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Essential Question

 

How do we create fictional worlds? What does the future look like? How do we learn from our past to create our future?

Project Description

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Students read several examples of short stories including Harrison Bergeron and Issac Asimov stories among other works to learn strong writing techniques and the use of literary devices. Through class discussions and literary analysis, students explored the potential future of our planet and the consequences of our actions. Along with this study, students were led through a writing workshop with a BYUH Creative Writing Professor in order to hone writing and creative thinking skills. They were also led to examine the differences of short fiction from other genres of literature. Students were then asked to write their own short stories of 3-5 pages within the Science Fiction genre. Each story was peer reviewed and teacher reviewed in order to emphasis and encourage the editing process. Students were then asked to create a visual component for their story to illustrate a concept, character or moment. These stories will be displayed at Exhibition night and published in a book for the students to keep.

Student Work

Title: Micah's Journal

Excerpt: 

My name is Micah Looper, and I am about to commit mass genocide to save the world. I know it sounds crazy, and I also know what I’m about to do is horrible, but you have to believe what I did was the best I could think of.  I am writing this as evidence. Whoever finds this, please give it to the authorities immediately.

Title: Tragedy

Excerpt: 

2178 was a year of tragedy, the world is full of tragedy. The compassion of a father had made a girl live in pain. The losses led a playful girl to become cold and ruthless. The repentance caused a young girl to walk the tough road. The fate of three girls with three different pain, will they create happiness or tragedy again? 

Title: Keto

Excerpt:

Then I felt pain, severe pain. One of the guards carrying me had probably realized that I was awake, therefore he hit me with the backside of his gun. I felt it again. My eyes shut, everything was turning black and my senses distorted. I heard a very loud high pitched tone and distorted mumbling. I just shut down completely but it felt so different. I didn’t feel like sleeping. When you sleep you don’t feel time or space. You fall asleep, you wake up again and it feels like no time has passed even though hours and hours have passed by. But I could feel every second passing and it felt like years. It felt like I’m stuck between time and space and everything. I just felt stuck. 

Project Extensions and/or Real World Connections

 

This project was in conjunction with our Mars Colony Design unit. Students were learning about the likelihood and challenges of creating a colony on Mars. That project was simultaneous with the Science Fiction short stories and was the reason behind choosing that particular genre.

Learning Goals

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  • Create a descriptive and imaginative short story

  • Study and utilize literary techniques

  • Explore future themes and problems through literary study

  • Hone grammar and structural writing skills

  • Develop editing and revision skills

Standards Addressed

RL.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

RL.9-10.9. Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare). [ Targeted Standards:2 P:1 ]

W.9-10.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

W.9-10.3d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.

W.9-10.5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

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