LAB TASK #1: Please select a story from The Martian Chronicles that you have read so far. On your blog answer the following questions about the story:
LAB TASK #2: Suspense short story draft. Please work to complete this project by the end of class* (or complete it by next class on your own as homework). Remember: your story should have at least 2 scenes (separated by white space) and utilize suspense in a meaningful way. Before you turn in your work, make sure you proofread and give your story a title. Identify this draft as draft #1.
LAB TASK #3: If you have completed tasks 1 & 2, please begin your planning for a science fiction story (our next project).
Science fiction (SF or Sci-Fi) is a sub-category or sub-genre of speculative fiction (speculative fiction is a sub-genre of fiction). It is one of the broadest categories. Orson Scott Card (author of Ender's Game) defines speculative fiction as "all stories that take place in a setting contrary to known reality" and would include all stories set in the future (since the future is not known), all stories set in an alternate history, stories set on other worlds, all stories set on earth but before recorded history or time, and all stories that contradict or break rules of physics or laws of nature.
Before we delve too far into our project, let's get some perspective. Research the following sources. Read and learn about science fiction at the links provided. Each link section has a post idea for your own blog. Use your time in the lab to research and prepare and write on your blog. In your physical journal or online blog, discuss what you learn here about science fiction as a speculative fiction genre.
Subgenres of science fiction. PROMPT: What subgenres of sci-fi sound the most intriguing or interesting to you? Why?
Analog Science Fiction Magazine. PROMPT: read about the history of this popular sci-fi magazine. Then check the submission guidelines for authors. Submission guidelines are the rules a publisher insists upon when authors/agents send writing to them. If you break these rules, you will not get published by that magazine. It's an important reminder for a writer to know what the publisher wants--and to give it to them... Read Analog's submission guidelines here. Compare the writer guidelines to their competitor...Fantasy and Science Fiction: guidelines. On your blog or journal write about what you might need to change or do in your writing to make a living writing or publishing in magazines like these.
Daily Science Fiction. PROMPT: Read one of the short, short stories on the website. In a post summarize the story and evaluate what you thought about the speculative idea that inspired the story. What did you like/dislike about the story? Why?
Science Fiction Book Club. PROMPT: After looking at the titles and covers of these bestsellers, what opinion or observation can you make about what is currently selling in this literary genre? Which book(s) would you buy if you had the money or interest? Why?
Resources for Science Fiction:
A. What is the title of the chapter? Briefly, summarize the story. "This story is about..."Finally, please fill out the page #/question slip for Martian Chronicles and turn it in today for participation credit.
B. Find a passage in the chapter that describes the setting. Remember setting includes location, time, weather, and season. Identify that passage (rewrite or copy it into your post)
C. Identify where this passage is in relation to the rest of the story (does it occur in the beginning, middle, or end of the story for example?)
D. How does Bradbury use setting to comment on character, theme, tone or conflict in the story? (choose one, and explain how you think he's using setting to develop one of these components of a short story...)
LAB TASK #2: Suspense short story draft. Please work to complete this project by the end of class* (or complete it by next class on your own as homework). Remember: your story should have at least 2 scenes (separated by white space) and utilize suspense in a meaningful way. Before you turn in your work, make sure you proofread and give your story a title. Identify this draft as draft #1.
LAB TASK #3: If you have completed tasks 1 & 2, please begin your planning for a science fiction story (our next project).
Science fiction (SF or Sci-Fi) is a sub-category or sub-genre of speculative fiction (speculative fiction is a sub-genre of fiction). It is one of the broadest categories. Orson Scott Card (author of Ender's Game) defines speculative fiction as "all stories that take place in a setting contrary to known reality" and would include all stories set in the future (since the future is not known), all stories set in an alternate history, stories set on other worlds, all stories set on earth but before recorded history or time, and all stories that contradict or break rules of physics or laws of nature.
Before we delve too far into our project, let's get some perspective. Research the following sources. Read and learn about science fiction at the links provided. Each link section has a post idea for your own blog. Use your time in the lab to research and prepare and write on your blog. In your physical journal or online blog, discuss what you learn here about science fiction as a speculative fiction genre.
Subgenres of science fiction. PROMPT: What subgenres of sci-fi sound the most intriguing or interesting to you? Why?
Analog Science Fiction Magazine. PROMPT: read about the history of this popular sci-fi magazine. Then check the submission guidelines for authors. Submission guidelines are the rules a publisher insists upon when authors/agents send writing to them. If you break these rules, you will not get published by that magazine. It's an important reminder for a writer to know what the publisher wants--and to give it to them... Read Analog's submission guidelines here. Compare the writer guidelines to their competitor...Fantasy and Science Fiction: guidelines. On your blog or journal write about what you might need to change or do in your writing to make a living writing or publishing in magazines like these.
Daily Science Fiction. PROMPT: Read one of the short, short stories on the website. In a post summarize the story and evaluate what you thought about the speculative idea that inspired the story. What did you like/dislike about the story? Why?
Science Fiction Book Club. PROMPT: After looking at the titles and covers of these bestsellers, what opinion or observation can you make about what is currently selling in this literary genre? Which book(s) would you buy if you had the money or interest? Why?
Resources for Science Fiction:
- A Short Writing Lesson from Ray Bradbury & Ray Bradbury on Writing Persistently
- Crash Course Science (Astronomy) Choose any video and watch it--you might be inspired!
- Crash Course Science (Physics) Choose any video and watch it--you might be inspired!
- Crash Course Science (Biology) Choose any video and watch it--you might be inspired!
- Superhero Science (TEDx) Choose any video and watch it--you might be inspired!
- How to Build a Fictional World (TedX video)
- Unbound Worlds: The Landscapes of Science Fiction (article)
- Science Fiction Landscapes (graphics)
- Science Fiction Encyclopedia (theme)
HOMEWORK: Continue reading The Martian Chronicles. Complete any task you did not complete in class.
Just a reminder: the end of the marking period occurs next week. Please begin to prepare your blog & journal by Wednesday of next week!
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