Interdisciplinary Teaching Ideas

The following is a suggested list of general topics and teaching ideas corresponding to Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give. These teaching ideas can help students understand the relevance of literature to discipline-specific and real-world scenarios and enhance their critical thinking and analytical skills. While this is by no means a comprehensive list of potential uses for the College Novel, it provides a jumping-off point for further examination and discussion.

Do you have additional ideas to suggest that may benefit your fellow instructors? Contact Mary Thompson at mthompson@sussex.edu to have them added to the list!

Anthropology

The Hate U Give can allow for discussion of themes of race, identity, and social inequality through an ethnographic and cultural lens. The novel offers a readable, contemporary plot that can serve as the basis for examination of systemic racism, police violence, and structural inequality in the United States. The novel also invites analysis of code-switching and linguistic anthropology, as Starr navigates different speech patterns and behaviors between her predominantly Black neighborhood and her mostly white private school. Additionally, students can consider the role of protest and social movements, linking the fictional narrative to broader studies of activism and resistance.

Art

The Hate U Give can be connected to art-making and critical visual analysis. In particular, students can engage both their creative practice and their understanding of how art reflects and shapes cultural and political realities.

· Consider projects examining the role of art in movements such as Black Lives Matter, including street murals, protest signs, photography, and graphic design as tools for resistance. How does visual symbolism, including colors, imagery, and iconography, amplify political messages and/or foster collective identity?
· Assign art projects focusing on the nature of duality (Starr’s prep school world and her home neighborhood, safety and tension, idealism and reality)
· Compose art to illustrate a scene in the novel or redesign the cover and/or movie posters

Supplemental reading:

Stein, Jaymie Paige, and Kevin Murungi. “Using Protest Art to Teach and Learn About Global Issues.” Art Education, vol. 78, no. 3, May 2025, pp. 48–55. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1080/00043125.2025.2480022.

Vance, Lindsey D., and Jordan S. Potash. “Black Lives Matter Protest Art: Uncovering Explicit and Implicit Emotions Through Thematic Analysis.” Peace & Conflict, vol. 28, no. 1, Feb. 2022, pp. 121–29. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1037/pac0000584.

Biology

The novel provides an excellent jumping-off point for examination of stress, trauma, and health outcomes in marginalized communities.

Examine public health data showing disproportionate rates of hypertension, heart disease, and other stress-related illnesses in lower-income communities. How do social determinants of health intersect with biology?
Research ways in which prolonged stress impacts bodily systems (nervous, endocrine, immune, etc.)

Criminal Justice/Legal Studies

In a criminal justice or legal studies classroom, The Hate U Give can be used to examine how law enforcement, the legal system, and community relations intersect with race, power, and justice. The novel provides a vivid fictional case study for discussing use-of-force protocols, probable cause, and the legal process surrounding officer-involved shootings.

Analyze the book alongside real-world statutes, case law, and departmental policies to compare the fictional events with actual procedures and outcomes.
Examine concepts such as implicit bias, community policing, and the role of eyewitness testimony.
Discuss how media framing influences public perception of criminal cases
What challenges exist when attempting to ensure due process, and how do we balance public safety and civil rights?

Supplemental reading:

Lyle, Perry, and Ashraf M. Esmail. “Sworn to Protect: Police Brutality – A Dilemma for America’s Police.” Race, Gender & Class, vol. 23, no. 3–4, 2016, pp. 155–85. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26529213. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025.

Economics/Business

Starr’s father is a small business owner, and much of the narrative is shaped by his need to keep his store open. Examining the store and its importance in the neighborhood may be a useful topic for class discussion. Beyond that, however, business classes might examine themes such as corporate social responsibility, as the book deals with activism, justice, and systemic inequities. Some questions/topics for discussion in this area might be:

· Companies are increasingly expected to take stances on social issues (e.g., Nike & Colin Kaepernick). Should businesses remain neutral or engage in social justice causes? How can they do so authentically without appearing performative?

Environmental Science

While the novel doesn’t focus directly on nature or ecology, it can speak powerfully to environmental justice, systemic inequities, and the ways environment and community intersect with social issues.

· Discuss how Garden Heights is shaped by poverty and lack of resources, linking to concepts in environmental studies such as food deserts, unequal distribution of green space and environmental amenities, and environmental racism.

· Compare the locales of Garden Heights, Uncle Carlos’ gated community, and Williamson Prep.

Supplemental reading:

Abate, Michelle Ann. “‘He Cuts Roses That Have Blooms as Big as My Palms’: Floriography, the Black Gardening Movement, and Environmental Justice in The Hate U Give.” Children’s Literature in Education, vol. 56, no. 2, June 2025, pp. 183–209. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-025-09611-4.

“Amid the Mean Streets of South Central Los Angeles, Fruits and Vegetables Are Growing and Some May Be Surprised by the Man with the Green Thumb.” CBS Morning News, Apr. 2017. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=a49869b2-aa44-3279-9550-9cbf20021d01.

Foundations

A prominent theme of the novel is the unpredictability of life, as, sometimes, characters do everything correctly and things still do not work out the way they plan. Occasionally, characters face circumstances in which all choices lead to problematic outcomes. The novel can provide a jumping-off point for discussions of resilience and adaptability.

