Missing children panic

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/missing-children-panic

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the timeframe of panic?1979 to the mid-1980s
2. What is the geographic focus?United States
3. What was the missing children panic of the 1980s?It was a period from 1979 to the mid‑1980s in the United States when many people were very worried about children disappearing because of high‑profile abductions.
4. Why did the media make people more scared about missing kids?Media reports often exaggerated how many children were taken, making parents feel that danger was everywhere.

Moral Panic: A widespread societal fear about a perceived threat, often disproportionate to the actual danger, fueled by media and public anxiety.
Child Abduction: The unlawful taking away of a child by force, deception, or coercion.
Stranger Danger: A public safety concept that warns children about potential threats from unknown adults, emphasizing caution and avoidance.
Legislation: The process of creating, debating, and enacting laws by a legislative body.