Curriculum Guide for

Finally Heard

by Kelly Yang

About the Book

One year after moving to the United States from China, Lina Gao is finally feeling at home in her new life in California. Her family is together again, her English has seriously improved, and her friends, teachers, and favorite books continue to inspire her. But why does Lina feel so unsettled? Her body is changing, her family is constantly strapped for money, and she and her best friend, Carla, are the only two holdouts in the fifth grade without cell phones. Things begin to change when her mom’s bath-bomb business is boosted by a viral social media video, and Lina is finally able to get her own phone. Seeing the potential of social media to amplify others’ voices, Lina becomes a content creator, making videos to help struggling and unheard business owners in the community.

With each view and like of her social media posts, Lina’s excitement grows and her dopamine levels skyrocket. The good feelings don’t last very long, however. Lina finds herself comparing her videos’ popularity to posts made by her classroom nemesis, Jessica, and struggles to ignore the haters leaving mean comments. Soon Lina’s insecurities are blooming, she is hacking into private group chats, and checking her phone has become a full-blown addiction. Amidst the chaos of views, comments, likes, and follows, Lina must figure out how to navigate online spaces with social kindness and find the courage to reveal her true self and finally be heard.

Prereading Activity

Pros and Cons of Social Media

Finally Heard is a story about social media and children. The highs and lows of social media use and what it can do to young people’s minds and lives are richly described, and students would benefit from an ongoing conversation about this topic at all stages of reading.

Before reading, invite students to share their experiences with social media and with cell phones. Begin a list of pros and cons of social media using a T-chart, and ask students to share and jot down their opinions. As they read, students can add to the chart independently, and their contributions may be used for further group discussion. After the text is finished, this exploration can be extended through a class debate or persuasive writing activities.

Discussion Questions

1. Lina and Carla are different from most of the kids in their school in several ways, including racially and socioeconomically. Most noticeably, they are the only two students in their class, and the whole fifth grade, to not have their own cell phones. How does this make them feel? Describe a time when you felt worried about standing out in a crowd.

2. Lina overhears her classmates Nate and Preston talking to Finn about hanging out online. She thinks they “have this whole other life” she doesn’t know about and wonders if they act differently in online spaces. (Chapter two) In what ways might people have online lives that are different from their real-world lives? Why might this be appealing?

3. Lina’s mom wipes away tears of joy when her first video about her bath-bomb business goes viral. Mrs. Gao states, “‘The internet is an equalizer!’” (Chapter thirty-six) What does that phrase mean? Do you agree with the statement? Why or why not?

4. Mrs. Gao sings along to Whitney Houston’s song “The Greatest Love of All” and passionately croons the line “If I fail, if I succeed, at least I’ll live as I believe.” (Chapter ten) Lina describes the song as her mother’s battle cry, her life motto. Why do you think the song means so much to Mrs. Gao, and how do you think she is living out her beliefs? Can you think of a song or lyric that represents your own battle cry?

5. Jessica, one of Lina’s classmates, exhibits bullying behavior throughout the story. Bullying is more aggressive than teasing and is a form of intentional behavior that is done repeatedly to cause a person harm. What are some examples of how Jessica bullies Lina? How is Jessica’s behavior different from other classmates’ behavior that bothers Lina as well? Consider how Lina responds to Jessica’s actions. What does Lina do or say in response, and do you agree with Lina’s actions?

6. Lina feels different from most of her classmates for many reasons. One major cause is the wealth gap between her family and most of the other families at her school. What is some evidence from the book that the Gaos have financial struggles? How do these financial struggles impact their daily lives?

7. The Gao family are first-generation immigrants, meaning they are foreign-born but have permanently settled in a new country. When Mrs. Gao begins to use social media, she says, “‘For the first time since coming to America, I have a voice! I thought when I left China, that wasn’t ever going to happen to me again.’” (Chapter fifteen) Why does she say this? Why do you think immigrants might feel as if they don’t have a voice in their new country of residence?

