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. Have you heard of “climate fiction”? What do you think works in this genre are about? If someone told you that a novel was “dystopian climate fiction,” what would your expectations be?

Teaching Suggestion: Ship Breaker can be classified as dystopian fiction but also as climate fiction (cli-fi) or “eco-dystopian.” Many students will know what dystopian fiction is, but fewer are likely to have heard of climate fiction. You can use this prompt to assess students’ prior knowledge and then use the resources listed below to fill in any gaps in their understanding. If time permits, you might allow students to share their expectations aloud; not only will this expose students to a wider variety of ideas, but it will offer you the chance to coach them to think beyond setting expectations and consider how plot, characterization, and other elements of fiction might manifest in this genre. You might extend this conversation by asking students why fiction like this is so popular right now—the final resource in the list below may be particularly useful in facilitating a deeper conversation on this issue.