Use these questions or 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. In what specific ways are friendships and small groups healthy for young adults? What are ways individuals might achieve healing with the help of peers? What is the importance of diversity in friendship?

Teaching Suggestion: Harbor Me explores the growth of six characters as they learn to become a cohesive group and find healing through discussion, empathy, and support. Students might participate in timed brainstorming activities in which they list examples of types of friendships and how diversity plays an important role in friendship. Information from these or similar resources can help students develop additional context on the topic.

• This 5-minute video describes the importance of friendships for teenagers and how they affect the brain.
• This article explains the importance of diverse friendships in expanding individual perspectives.

2. What components or traits comprise a person’s identity? How might identity grow and change over time? What factors might contribute to changes in a person’s identity?

Teaching Suggestion: Harbor Me explores the growth of six characters as they share their personal experiences with racism, immigration, prejudice, bullying, and xenophobia.