Communicating Climate 2: Literary Representations of Climate Change

Jennifer Hanselman (Westfield State University), Rick Oches (Bentley University), Jennifer Silko (Pennsylvania State University), Laura Wright (Western Carolina University), InTeGrate, SERC

This activity explores how the topic of climate change is represented in various forms of writing, from scholarly articles to opinion pieces and works of fiction. While the content does not emphasize climate science itself, it instead allows students to focus on how the science is being portrayed.

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This activity may be applicable in a wide range of different climate science courses, units, etc. in high school and college. This assignment could be used in a science class to broaden communication skills, or it could be used in a humanities or writing course to strengthen science skills. The activity is deliberately designed to be used either way. This activity can follow Unit 2 (of the InTeGrate module Climate Science and Literacy Texts), or it can be taught as a stand-alone unit that focuses on literary terminology, climate change issues as represented in fiction, and rhetorical analysis. Educator should be sure to have a scientist/mentor, if their background in climate science is weak, to answer questions that may arise.
This activity deals with climate change literary genres, by exploring different texts and analyzing how those texts engage different audiences about climate change concepts. Comments from expert scientist: Scientific strengths: - Distinguishes between different concepts of climate change with each type of text and the influences climate change has - This is definitely more of a literary assignment with a pinch of science in it for context, but nonetheless a great learning resource!
Students analyze various kinds of textual genres â including peer-reviewed journal articles, trade journal publications, editorials, works of fiction, and blogs â that engage with the concept of climate change in order to articulate the differences among different types of texts and the audiences for each. The intent of this exercise is for students to learn how to interpret a text and consider different approaches and perspectives. Students also gain an understanding for how climate change is treated in different forms of literature. Students work independently and in small groups and discuss their analysis with the whole class.