A Good Kind of Trouble

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

The 13 Guiding Principles for “Good Trouble”: A Closer Look at the Black Lives Matter Movement

In this activity, students will learn more about the 13 guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Shayla’s personal evolution throughout A Good Kind of Trouble hinges on her involvement with the Black Lives Matter movement. In deepening her connection with her own Blackness and making a commitment to social activism, Shayla is able to find her true, authentic self.

People of all backgrounds have embraced and supported the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement since it was formed in 2013. In this activity, you will work in small groups to learn more about the guiding principles of Black Lives Matter and then find a way of creating positive social change in your own life.

• Review the 13 BLM Principles. Review the guiding principles of the BLM movement on Black Lives Matter at School and/or in the video by Ames Community School called “BLM 13 Principles Explained.”  
• Select One Principle to Focus On. Select one of the principles for further research. Learn more about the history/importance of your chosen principle, gaining more insight into the underlying question: Why, exactly, is this important to the Black Lives Matter movement?
• Act. Using your chosen principle as your guide, research ways that you can further support this mission in your own community and/or with your own actions. You can learn more about options for student activism here from Youth Celebrate Diversity or by researching local organizations (including your local BLM group) in your area.

As a class, discuss how your research into the underlying principles of Black Lives Matter helped and/or deepened your understanding of A Good Kind of Trouble. Which principles would Shayla have the easiest time embracing in her own activism? Which ones might she struggle with? Explore how the characters in the novel, especially Hana, embody the principles of Black Lives Matter.

Teaching Suggestion: The guiding principles of BLM touch upon the importance of the notion of intersectionality. Have students note how other marginalized identities are highlighted in the principles (queer identities, trans identities, etc.). Consider spending a moment discussing the concept of intersectionality and how it manifests in A Good Kind of Trouble. To gain a shared understanding of this concept, you may wish to read through “Intersectionality of Privilege” as a class. You may also want to consider spending time reviewing the graphic “Wheel of Privilege” in this article.

Differentiation Suggestion: For a more creative-writing-oriented approach, you may want to have students acknowledge and recognize that poetry can also be a form of activism. Have them read “The Poetry of Black Lives Matter,” and then ask them to write a short poem in response to A Good Kind of Trouble.

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Consider Shayla’s relationship with Tyler and Jace, two of her classmates at Emerson Junior High.

• How do Shayla’s interactions with Tyler parallel her interactions with Jace? (topic sentence)
• What do the similarities reveal about relationships, as well as about the characters themselves?
• In your conclusion, explore how the evolution in Shayla’s relationships with Tyler and Jace shows her shift in priorities, thus showing Personal Growth’s Correlation to Change.

2. Shayla’s thoughts often include figurative language, including numerous comparisons she makes when describing her appearance.

• What does her figurative language reveal about how she views herself? (topic sentence)
• What are some specific examples of this figurative language from the beginning, middle, and end of the novel?
• In your conclusion, describe how, through figurative language, Shayla is able to express her Individuality, which helps her ultimately find belonging.

3. Shayla’s older sister, Hana, seems intimidating, but Shayla often goes to her for advice.

• How does Hana influence Shayla’s thoughts and actions? (topic sentence)
• Why do Hana’s words have such an impact on Shayla?
• In your conclusion, describe how, via the character of Hana, Shayla comes to know the severity of The Pervasiveness of Racial Bias.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. How does the quote on Emerson’s statue—“OUR GREATEST GLORY IS NOT IN NEVER FAILING, BUT IN RISING UP EVERY TIME WE FAIL” (130)—reflect how Shayla resolves her fear of getting in trouble? How does Shayla learn to view authority figures differently by the end of the novel, and how does that correlate to her overcoming her fear of getting in trouble? Consider what the resolution reveals about the themes of the novel, especially the idea that Authority Can Be Flawed.

2. Both in her narration and as she writes in her eyeball journal, Shayla often notices Yolanda’s hair. Why is Shayla so fascinated with her hair? What does her fascination reveal about the themes of the novel? In your conclusion, explore how the character of Yolanda helps Shayla learn to embrace her own Blackness and how this relationship helps Shayla understand that Expressing Individuality Leads to Belonging.

3. Shayla faces numerous conflicts throughout the novel. Each involves her finding self-awareness and using her newly acquired voice to speak up, thus underscoring the novel’s theme of Personal Growth’s Correlation to Change. Some of her internal conflicts include her insecurity and fear of getting in trouble, and some of her external conflicts are with Julia, Principal Trask, and Bernard. Choose one of Shayla’s conflicts. What causes the turning point, or climax, of the conflict? What change in Shayla’s character occurs? What does the resolution of the conflict reveal about the themes of the novel?

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, exams, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following best exemplifies the theme of Personal Growth’s Correlation to Change in the novel?

A) Hana comes to accept Shayla for who she is, which changes their family dynamic for the better.

B) Shayla learns to embrace her Black identity, which causes her to embrace social activism of the Black Lives Matter movement.

