‘Nothing to Lose’

1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question to guide discussion: What gives rise to social unrest?

2. List Vocabulary
Share with students some of the challenging vocabulary words in this article. Encourage them to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• morality (p. 14)
• defiance (p. 14)
• quash (p. 15)
• clandestine (p. 16)
• reformist (p. 16)
• theocracy (p. 16)

3. Engage
Have students preview the photos in the story. Ask: Based on the photos, what do you think the article will discuss?

4. Read 
Have students read the article, marking the text to note key ideas or questions.

5. Discuss
Distribute or project Up Close: ‘Nothing to Lose,’ a close-reading activity for students to work on in small groups. (Note: The questions on the PDF also appear on the following page of this lesson, with possible responses.) Follow up with a class discussion. If you’re short on time, have each group tackle one or two of the questions. Collect students’ work or have each group report its findings to the class.

• What does the phrase “nothing to lose”—as used in the title of the article—mean? Why might people who have nothing to lose be more likely to protest an oppressive government? (Word meaning, make inferences) (The phrase “nothing to lose” means that you are already in such a bad position that it can’t get much worse by taking risks, so you might as well take the risks. People who have nothing to lose might be more likely to protest an oppressive government because going to jail or even dying doesn’t seem that much worse than their current state of existence.)

• What is the author’s main purpose in the article’s first two paragraphs? What idea about Iran explored later in the article do these first two paragraphs help establish? (Author’s purpose, text structure)(The author’s main purpose is to explain what sparked the protests in Iran—the arrest of a 22-year-old woman for being improperly dressed and her death in custody three days later. These first two paragraphs help establish the idea that Iran is a repressive religious regime that imposes harsh restrictions on its citizens, especially women.)

• Based on the section “Testing Limits, Demanding Freedoms,” why do you think the death of Mahsa Amini sparked massive protests in Iran? (Cause & effect, cite text evidence)(The section “Testing Limits, Demanding Freedoms” explains that frustrations have been brewing in Iran for decades, with several less intense periods of protest occurring in 2009, 2017, and 2019. The section also explains that the economic situation has grown worse since 2018, with many prices doubling, and that many Iranians are frustrated with the clerics controlling elections. This information helps show how Iranians have “nothing to lose” and are more inclined to protest.)

• According to the article, what has created the economic crisis in Iran? How is it affecting the people of Iran? (Problem & solution, cause & effect) (The article says that the economic crisis was created by sanctions imposed on Iran by the U.S. in an effort to get Iran to halt its nuclear program, by government mismanagement, and by longtime corruption. As a result of the economic crisis, prices of many products have drastically increased, the standard of living has dropped, and poverty has spread. And as a result of the dire economic situation, more people are willing to challenge the government.) 

• In the last section, what claim about religiously conservative Iranians does the author make? How does the author support this claim? (Claims & evidence) (The author claims that the backlash to Amini’s death is so strong that even religiously conservative Iranians are outraged and are speaking up. The author supports this claim with the anecdote about one religious woman realizing that her daughter could experience the same fate as Amini. As a result, she signed a petition calling for the end of the morality police and the hijab mandate, and she has driven her daughter and her daughter’s friends to protests, likely at great risk to her own safety.) 

• What does the sidebar, “The Nuclear Deal,” add to the rest of the article? (Integrate multiple sources) (The sidebar explains that then-President Trump imposed even tougher sanctions in 2018 on Iran after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal and that today Iran is taking a hard line in negotiating a return to the 2015 agreement. Both actions likely increased the Iranian people’s frustrations with their government and help explain the recent unrest.)

6. Writing Prompt
During Rouhani’s presidency, enforcement of the dress code for women was more relaxed. But Raisi returned to strict enforcement. What effect do you think this has had on the people of Iran? Explain.

7. Video
Watch the video. What does it add to your understanding about the protests in Iran?

8. Classroom Debate
Do you think the protests will lead to reform in Iran?

9. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess students’ comprehension and Be the Editor to review grammar skills..