CLIMATEFICTION“CLI-FI”

Historyhasalwaysprovedthatbooksarethefirstplainonwhichcertainbattlesarefound.

-ToniMorrison

Whyclimatefiction?•  Helpsuslivealternaterealities–  Ourworstnightmares–  Ourhighesthopes

•  Goeswheresciencecannot•  CangalvanizesocietyArisingtideofhopelessness,alongwithrisingsealevel,islappingatthetoesofouryoungadolescents.Thus,ouryoungadultfictionisdifferentfromtheyoungadultnaturefictionofthirtyyearsago.

-DavidSobel,Orion2017 http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/14/margaret-atwood-road-to-ustopia

It’sinthefuture Orisit?http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/08/africa_kenya_scavengers/html/5.stm

"Idon'twanttodothisworkforever.Ijustwanttogotoschoolandstopcollectingrubbish."Emmanuel,14yo

It’samirror•  Isthischaracterlikeme?•  Howdomyactionsaffectothers?

•  HowamIlike“theother”?

“WomanpullsgunonSmartMeterinstaller”

July2012

Developshope.InspiresSolutions.

WilliamKamkwamba

Makesthingsmore“manageable”There’sanewenvironmentaltragedylurkingineverynewscast.Isitanysurprisethatyoungadultsareattractedtodystopianvisionsofthefuture?Itputstheirworstfearsrightoutthereonthepage,andthatmakesthemsomewhatmoremanageable,morequantifiable.

-DavidSobel,Orion2017

Perhapsthemorecompelling,andhistoricallyconsistent,featureofdystopianfictionisthehero’squest.Facedwithanunimaginabletragedy,thereisacharacterwhorisestothechallenge,facesunbeatableodds,andsometimesbeatsthem,thoughoftensufferinggruelingpainintheprocess.Theyoungreaderwantstobethathero,wantstoriseoutoftheboringsamenessofhereverydaylifeandrightthesocialorder,vanquishtheenemy....Ifwewanttoavoidtheenvironmentalcatastrophesandrepressivecentralgovernmentspicturedincurrentdystopianfiction,we’regoingtoneedmoreadolescentswillingtobeheroic.Weneedheroicbehaviornotjustinthearena,butinoureverydaylives,atworkandinschool;weneedstudentsandcommunitymemberswhodaretochangethesocialorder.If...theseotherheroinescompelustobeheroic,thenperhapsthesebooksarepartofthesolution.

-DavidSobel,Orion2017

Thehero

Howdoesitworkscientifically?•  Truthversusaccuracy•  Isthepremisescientificallycredibleorfeasible?

•  Whatdoweknow?•  Howdoesthebookreflectordepartfromthis?

ScienceFiction

ClimateFiction

Speculative

Useintheclassroom

Waystousefiction:•  Cross-curriculum•  Bookclub•  ELAstandards•  Scienceconnections–  Couldthisreallyhappen?–  Scientificdialog

NJHighschoolcli-fibookclubdisplay

BookclubsInyourgroupsreadaloudfromthematerialsprovidedanddiscuss•  Howdoesthebookworkasastory?•  Whatthemesareinthestory?•  Howdoesitworkscientifically?•  Whatconnectionsto“reallife”canbemade?•  Howwouldyouusethiswithyourstudents?•  Whatotherconnectionsmightyouaskyoustudentstoconsiderwhenreadingthebook?

Createaposterforyourbookthat“sells”thebooktootherpotentialreaders

#TeachClimateNetwork

•  Monthly•  Virtual•  Opportunitytonetworkanddiscussclassroomsuccessesandchallenges

JOINUSTHISYEAR!