C) Momma gets the courage to stand up to Principal Trask, showing how she is no longer afraid of public speaking.

D) Jace stops bullying Shayla and instead learns to appreciate girls in his class for their personalities instead of their looks.

2. How is Coach West a catalyst for many of the changes in Shayla’s life?

A) As the only Black faculty member at Shayla’s school, Coach West serves the role of mentor in the novel, thus inspiring numerous changes for Shayla.

B) As the kindest faculty member at Shayla’s school, Coach West finally gets Shayla to open up emotionally, thus inspiring numerous changes for Shayla.

C) As the only foreign-born faculty member at Shayla’s school, Coach West lets Shayla know that it can be good to be an “outsider” sometimes, thus inspiring numerous changes for Shayla.

D) As the only queer faculty member at Shayla’s school, Coach West bonds with Shayla over feeling “different,” thus inspiring numerous changes for Shayla.

3. Which of the following statements best describes how the “eyeball journal” is important to Shayla’s character arc?

A) The eyeball journal provides a safe space where Shayla can challenge authority.

B) The eyeball journal becomes a log where Shayla can enter numerous instances of racial bias.

C) The eyeball journal embodies the idea that awareness is a necessary step toward enacting change.

D) The eyeball journal helps Shayla come to terms with her family’s more challenging dynamics.

4. Mr. Powell’s scarf and the Black Lives Matter armbands correlate most closely to which of the book’s themes?

A) The Pervasiveness of Racial Bias

B) Authority Can Be Flawed

C) Expressing Individuality Leads to Belonging

D) Personal Growth’s Correlation to Change

5. Which of the following adjectives best describes Principal Trask?

A) Generous

B) Authoritarian

C) Fair

D) Passive

6. What best describes the symbolic meaning behind Isabella’s green top?

A) Shayla’s fear of Isabella

B) Shayla’s anger toward Isabella

C) Shayla’s love toward Isabella

D) Shayla’s envy of Isabella

7. Which of the following is NOT an example of a flawed authority figure in the novel?

A) The police

B) Principal Trask

C) Mrs. Alvarez

D) Julia

8. Before embracing the Black Lives Matter movement, which of the following was of primary importance to Shayla?

A) Boys

B) Schoolwork

C) Her family

D) Basketball

9. What is one of the most significant character transformations that Shayla makes over the course of the novel?

A) She embraces nonconformity, helping her to connect more authentically with those around her, particularly her Black friends and family.

B) She embraces gratitude, allowing her to be thankful for the little that she and her family have.

C) She embraces compassion, allowing her to understand why certain authority figures mistreat her and her friends.

D) She embraces honesty, using the power of her voice to say whatever it is that comes to her mind, no matter who it inconveniences.

10. Which of the following is the strongest example of the theme Expressing Individuality Leads to Belonging?

A) Shayla’s relationship with Hana

B) Shayla finding solace and solidarity in her coaching from Coach West

C) Shayla proudly wearing her Black Lives Matter armband

D) Shayla eventually realizing that Jace is a mean person

11. In Chapter 8, how does Hana foreshadow the fate of Shayla’s “United Nations” friend group?

A) Hana admonishes Shayla for not sitting with the other Black kids at lunch and predicts that the United Nations will soon split.

B) Hana says that she thinks Isabella is rude and predicts that the United Nations will have a friendship reckoning.

C) Hana thinks that Shayla is the “weakest link” in the United Nations, and only when she’s strong will their group’s friendship be authentic.

D) Hana worries that the United Nations will split, paralleling a rift in the actual United Nations.

12. Which of Shayla’s family members experiences a similar shift in showing their support of the Black Lives Matter movement?

A) Daddy

B) Hana

C) Momma

D) Grandmomma

13. What is the significance of the character Jace Howard, in terms of Shayla’s evolution?

A) Jace highlights Shayla’s desire to have more Black friends.

B) Jace highlights Shayla’s insecurity and shallow priorities.

C) Jace highlights Shayla’s feelings of self-hatred about her looks, race, and values.

D) Jace highlights Shayla’s growing rift between her and “popular kid” values.

14. At the start of the novel, how does Shayla’s friend group compare to Hana’s friend group?

A) Shayla’s friends are all very polite; Hana’s friends are loud and rambunctious.

B) Shayla’s friends are considered “nerds”; Hana’s friends are “cool.”

C) Shayla’s friends all grew up together; Hana’s friends just met that year.

D) Shayla’s friends are more racially diverse; Hana’s friends are primarily Black.

15. At the end of the novel, how does Shayla show that she has overcome her fear of trouble, especially if it’s for a noble cause?

A) Shayla talks back to her mother.

B) Shayla starts a Black Lives Matter rally at school.

C) Shayla stands up to Principal Trask at the track meet.

D) Shayla confronts Bernard for bullying her sister.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. When Shayla believes that the police officer will be found guilty because of the video, what does this reveal about her character?

2. How does Shayla’s attitude about wearing the Black Lives Matter armband change in Chapters 46-60? How does this attitude change help contribute to the resolution of Shayla’s overarching conflict?