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Senior Seminar Explores Climate Literature
A growing number of contemporary novelists believe readers facing climate change need stories of hope, and Sara Harder’s new Senior Seminar takes them at their word.
Students in the Climate Fiction course are studying the emergence of positive climate fiction, considering why it’s trending on bookstore displays, celebrity booklists, and in page-to-screen adaptations like Remarkably Bright Creatures. Through their course readings, which include Charlotte McConaghy’s bestselling novel Migrations and award-winning author Deb Olin Unferth’s just-released novel, Earth 7, students are looking at how these stories manage to offer hope amidst crisis; how encountering fictional characters - humans, animals, and even robots - navigating their changing world helps us imagine real solutions; and how reading through the eyes of diverse protagonists helps us draw connections between environmental and social justice to anticipate inequalities that may emerge as resources become more scarce. The course ends with students writing their own original work of climate fiction set in a natural place they love.
“Most of my teaching ideas are inspired by my brilliant students and the books I read, and the genesis of the Blue Skies Smiling course was really no different," said Sara. "All over Hockaday, I am so encouraged to see students leading efforts to reduce our community’s impact on the environment through composting initiatives, by hosting dress exchanges that avoid fast fashion, and by advocating for less waste during lunch, to name just a few of their projects. At the same time, I’ve noticed many of my favorite authors writing beautiful, clever novels centered on climate conflict, and, surprisingly, these stories don’t lead us into dystopian despair. This felt like an important moment to have students consider how literature is adapting to reflect one of the most significant challenges facing humans today and seeking to find solutions just as they are. My hope is that reading these works of optimistic climate fiction will serve as a bit of an antidote to the climate pessimism that might discourage our girls from seeing their limitless potential to imagine the very real solutions to help our planet.”
“Most of my teaching ideas are inspired by my brilliant students and the books I read, and the genesis of the Blue Skies Smiling course was really no different," said Sara. "All over Hockaday, I am so encouraged to see students leading efforts to reduce our community’s impact on the environment through composting initiatives, by hosting dress exchanges that avoid fast fashion, and by advocating for less waste during lunch, to name just a few of their projects. At the same time, I’ve noticed many of my favorite authors writing beautiful, clever novels centered on climate conflict, and, surprisingly, these stories don’t lead us into dystopian despair. This felt like an important moment to have students consider how literature is adapting to reflect one of the most significant challenges facing humans today and seeking to find solutions just as they are. My hope is that reading these works of optimistic climate fiction will serve as a bit of an antidote to the climate pessimism that might discourage our girls from seeing their limitless potential to imagine the very real solutions to help our planet.”
The Hockaday School
Within the private school community, The Hockaday School is an independent college-preparatory day school for girls from grades PK–12 located in Dallas, Texas. Students realize their limitless potential through challenging academic curricula, arts, athletics, and extracurricular programs so that they are inspired to lead lives of purpose and impact.
The Hockaday School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational, admissions, financial aid, athletic, and other policies and programs.
The Hockaday School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational, admissions, financial aid, athletic, and other policies and programs.