrief, or better understand the complexity of mental illness.

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High school

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Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why.

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Easy - There's nothing super difficult about the style of Thirteen Reasons Why, but the topic of teen suicide isn't easy to process. Once students wrap their mind around the psychological intensity of it all, they should have no issues reading and comprehending this novel.

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U Can't B Erased | Hope from Depression. Teen Suicide Prevention.

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If you really want to overcome your depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges you're suffering from, then you have to focus on overcoming one symptom at a time. Just in general, a strong [...]

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Self Harm: McKenzie J. at TEDxMountainMiddleSchool

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Half a decade in

that was all I needed,
all the time it took to see
the world was an insult to me.

Was I cursed at birth
to live on the brink of death?
Trapped in this trance until
Poseidon's realm pulls me to its depths.

My pursuits to meet him have gone astray.
Countless trials that end one way:
under bright lights,
in a hospital gown,
tubes, tests, nurses pinning me down,
and a hundred voices asking me why
Why oh why did I want to die?
Well I was muting the agony,
executing my destiny,
see daylight please, it's meant to be.
You can't stop me.

And Plath said it best
I do it well,
my scars could attest.

Perhaps I'm not as strong
as everyone once thought
The echoes whisper
“You never did belong”
Neither here nor there or anywhere.

I fear I am nature's mistake.
For the hands of fate, I must partake
in this sacrifice
to begin my demise.
This shouldn't come as a surprise.

I was only five.
I thought I could survive.

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Jeremy Knowles is a teenage outcast that dreams of being an artist. Before he can put his dreams in to action however, constant bullying at school sends him into a downward spiral, complete with a severe mental breakdown. Teens will be able to relate to the stresses that Jeremy faces on a daily basis.

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Graphic Novel

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Published in 2014, Demi Lovato's Warrior tells a battle of overcoming hurt and pain at another's hands. It tells of acquiring thicker skin to be able to handle the challenges that life throws at us.

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Easy - students will find this an easy read with full color graphics and leveled vocabulary.

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Teacher and student led discussions.
Students can create their own comic strips about a teen issue that interests them.

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Song by Demi Lovato

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This is a story that I have never told
I gotta get this off my chest to let it go
I need to take back the light inside you stole
You're a criminal
And you steal like you're a pro

All the pain and the truth
I wear like a battle wound
So ashamed, so confused
I was broken and bruised

Now I'm a warrior
Now I've got thicker skin
I'm a warrior
I'm stronger than I've ever been
And my armor, is made of steel, you can't get in
I'm a warrior
And you can never hurt me again

Out of the ashes, I'm burning like a fire
You can save your apologies, you're nothing but a liar
I've got shame, I've got scars
That I will never show
I'm a survivor
In more ways than you know

'Cause all the pain and the truth
I wear like a battle wound
So ashamed, so confused
I'm not broken or bruised

'Cause now I'm a warrior
Now I've got thicker skin
I'm a warrior
I'm stronger than I've ever been
And my armor, is made of steel, you can't get in
I'm a warrior
And you can never hurt me

There's a part of me I can't get back
A little girl grew up too fast
All it took was once, I'll never be the same
Now I'm taking back my life today
Nothing left that you can say
'Cause you were never gonna take the blame anyway

Now I'm a warrior
I've got thicker skin
I'm a warrior
I'm stronger than I've ever been
And my armor, is made of steel, you can't get in
I'm a warrior
And you can never hurt me again

No oh yeah yeah

You can never hurt me again

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Easy/Medium - the lyrics are easily understandable, but are up for interpretation by the listener.

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Students can analyze lyrics of the song.
They can also write their own story of something they had to overcome that has given them "thicker skin".

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In an article printed by US Today in March 2018, statistics state that teen suicide rates have increased over 70% in the last decade. The article questions if lack of and inconsistencies in health care are to blame.

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Newspaper article, printed by US
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/19/teen-suicide-soaring-do-spotty-mental-health-and-addiction-treatment-share-blame/428148002/

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Medium - this is marked medium since it's not a common source used by teens. Some language may be confusing. Overall, not a difficult read.

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Students will discuss the facts they read in the article and come up with additional reasons teen suicide is increasing.
Students will brainstorm ways to combat these rising numbers.

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The U Can't B Erased podcast empowers teens and those around them to recognize, overcome, and be unashamed of their mental illnesses.

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Podcast
https://www.ucantberased.com/podcast/

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Easy - subject matter may be triggering to some. Students who suffer from depression may find the encouraging stories hypocritical or difficult to listen to.

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Teacher or student led discussions.
(Written assignment) Analysis of a chosen podcast.
Students creating their own podcasts about important teen issues.

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McKenzie J. is in 8th grade at Mountain Middle School. She first became interested in self harm when she found out that three of her very close friends had self harmed. After a bit, McKenzie started to cut and pick at her skin. When she finally had enough, she had the strength to quit. After she quit, she told her good friend, a former self harmer, and her friend told her, "I am so proud of you, now take what you have learned and help others." McKenzie completed research and found out how many methods of self harm there are and what the statistics of teenage self harm are in America. These statistics shocked McKenzie and made her want to work even harder to make sure that her voice and story were heard. McKenzie felt that because she and some of her close friends self harmed, that she should make others more aware about the pressing issue in society and the average teenage life. She is giving this talk in the hope that she will raise awareness and inspire others to step up and be the change.

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YouTube - TED Talk video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbHB2YLGvH4

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Easy - the language and vocabulary used in the video is easy to comprehend, although the subject matter may be triggering to some.

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Teacher or group led discussions.
Students could create their own TED Talks on a topic that is important to them.

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This poem touches on dark themes such as depression, self-harm, and suicide. Poseidon's Realm tells the story of a child who has known since the age of 5 that something wasn't quite right, that they didn't quite belong in this world. The poem reflects the poets struggles with staying on this earth.

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Poem from Hello Poetry.

https://hellopoetry.com/poem/2733205/poseidons-realm/

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Medium - while the reading level is not difficult, the subject matter may be triggering to some.

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Teacher led or group led - students can read and analyze the poem. Individually, students can recreate the structure and theme, not necessarily suicide, but something they find troubling and/or challenging, by creating their own poem.

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Model School Library Standards for California Public Schools

1.3K Use a variety of print, media, and online resources to locate information, including encyclopedias and other reference materials.

2.1B Analyze important ideas and supporting evidence in an information source by using logic and informed judgment to accept or reject information.

2.2C Analyze media for purpose, message, accuracy, bias, and intended audience

4.2B Contribute actively to the learning community, and participate in groups to pursue and generate information.

4.3A Read and listen to a range of literary and other creative forms of expression (e.g., poetry, drama, film, literature, visual arts).

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/13-Reasons-Why-Jay-Asher/dp/0451478290

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29844228-thirteen-reasons-why?ac=1&from_search=true

Library Standards:
https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/librarystandards.pdf