Day 3 of being snowed in, and I’m sitting here with my third cup of coffee, watching the plows fight a losing battle outside my window. The irony isn’t lost on me that I’m planning my Frankenstein intro – you know, the one that starts with an Arctic expedition – while literally trapped by ice. Sometimes the universe has a sense of humor about these things.

But here’s the thing: As I’m mapping out how to introduce my students to Frankenstein next week (assuming we ever see our classroom again), I keep thinking about how perfectly this moment captures what I want them to understand about the novel. Not just the obvious ice parallels, but the whole experience of having your plans disrupted by forces beyond your control. Sound familiar, Victor?

Let me walk you through what I’m planning, because I think I’ve finally cracked how to make this 200-year-old novel click for Gen Z without losing what makes it powerful in the first place.

Starting Point: It’s All About the Frame

Here’s what I’ve learned: Don’t start with the book. I know, I know – but trust me. Instead, we’re starting with the Endurance documentary on Disney+. Not the whole thing, just enough to set up our exploration of ambition, isolation, and human limits. 

Why? Because my students might not relate to Walton’s letters immediately, but they understand documentaries. They get reality TV. When we watch Deadliest Catch clips about ships battling Arctic waters, they see the same themes Shelley was exploring, just in a format that feels natural to them.

(Quick teacher note: I’ve got about half a dozen quotes comparing Walton and Shackleton that are GOLD for discussion. Happy to share if you want them.)

The Personal Connection

Here’s where it gets fun. It’s January – my kids are still in that New Year’s resolution headspace. So we’re going to use that. One of my favorite journal prompts asks them to think about what goal feels as vast as an unexplored ocean to them. What’s their personal “ice pack” – their biggest obstacle?

You should see their faces when they realize they understand exactly why Walton keeps pushing north, why Victor can’t let go of his creation. The Actual Plan

Starting with Ice: A Modern Frame Narrative

When we return to class, we’ll begin not with Frankenstein itself, but with the Endurance documentary on Disney+. Like Shelley’s novel, it’s a story of human ambition meeting nature’s raw power. The documentary’s frame narrative – modern explorers discovering Shackleton’s ship – mirrors the structure of Frankenstein itself, where Walton’s Arctic expedition frames Victor’s cautionary tale.

I’ve collected parallel quotes that give me chills (pun intended):

[Include the Walton/Shackleton quote comparisons from your image]

These aren’t just neat parallels – they’re entry points into understanding how Shelley uses structure to explore human ambition’s limits and consequences.

Bridging Personal Experience

The timing couldn’t be better. In January, my students are still thinking about their New Year’s resolutions, their own ambitions fresh in their minds. One of my favorite journal prompts asks them: “What goal feels as vast and challenging as an unexplored ocean? What’s your ‘ice pack’ – the biggest obstacle you might face?”

This personal connection helps them understand Walton’s drive and Victor’s obsession from the inside out. It’s not about judging ambition as good or bad, but about exploring its complexities – something my students are already grappling with as they set their own goals.

Building Toward Bigger Questions

These initial connections lay the groundwork for deeper explorations to come. When we later discuss Victor’s creation and its modern parallels in AI development, students already understand the human drives behind such ambitions. When we analyze the novel’s multiple narratives, they’ve already experienced how different forms of storytelling – from documentaries to reality TV’s Deadliest Catch – can illuminate the same themes from different angles.

So here’s how it breaks down:

• Day 1: We dive into The Endurance footage, specifically focusing on the modern frame story of finding the shipwreck. This lets us talk about how we tell stories about ambition and discovery. (Plus, the visuals are stunning.)
• Day 2: We bring in Deadliest Catch clips to compare European vs. American Romantic views of nature. Yes, really. It works beautifully.
• Day 3: Finally, we hit Walton’s letters – but now my students have a framework for understanding them. They’ve seen modern parallels, they’ve connected it to their own experiences.

The AI Connection

Here’s what I’m most excited about: All of this sets us up perfectly for later discussions about AI ethics. When we eventually get to Victor’s creation, my students already understand the human drive behind such ambitions. They’ve thought about their own goals, about what pushes people to explore dangerous waters (literally and figuratively).

A Confession

I’ll be honest – I wasn’t sure about this approach at first. It felt almost too simple. But watching the snow pile up outside, thinking about how powerless we all feel against nature sometimes, I’m reminded that the best teaching often comes from these real connections.

What I’ve Learned

The key isn’t to modernize Frankenstein – it’s to help students see how modern it already is. It’s about ambition, isolation, the limits of human power…you know, just your average teenage concerns. Add in some AI anxiety and climate change awareness, and suddenly Shelley’s novel feels less like required reading and more like current events.

Next Steps?

I’ve got more specific lesson plans and materials if anyone’s interested (including that killer Walton/Shackleton quote comparison). But for now, I’m going to make another cup of coffee and appreciate the way this storm is literally forcing me to live the themes I’m about to teach.

Frankenstein Resources

Read the Teaching Frankenstein Series:

• Ice, Ambition, and AI: Teaching a Powerful Frankenstein Intro 
• Teaching Frankenstein Like It’s 1818 Isn’t Working Anymore
• The Day I Realized My Students Are All Victor Frankenstein
• Beyond ‘Don’t Use AI’: Creating Meaningful Discussions About Technology Ethics
• Using Origin Stories to Make Frankenstein Click for Gen Z
• Not Another Essay: Rethinking How We Assess Frankenstein

Grab the Resources:

Frankenstein Unit: Teaching Ethics in the AI Age