Bringing Facts Into Science Fiction

Frankenstein, Mr. Data, Hal, and DEFCON, the computer featured in Kyle Downey’s tale, “Ghostwriter,” all illustrate the dangers of creating intelligent life. After reading Downey’s story, class members craft their own narrative in which...

Augment your eighth grade language arts curriculum with a thorough set of reading comprehension activities and assessments. Focusing on a variety of skills, including vocabulary in context, text structure, main idea, and author's style,...

Explore the elements of science fiction. Middle schoolers investigate the literary elements present in science fiction and write their own science fiction stories.

As the culminating activity in a unit study of science fiction, young writers demonstrate their understanding of the genre by producing their own graphic novel. After deciding on the main elements of their story, individuals use a comic...

Moral choices arise when a character is imbued with great talent or super powers. A study of these choices form the basis of a unit focused on character development in the first two novels of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series. The...

Support a class reading of the novel Song of the Trees by Mildred D. Taylor with this series of discussion questions. Covering a variety of topics from character and setting to historical accuracy and symbolism, these questions challenge...

Based around the documentary Battlestar Galactica: Propaganda and War, this plan asks learners to create a satirical piece. After a discussion about satire, the class views the documentary and then splits off into pairs to complete the...

A teacher's guide for Kindred provides instructors with a wealth of materials to enrich either a full-class reading or independent study of Octavia E. Butler's popular science fiction novel. The activities are designed to encourage...

Discuss the difference between legitimate debate on a political issue and arguments that are based on hate through a science-fiction scenario that shows how a controversial issue can be discussed in both ways. Then learn how purveyors of...

Use the Franklin Institute's exhibition "An Inquirer's Guide to the Universe" to have learners research ideas for a science fiction story. After completing their research, writers will compose science fiction stories that incorporate...