Track Starr’s emotional journey and responses to trauma, injustice, and pressure.
Discuss how to balance immediate desires with future aspirations and the role of uncertainty in shaping one’s academic and personal objectives.
Encourage students to brainstorm real-world situations where resilience is required in the face of injustice.

Literature/English

While every novel is appropriate for discussion in a literature class, instructors might find linguistic shifts/changes in diction particularly useful for discussion. They might also:

Analyze core themes such as systemic racism, activism, familial bonds, and identity formation, integrating relevant scholarly criticism to support interpretations.
Critically assess how the first-person narration shapes narrative reliability and emotional engagement.
Identify and interpret recurring symbols (e.g., hairbrush, sneakers, roses), exploring how these elements operate within the novel’s thematic architecture.
Examine the work as bildungsroman, focusing on Starr’s evolving identity and considering how she navigates between and embraces/is rejected from two cultural contexts.

Supplemental reading:

“Back Matter.” English Education, vol. 50, no. 1, 2017. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26492559. Accessed 10 Aug. 2025.

Ebarvia, Tricia, et al. “Carpe Librum: Seize the (YA) Book: #BlackLivesMatter: When Real Life and YA Fiction Converge.” The English Journal, vol. 107, no. 5, 2018, pp. 92–95. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26610177. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.

Haddad, Vincent. “Nobody’s Protest Novel: Novelistic Strategies of the Black Lives Matter Movement.” The Comparatist, vol. 42, 2018, pp. 40–59. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26533647. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025.

Ivey, Gay, and Peter H. Johnston. “Engagement With Young Adult Literature: Outcomes and Processes.” Reading Research Quarterly, vol. 48, no. 3, 2013, pp. 255–75. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43497622. Accessed 6 July 2025.

Knox, Emily J. M. “Silencing Stories: Challenges to Diverse Books.” The International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion, vol. 3, no. 2, 2019, pp. 24–39. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/48645178. Accessed 6 July 2025.

Lewis, Janaka Bowman. “Building the Worlds of Our Dreams: Black Girlhood and Quare Narratives in African American Literature.” South: A Scholarly Journal, vol. 51, no. 1, 2018, pp. 96–114. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26814216. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025.

Tullos, Jennifer Coletta. “‘We Gon’’ Fight, Emmett": Performing Childhood and Innocence as Resistance in Black Youth Slam Poetry.’” Lion & the Unicorn, vol. 43, no. 2, Apr. 2019, pp. 261–81. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=2fd63aa6-e0fa-3bed-85f6-386222b3bf48.

Math

The Hate U Give can enrich a math class if discussions/projects framed around data, statistics, and quantitative reasoning are connected to the novel’s themes.

Compare real-world data on traffic stops, arrests, incarceration rates, and police use of force to Starr’s narrative about Khalil’s death.
Have students examine charts, infographics, or misleading graphs about crime and race, then correct them using proper statistical methods.
Design surveys about perceptions of justice, safety, or resilience at SCCC, then practice sampling methods, margin of error, and data analysis.

Philosophy

A philosophy class could approach The Hate U Give as a framework to explore fundamental questions of justice, morality, and identity in a concrete way. The novel raises ethical dilemmas about truth-telling, responsibility, and courage that may be explored in light of classical and contemporary philosophical thought.

Examine Starr’s decision to speak out against systemic injustice through the lens of moral philosophy. Discuss social contract theory and what responsibilities citizens and institutions owe each other when the system fails to protect all equally.
Explore individual identity, code-switching, and authenticity in the novel and compare to existentialist thinkers like Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.
Discuss how systemic racism and inequality provide a natural bridge into political philosophy.

Political Science

This novel provides a powerful lens for examining concepts such as civil rights, political participation, systemic inequality, and the relationship between citizens and the state.

Analyze Khalil’s death in the context of debates on policing and state authority.
Examine Starr’s activism in the context of theories of social movements and grassroots organizing, and discuss how media framing shapes public opinion and policy (special note may be made of social media and its impact in the narrative).
Compare the novel’s themes to political theories on justice, representation, and the social contract, using the text as an accessible entry point into larger political questions.

Psychology

The Hate U Give can be used to explore how individuals process trauma, identity, and social pressure in the face of adversity and loss.

Discuss psychological concepts such as cognitive dissonance, identity formation, resilience, and the impact of systemic stress on mental health.
Examine Starr’s trauma responses and coping strategies after witnessing violence.
Interpret the role of family and community support as protective factors in mental health.
Analyze how broader social realities affect individual psychological development.

Sociology

This novel is particularly suited to the sociology classroom. The Hate U Give can be used to illustrate how social structures, institutions, and cultural norms shape individual experiences. Starr’s navigation between Garden Heights and Williamson Prep provides a lens for examining concepts like code-switching, social stratification, and intersectionality. The novel highlights systemic racism, police brutality, and media framing, which can be tied to discussions of power, deviance, and inequality.

Analyze Starr’s dual identities and how she maintains them, as well as what happens when she feels like her identity is “slipping” or her worlds are colliding.
Examine how institutions like schools and law enforcement reproduce inequality
Use real-world sociological data to compare with the fictional events of the story.

Supplemental reading: