Spy School

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. When you think about the CIA, what comes to mind? What does the CIA stand for? What do they do?

Teaching Suggestion: The premise of the novel involves Ben entering a CIA training program. Increasing understanding of this organization may help students engage with the text. It may be helpful to provide students with access to the links below or similar resources for independent research. The class could take notes about the CIA, and then they could see how Ben’s experience is similar to or different from their research as they read the novel. Students might bring prior knowledge of this topic from books, movies, TV shows, or the news. Sharing these ideas early on could build interest and guide students to make connections as they read.

• This official website includes a short video and written overview of the CIA’s mission, vision, and guiding principles.
• This resource provides background information about the CIA, including how the organization got started and its purpose.