Lessons Using the Science Fiction Genre

When I first began teaching, I was startled to notice how many students seemed to become uncomfortable when put in a position of having to “imagine” something.  I guess I thought that all the game playing and TV watching would spur the imagination.  Apparently, this is not the case.  I have discovered that there may be a generation out there that actually lacks imagination because it rarely needs to use it. Many students won’t read, unless forced to, and all their toys and games are so visually stimulating that there is very little need for an imagination to use them. I decided to tackle this issue, and bring imagination back into its rightful place - into the minds of young people.

Last year I taugh a science fiction unit to my eighth grade students.  It was great!  I used the genre to teach vocabulary, characterization, setting, and…”what if?” scenarios. We spent a lot of time on “what if?”  as a writing prompt.  For example, I found an article that reported someone hacking into the Texas Highway Department computer system.  This hacker made one of the highway signs read “Zombies Ahead.”  I pasted the picture on some lined paper and began a “what if?” scenario for the students to finish.  They loved it!  Some started slowly, but I received some wonderful writing samples from them all. 

The science fiction genre seems to lend itself to the use of the imagination, and the students participated willingly. We watched "E.T"., read stories by Ray Bradbury and looked at Star Wars comics.  Our unit ended with the students writing their own ending to “The Secret” by Arthur C. Clark that was in their text book.  I let them work in partners to create their story, and eventually produced a final, typed copy (including graphics) in the computer lab.  Students had a great time reading them aloud in class. The following lesson plans are good examples of how you can teach about the science fiction genre in your class.

Science Fiction Lesson Plans:

What's The Difference Between Realistic Fiction And Sci-Fi/Fantasy:  This literature lesson introduces the sci-fi/fantasy genres by having students develop working definitions of "real" and "imaginary."

Understanding Plot, Setting And Characters:  This literature lesson is from the New York Times.  First, students read an article by a science fiction writer discussing the last "Star Wars" movie.  The students then develop a setting, plot and characters for their own science fiction story based on current news themes.  Finally, students individually write drafts of the story.

Visualizing Setting:  In this sci-fi lesson plan students create a travel brochure based on the setting from a science fiction or fantasy story.  The grade level listed is sixth but this can easily be adapted to any grade level.  This is a great lesson to incorporate the use of computers.  Students will enjoy being able to use their creativity and work with partners or in small groups.