8. Lina, along with most of her classmates, begins to become addicted to social media. Addiction is a condition in which someone has uncontrollable and frequent urges to engage in behavior that is harmful. Mrs. Carter explains that dopamine, the “feel-good chemical” in our brains, fuels people’s addiction to social media. (Chapter thirty-four) What is some evidence from the story that Lina is becoming addicted to her phone or to social media? What are some things we can do to break the dopamine loop of social media for ourselves?

9. While talking to Lina about her struggles with Jessica, Lao Lao reminds Lina that “‘sometimes those who don’t deserve our kindness need it the most.’” (Chapter thirty-five) How does this apply to Jessica? Reflect on somebody from your own life who you might not feel deserves your kindness but needs it anyway. What are some ways you might extend a gracious act to them?

10. Finn and many of the kids in fifth grade use the app Discord to hold private chats. Finn describes the conversations on Discord by saying, “‘It’s not real.’” (Chapter thirty-seven) What do you think Finn means by that? Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

11. Aunt Jing reminds Lina and her mother of the story about the Greek God Narcissus, who died because he could not stop staring at his own reflection in the water. Aunt Jing muses that “‘social media’s the water.’” (Chapter forty) Why does she say this? What is the warning that Aunt Jing is communicating?

12. Throughout the story, Lina worries about how she looks and is perceived by others. Her insecurities are fed by the images of idealized beauty she sees on social media. How do these images and beauty trends impact Lina’s self-esteem? How might unrealistic beauty standards affect your own self-esteem? Reflect on the changes that occur in Lina’s confidence throughout the story and identify points in the text that impact her ability to perceive herself positively.

13. Mrs. Carter witnesses multiple, growing issues with her students’ constant use of phones and social media. She warns the class that they must be more aware of misinformation online, saying, “‘Just like with articles online, when you watch a video, ask yourself, what makes this person an expert? Do they have credentials? Or are they just trying to sell me something? Because that’s a red flag.’” (Chapter forty-nine) Why is misinformation such a big threat on the internet? What are some ways that misinformation can be spread within social media? What were some examples of misinformation in the text?

14. Lina gets upset when Jessica makes a video about the chocolate coin that Finn gifts to her. She says, “I can’t believe Jessica took a nice, kind, private gesture and made it content.” (Chapter fifty) What does Lina mean, and why is she so upset? What is the difference between real life and “content”?

15. Another lesson Mrs. Carter teaches her class revolves around “The Algorithm and How It Changes Us.” She explains that algorithms are a form of technology that companies can use to track our digital footprint and shape what we see online. Lina realizes that is the reason she keeps seeing makeup and skincare videos on her phone even though she only looked them up once. In this way, algorithms work to create feedback loops—social media shapes what we see, and what we see shapes who we become. Can you think of an example of a feedback loop you have experienced either in social media or in life generally?

16. When Lina finally confesses to how depressed and worried she has become due to her social media usage and personal insecurities, her mother tells her, “‘Being strong doesn’t mean you suffer silently.’” (Chapter sixty-seven) She points out that being strong does not mean that you should hide your problems, pretend like they aren’t happening, or put up with abuse. Can you think of a time in your life when you suffered silently? Why did you do so? How can we share our suffering instead, and how might it be helpful?

17. Lao Lao explains to Lina that courage can mean not being afraid of being vulnerable or being one’s true self. What is so scary about being vulnerable? Describe a time when you showed courage by being confident in yourself.

18. Lina and the members of the “Balloon Powered Car Challenge” private chat group are required to attend a Justice Session to address their cyberbullying. Principal Bennett states the purpose of the Justice Session is to “‘repair and heal as a community.’” (Chapter sixty-nine) What needed to happen in the session for the community to repair and heal? How was justice served at this meeting?

19. For youth and adults alike, one danger of social media is that what we see online is only carefully selected glimpses of people’s lives. Naturally, these are likely to be moments of celebration or accomplishment. The more mundane, disappointing, or ugly parts of life are hidden. How is Lina affected by seeing her classmates’ “highlight reels”? How is she affected during the Justice Session when her classmates reveal more of the background behind these posts?

Extension Activities

Digital Storytelling: Create Your Own Book Talks

Mrs. Hollins, the school librarian, asks Lina, Carla, and Finn for help by creating videos recommending their favorite books to other students for the library’s website. Lina’s nervous about being on camera, but after helping her mother with a video for her business, Lina gathers the courage to record her own book talk video.

