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

What do you know about the history of the climate change debate? Why do you think humans are having such a challenging time fighting climate change? Why has humanity not united to fight this threat?

Teaching Suggestion: You could scaffold this question according to grade and ability level, but because the poem focuses on the human response to climate change, it is important to get students thinking right away about the conversations surrounding climate change more than just the science. Because climate change is a political issue, it may be useful to give students access to scientific sources that provide concrete evidence for climate change. The first link below from the United Nations is a good place to start.

• This article is an explanation of climate change from the United Nations. The website is a central hub for information about climate change, including science, influential figures in the debate, history, and links to other reputable articles. This may be a helpful place for students to start, especially if they are unfamiliar with some of the details of the issue.