Parent Guide > Bag of Bones

This week in class, we’re reading "Bag of Bones" by Dunya Mikhail.

"Bag of Bones" is a poem that questions tragedy and death when a mass grave is unearthed.

As we read, we will be discussing the themes of Death and War & Peace as they relate to the text. We are trying to answer these big questions :

"How do people face death?" and "How are we changed by war?"

Ways to support your child:

• Ask your child about this poem at home:
  • What was "Bag of Bones" about?
  • What did you learn about Death?
  • What did you learn about War & Peace?
• Watch the following clips with your child at home:
  • 'A Survivor's Story as a Guide at Rwanda's Genocide Memorial | Short Film Showcase'
  • 'Poet Dunya Mikhail and translator Elizabeth Winslow read from The War Works Hard'
  • 'Iraq faces painful legacy of mass graves'