Climate Literacy in Education

Water Aways Means Something:

A Symbolism Unit Plan

Jay Bullock

Milwaukee Public Schools

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/cle.v2i2.6299

Keywords: symbolism, literature, multimodal texts, authentic connections

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Abstract

I present the outline of and possibilities for a high school English unit examining writers’ symbolic use of water. Water typically symbolizes life, change, or cleansing. I suggest multiple possible texts in varying genres, as well as climate connections, for each of those meanings. I offer a student assessment prompt, “What water means to me,” which students can write to at the beginning of the unit and revisit at the end. I provide a link to a Google folder with references, more resources, customizable activities, and a Spotify playlist.