Invite students to make their own book talks or reviews about their favorite reads and share it with the class or library, just like Lina and her friends do in Finally Heard. If student video assignments are restricted, or students don’t feel comfortable being recorded, consider switching the assignment to class presentations.

Our Brains on Screens

Lina’s teacher, Mrs. Carter, talks to the class about how social media effects people, changing their brain chemistry and helping them get addicted to the dopamine hits that come from likes, comments, and messages. Dopamine is the chemical that’s released when a person does something enjoyable or rewarding, and in response it provides a temporary feeling of happiness and joy. Dopamine is what helps people get “hooked” or form habits for certain activities, like exercise, snacking, shopping, and scrolling social media (Dopamine: The Good, the Bad, and the Downright Unhealthy, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7fT9U3Q2-o).

Start a class discussion about what off-screen activities, hobbies, or events gives each student a dopamine hit. What do they enjoy and want to keep doing that doesn’t involve a phone, computer, or TV screen? Assign students individual posters, in which they write out or draw what gives them dopamine boosts so they can share them with other students and classes.

Cybersafety Seminars

Carla befriends a person online calling himself Jake Evermoon. Though he poses as a fellow ten-year-old child, it is revealed that Jake is an alias for a much older man who preys on children to steal their parents’ credit card information. This plotline draws attention to one of the most central issues surrounding children and social media—privacy and safety. As children spend more time online, it is of the utmost importance that they are also taught about basic internet safety. If possible, ask your school or district about collaborative opportunities with technology teachers, information specialists, or librarians to teach dedicated sessions on the topic of cybersafety. Dedicate time toward informational cybersafety seminars. These can be held throughout the school year and across grade levels.

Some questions to ask and discuss with students include the following:

a. What is private information? Why should I keep this to myself on the internet?

b. What information is okay to share online?

c. How can we keep online friendships safe and friendly?

d. How can you protect yourself from scams or phishing?

e. What should we avoid clicking on while using the internet?

f. What actions can we take to protect our privacy online?

Take Action! Bullying Intervention and Prevention Group Work

A central theme in the text is bullying. Sheriff Dan Stormhammer reminds the parents and children of Winfield that “‘every child deserves to feel safe in their school, and their home.’” (Chapter fifty-nine) According to the American Psychological Association, bullying is a type of aggressive behavior that intentionally and repeatedly causes another person harm. This can take the form of physical contact, words, or harassing behavior. When this is done using technology such as phones, emails, or social media, this is called cyberbullying.

To build awareness of what bullying can look like and what children and adults can do in response, direct students in a group writing activity. Have students form small groups of four or five students and create a scenario in which bullying occurs. Include various roles in the scenario including an aggressor, target, ally, and bystander. As they write fictionalized scenarios, encourage groups to think up action steps for bullying intervention and prevention. Students should not include real names of children in their scenarios. This activity is adapted from a lesson from the Anti-Defamation League. Please check out this organization (https://www.adl.org) for more resources on bullying prevention.

Illustrate the Idiom

As an English language learner, Lina is surprised by some of the phrases and sayings that her classmates and teachers use. Many things they say are not meant to be taken literally and instead mean something else entirely! These phrases are called idioms. For example, Jessica calls Lina a “Goody Two-shoes” when Lina handwrites a letter of apology to her teacher, but Lina is confused and looks down at her shoes. Later, when Jessica tells Lina she wants to “clear the air,” Lina thinks she is talking about air pollution when Jessica is trying to apologize for her behavior.

Introduce and teach more idioms with a simple graphic organizer. Create a worksheet that includes a large space for a picture and two text boxes. Label one box “Idiom” and the other “Meaning.” Highlight various idioms and have students fill out the worksheet by writing the idiom, explaining its meaning, and drawing a picture. For example, for the saying “It’s raining cats and dogs,” the meaning may be explained as “a heavy rain,” and the picture could be a child holding an umbrella with cats and dogs falling around him. Exposure to idioms is especially helpful for language learners and benefits all students’ language and literacy development.

This guide was written by Dr. Joanne Yi, an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Indiana University.

This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.