Ship Breaker

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.

• This 5-minute audio file from NPR explains the rise of cli-fi and profiles a popular book in this genre. (Print version available via the same link.)
• This article discusses how dystopian climate fiction helps clarify the dangers of climate change.
• This article reports on research into young people’s imagined futures and the relationship this has to climate fiction.

2. One issue that climate scientists worry will impact us in the future is rising sea levels. What are some of the problems that might happen as a result of rising seas? How would these problems impact different groups of people in different ways? What does this imply about the incentives different groups might have to work toward slowing climate change?

Teaching Suggestion: Ship Breaker takes place in a future world where coastal flooding has had serious impacts on human life—but not all people suffer equally. This prompt is intended to provide students with background information that will enhance their understanding of the book’s setting and the point it is making about environmental justice. As students may struggle to enumerate consequences beyond “flooding” and may not see how these consequences impact less powerful groups more seriously, you might offer them the resources listed below before they attempt to answer this prompt.

• This article offers brief, clear descriptions of the different near-future consequences of sea-level rise.
• This article discusses the consequences of sea-level rise for major cities and island nations and includes illustrative photographs.
• This article profiles the risk that rising seas present to people of color in Oakland, California.
• This interview with marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson shares ideas about how climate change impacts women, minorities, and those from poorer nations.

Short Activity

What do you think it would be like to be on an abandoned ship? In this activity, you will choose a photograph of an abandoned ship and write an ekphrasis in response. Your ekphrasis can be either a paragraph or a poem. Either way, it should describe what you see in the photograph using five to seven concrete details and imagery that appeals to at least three different senses.

Teaching Suggestion: This activity is intended to increase students’ ability to imaginatively enter into Nailer’s world. Students can read about and/or view a video about ekphrasis at the link above. Then they can view one or both of the resources listed below and choose a photograph to respond to; note that viewing all of the photographs included in both resources and reading the article contained in the second link will create a richer background for students to work from as they read Ship Breaker.

• This photo essay offers views of the abandoned ship SS United States.
• This article explores the problem of abandoned ships in Greece and mentions the work of ship breakers.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with visual impairments may not be able to respond to the assignment as written. You might pair these students with students who can describe one or more photos to them, and then ask them to write a paragraph-length personal response to the question “What do you think it is like to work as a ship breaker?” Students who struggle with written expression can be encouraged to start by making a list of five to seven details from the photographs. They can then turn each detail into a complete sentence that appeals to the senses, and, finally, combine these sentences into one smooth paragraph.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

If you were your same age but living in a time or place where people were struggling to survive—and even children were expected to work at jobs that required dangerous, heavy labor—how do you think you would feel about your circumstances? Do you think you would be angry, sad, or scared? Or do you think you would just see it as normal? How might your answer change if only some people had to live this way, while other people lived much easier lives?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt asks students to connect emotionally to the world that Nailer lives in, increasing their ability to empathize with the story’s main character. Students may respond more thoughtfully in writing, but after they have had a chance to explore their initial ideas this way, they may enjoy talking about the question in small groups or as a class, so that they can hear multiple perspectives. If you do allow for discussion, you may wish to consider in advance whether you have students for whom this question is not hypothetical. Students who have lived experience with this type of situation may or may not want to share their experiences, and others may inadvertently share ideas that create an uncomfortable classroom climate for these students.