Encourage rhetorical awareness by asking students to introduce themselves twice, adjusting their introductions for different audiences. For the first introduction, they’ll follow standard protocol, introducing themselves to their actual peers. They’ll give their pronouns, say where they’re from, what their interests are, what they’re interested in studying, etc. For the second introduction, they’ll pretend they’re introducing themselves to the producers of a survival reality show. For this second introduction, they’ll be attempting to present themselves as “survivors,” highlighting the mental toughness, specialized knowledge, and physical skills they believe will help them survive while abandoned in harsh wilderness conditions. You may choose to assign a particular wilderness condition in which a variety of aptitudes and knowledges may be rewarded, or you may choose to come up with one as a class.
