The Ministry for the Future

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. What evidence convinces the majority of scientists that our climate is changing as a result of human activity? Which human activities contribute the most to climate change? What are some of the most serious consequences happening now, and how are the effects of climate change likely to impact our future? 

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt offers an opportunity to measure students’ pre-existing knowledge and fill in any gaps in their understanding. Having accurate information about the scope of this problem will increase students’ engagement with and comprehension of The Ministry for the Future and its central theme of The War for Earth: Confronting Climate Change. If readers are hesitant to share their existing knowledge on this potentially sensitive topic, small group discussion or journaling might serve as initial pathways to large group sharing. Information from these or similar resources can help students develop additional context on the topic.

• This page from NASA offers an unambiguous explanation of the evidence for human-made climate change.
• This article from the BBC discusses the complexity of understanding who is to “blame” for greenhouse gas emissions.
• This page from the European Commission explores the serious impacts of climate change.

2. What are some potential solutions to the problem of climate change? Which seem to offer real promise, and which seem to be mostly wishful thinking?

Teaching Suggestion: Climate change is a serious problem that many students may find deeply upsetting. This prompt asks them to explore reasons for hope, in order to both reduce anxiety around this topic and give them a strong foundation for evaluating the ethical and scientific arguments in The Ministry for the Future. Brief, timed brainstorming sessions to address each question separately might be beneficial in breaking down the question and engaging all readers.

• This opinion piece in Scientific American argues that real impacts on climate change will only come from radically reducing fossil fuel use.
• This interview with environmentalist Paul Hawkin points to multiple sources of change that can seriously slow—or even reverse—the global rate of greenhouse gas emissions.

Short Activity

In recent decades, how has climate change impacted your own local area? What further changes are projected over the next few decades? Create an infographic that visually represents the current and future states of the three most serious impacts in your region.

Teaching Suggestion: This activity asks students to consider how climate change might personally impact them based on their geographic location. The CSE site linked below is a good place to get an overview of how these changes vary by region, but students likely will need to conduct internet research more specific to their local climate in order to effectively complete this activity.

• This site from Rasmussen University offers information on what an infographic is and how to create one.
• This site from the Center for Science Education is a good place to start a search for information about local climate change effects.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with visual impairments may not be able to complete this activity as written. A reasonable alternative might be to ask these students to share their findings in written form. Students with serious anxiety around climate change might benefit from researching local climate change mitigation efforts instead.

Personal Connection Prompt

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

Many people are frustrated by the slow progress of efforts to halt climate change, and some are beginning to consider radical action. How far do you think it is ethically permissible to go in trying to slow climate change? Are there circumstances under which it is morally justifiable to break the law? Is violence ever acceptable? Where is your personal ethical line, and why?

Teaching Suggestion: Another key theme of The Ministry for the Future is Words Versus Actions. Several characters in the book consider radical and even violent solutions to the problem of climate change when words alone prove insufficient. This prompt asks students to consider how far they believe actions should go to promote the important cause of mitigation of climate change. The prompt might be an interesting one to discuss aloud, although you may wish to offer guidelines ahead of time to ensure a civil and productive discussion of this sensitive subject.