Braucht  Seeing Through Water 12 Seeing Through Water: The Impact of Our Decisions Sonja Braucht, Brandon Valley Public Schools, Brandon, SD, USA Abstract Seeing Through Water is a unit developed to bring awareness of climate change to eighth- grade middle school students in the English Language Arts classroom. The topic of water was selected because of the interdisciplinary connections and cross-curricular standards relevant for the middle school level. Students are asked to justify how the actions of others impact the decisions they make. Presented with accurate information, students make connections to their lives, become climate literate, and learn to take appropriate, thoughtful actions. Keywords biodiversity, climate literacy, climate change, collective action, sustainability, youth climate activism, multimodal texts Overview This unit came from a desire to engage students in understanding climate change in an accessible and meaningful way. Water became the focus of this planning when it became clear that water quality was impacting students, families, and community members in the school district. This topic also meant understanding the context of the community surrounding students and how that impacts students’ perspectives coming into the conversation. In a district that is heavily influenced by the prominence of agriculture and political views that challenge the urgency of climate change, it was important to find ways to bring students into the conversation through personal connections and layering of texts. The intention of this unit is that students understand the ways water impacts everybody, starting with themselves. Beginning with a variety of multimodal texts, I provide space for students to understand how water impacts all people and how our decisions impact water quality. After discussing the background texts, students engage with the novel Memory of Water by Finnish author Emmi Itäranta. As students finish the course texts, they move into a participatory action research project where they consider the water quality in their own community and engage in ways to bring their new understanding to their classmates, families, and school. https://www.climatelit.org/topic/biodiversity/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/climate-literacy/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/industry/human-impact/climate-change/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/collective-action/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/sustainability/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/activism/youth-climate-activism/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/activism/youth-climate-activism/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/industry/human-impact/climate-change/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/water-is-life/ https://www.climatelit.org/literature/memory-of-water-2/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/par/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/par/ Climate Literacy in Education, Volume 1, Issue 1 (Spring 2023) 13 Narrative Framing Set in the postapocalyptic future Scandinavia, Memory of Water is a dystopian story of a tea master who holds the knowledge of where water exists. As the protagonist Noria learns more about this role, she decides how to do the right thing as it impacts her community. Used with a collection of other multimodal texts, the novel provides a framing for students to consider the impact we all have on our water and how we can make choices to move toward safer water for all. At a Glance Title Seeing Through Water: The Impact of Our Decisions Unit Time 3-4 weeks Grade Level(s) 7-8th grade Core Text Memory of Water, by Emmi Itäranta Supporting Texts We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom The Fate of Fausto by Oliver Jeffers Short Stories: “Skywoman”; “Lamentations” Frozen 2: “When I Am Older (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water)” Moana Dream LN3: Seven Teachings of Anishinaabe in Resistance Climate Literacy Terms Biodiversity Climate literacy Climate change Collective action Indigenous environmental practices Planetarianism Sustainability Youth Climate Activism Objectives Students will evaluate and justify how the actions of others impact the decisions we make (right or wrong). Materials and Resources Unit guide https://www.climatelit.org/literature/memory-of-water-2/ https://www.climatelit.org/literature/we-are-water-protectors/ https://www.climatelit.org/literature/the-fate-of-fausto/ https://youtu.be/l5d67j3CAWE https://www.climatelit.org/literature/youth-activism-marine-conservation-and-ecofeminism/ https://youtu.be/NAuIsgvrpC4 https://vimeo.com/538751145 https://www.climatelit.org/topic/biodiversity/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/climate-literacy/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/climate-change/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/collective-action/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/indigenous-environmental-practices/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/indigenous-environmental-practices/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/planetarianism/ https://www.climatelit.org/topic/sustainability/ https://www.climatelit.org/?s=Youth+Activism https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I5faIWC5E5-s6rR3p07lwhzxn9DNkeGknLPKwaBBUDU/edit Braucht  Seeing Through Water 14 Going Forward Several questions will occur as students move forward with this unit. The first one is how we can build on this unit going forward. Although I do not have answers yet, I envision this unit growing to include several STEM opportunities, connect to the art and music classes, get out into nature in our community, and function as a community outreach occasion from the youth perspective. References Clements, R., Muscker, J., Williams, C., & Hall, D. (2016). Moana. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Honor the Earth (2019). LN3: 7 Teachings of the Anishinaabe resistance. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/538751145. Itäranta E. (2014). Memory of water. Harper Voyager. Jeffers, O. (2019). The Fate of Fausto. HarperCollins Publishers. Lindstrom, C. and Goade, M. (2020). We Are water protectors. Roaring Book Press. Zombie Studios. (2016). Dream. [Animated short]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/NAuIsgvrpC4. Editorial Collective About CLE Acknowledgements Volume 1, Issue 1, Spring 2023 Table of Contents Introduction: Climate Literacy as Resistance, Hope, and Activism Climate Change and Critical Literacy 11th Grade Language and Literature Climate Mini-Unit Abstract Keywords Overview Narrative Framing At a Glance Going Forward The Science Behind the Stories: A Research-Based Transdisciplinary Approach to Climate Literacy Abstract Keywords A Pedagogical Model for Exploring the Science Behind the Stories Real-World Performance Task Design Read the Narrative Explore the Science Reflect on Perspectives Analyze Contexts Examine Data Evaluate Solutions Collaborate to Problem-Solve Create and Communicate Demonstrate Learning Interested in Piloting a Climate Literacy Task? Seeing Through Water: The Impact of Our Decisions Abstract Keywords Overview Narrative Framing At a Glance Going Forward References Playing in a Patch of Dirt: Eleven Picturebooks and a Plug for Nearby Nature Abstract Keywords Acknowledgements References Reconnecting with Nature through Haiku Abstract Keywords Finding a Way Through: Teaching with Naomi Klein’s How to Change Everything: The Young Human’s Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other Abstract Keywords References Andri Magnason’s The Story of the Blue Planet: Toward Ecotopia Abstract Keywords References Critical Dialogue: Climate Literacy in Context Abstract Keywords References What is Climate Literacy? Abstract Keywords References Beyond the Barnyard: Boardbooks and Other Big Lies We Tell about Industrial Farming Abstract Keywords References “The Next Right Thing”: Frozen 2 and Youth-Led Activism Abstract Keywords References You Are Here Artist Statement