What Belongs In a High School Sci-Fi/Fantasy Lit Class? 1021
flogger writes "I have been asked to help develop a literature course for Science Fiction and Fantasy literature. What do you consider to be appropriate selections of short stories and novels in these genres for high school students of all ability levels? I'd also like to know why you choose certain selections. This class will be 'regular' class and not a class for 'flunkies' to earn a credit by sitting docile and listening to lectures. The following is a course description that I have been given as a guideline. This description can change. Any ideas? 'In this Junior/Senior level course, students will focus on the genres of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Students will survey the histories of these genres and recognize how world events have been reflected onto other worlds. From the early formation of the genre, with Verne, and the classics of Clarke, Tolkien, Bradbury, and LeGuin, to the contemporary works of Card, Jordan, and Vinge, the genres have been about portraying humanity in possible scenarios. These works have mirrored events throughout the troubled situations of our history and provided optimistic outcomes and horrifying predictions. Through this course, students will utilize analytical skills and reading strategies to evaluate our current situation and project into the literature of different worlds while sharing and learning of an author's insight. Possible areas of interest will be topics of the environment, energy conservation, war, social issues, and others. '"
Re:i'm not trying to be a troll (Score:5, Funny)
but while you're teaching high school students science fiction, kids in other high schools are learning actual science
In other high schools, kids are learning about mutual exclusivity.
Re:Some More Names to Consider (Score:3, Funny)
Unless you want students trying to fuck their moms (Score:3, Funny)
Don't mix literature courses and SF (Score:5, Funny)
Heinlein, _Friday_. Because the parents are going to complain anyway, so you might as well give them a reason. Bonus points for the 1983 cover.
Re:Took similar course, but as a college junior (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Where was this class for me? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Neal Stephenson (Score:1, Funny)
Well, there's the year for you. No time for anything else.
I can answer this!!!111ONEONEONE (Score:3, Funny)
Re: What Belongs In a High School Sci-Fi/Fantasy Lit Class?
Microsoft total cost of ownership studies. ;)
Re:Some More Names to Consider (Score:5, Funny)
I absolutely adore Lovecraft. However, I'd save him for a specialty class, probably a college level class. His fecund verbosity overpowers my even my most perspicacious tendency, rendering opaque the once-transparent word hoards of narrators across the visages of time, sending my love of storytelling into the blissful quiet of a new dark age.
Seriously. Yuck.
Re:Whoa.. stop! (Score:5, Funny)
Oh man. I had an English teacher who loved Great Expectations. And, yah, it's an ok book, but she was crazy about finding symbolism in it. Absolutely nutsoid.
One day she kept going on and on about how Pip escaped London on a boat on the Thames river because the river's course has lots of right angles, goes up and down and back and forth and that represents the course of Pip's life-- rich, poor, rich again, etc.
I raised my hand and said, "maybe Pip took the Thames because it's the ONLY RIVER IN LONDON." She was so mad.