NO LIMITS: Developing Scientific Literacy Using Science Fiction, by Julie
H. Czerneda, published by Trifolium Press
(http://www.czerneda.com) -- a great endeavor to show how
SCIENCE FICTION tales can be applied to teaching science in the classroom.
Gedanken Fictions: Stories on Themes in Science, Technology, and Society,
by Prof. Thomas Easton (Wildside, 2000)
Borderlands of Science: How to Think Like a Scientist and Write Science
Fiction, by Charles Sheffield. (Baen Books 1999). Noted scientist and
author Sheffield focuses on several dozen topics at the edge of legitimate
science, explaining what is known and musing on what good stories might
lurk just beyond.
Science Fiction as Literature, by John Aquino. NEA Press Guidelines for
using SCIENCE FICTION in junior high and high school curriculums. The
focus is on English classes rather than Science classes. Aquino says that
we should look for "fitness" in SCIENCE FICTION literature, and gives
guidelines on how to teach such works as Ray Bradbury’s The Martian
Chronicles and T. H. White’s The Queen of Air and Darkness, giving a
synopsis of each and excerpts. He follows this up with a list of suggested
works.
Science Fiction: the Academic Awakening, edited by Willis E. McNelly.
College English Association chapbook. This contains articles such as
"SCIENCE FICTION in the Classroom" by Jack Williamson, "Science and
Science Fiction" by Gregory Benford, and articles on utopian and
anti-utopian literature, characterization in Science Fiction, and much
more. Also included is an annotated bibliography of SCIENCE FICTION
criticism. Though it is twenty-four years old, it is a valuable resource.
Visions of Wonder edited by David Hartwell (available at Amazon.com)
which collects about 800 pages of wonderful and recent stories ("True
Names," "Overdrawn at the Memory Bank," "Redemption in the Quantum
Realm," "Blood Music"), with some critical essays.
Turning Points : Essays on the Art of Science Fiction edited by Damon
Knight. One of the first collections of critical essays about science
fiction, it contains discussions of the history and merits of the field, and
a classic essay by Poul Anderson on world-building "How to Build a Planet"
Where do we Go from Here? edited by Isaac Asimov. Contains about a dozen
stories picked for educational value with afterwords suggesting
follow-up class projects/areas for further learning.
Teaching Tomorrow: A Handbook Of Science Fiction For Teachers by
Elizabeth Calkins and Barry McGhan
Science Fiction In The English Class by Kenneth Donelson (National Council
of Teachers of English)
Grokking The Future: Science Fiction In The Classroom by Bernard C.
Hollister and Deane C. Thompson
The Classroom In Orbit by Beverly Friend
The Road To Science Fiction by James Gunn
Science Fiction: Education For Tomorrow by Jack Williamson
Anatomy Of Wonder by Neil Barron
Science Fiction: A Step Beyond by Suzanne Millies
The Light Fantastic by Harry Harrison
Mirror Of Infinity by Robert Silverberg
http://www2.kenyon.edu/depts/biology/slonc/bio3/bio03syl.htm - a web
site documenting Dr. Joan Slonczewski’s "Biology in Science Fiction"
(Biology 103) course at Kenyon College. This page contains a list of
recommended books, and the results of student projects.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN SCIENCE FICTION
http://itsf.spaceart.net/resources/itsf-biblio.html - A list of
publications about the science in speculative fiction. Very comprehensive.
A good general science fiction resource guide, from art and authors to
film and zines: http://sf.www.lysator.liu.se/sf_archive/sf
texts/SF_resource_guide/
When Words Collide: Teaching Critical Thinking, Science, Language Arts and a Sense of Wonder. The New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA) - annual symposium on the use of science fiction literature as a dynamic teaching tool for developing critical thinking, science knowledge/ appreciation, and language arts skills for students in grades 4 to 12. http://www.nesfa.org/MontyWells/index.htm
Writer's Center has a list of available Instructors for writers workshops http://www.writer.org/workshop/faculty2.htm
http:/ /web.calstatela.edu/academic/builders/index.html ? documents a
course at California State University teaching science through the process
of "World Building" ? includes a guide to world-building and student
responses to that challenge.
http://merlin.alf red.edu/degraff/sf.astro/ - a paper on the use of science
fiction to teach a college astronomy survey course.
http://postman.cosmic.org - Uses David Brin’s The Postman, and the movie
based on the novel in a high school curriculum about civics and
responsibility. An excellent example of the aim of this contest,
using a science fiction novel to illustrate points in an existing
curriculum.
http://canticle.cosmic.org and http://mchronicles.cosmic.org/ - Use
Walter Miller’s A Canticle For Leibowitz and Ray Bradbury’s Martian
Chronicles in high school English curricula.
Writer-authored curricula by Greg Egan, using his own stories:
http://w ww.netspace.net.au/~gregegan/index.html
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians /science_fiction
/Science_Fiction_Guides.html ? contains a half dozen study guides for
teaching science fiction stories and novels in college English.
http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/~tslucht/sf-index.html - a web page
developed at University of Bielefeld, Germany, which originated with the
idea of using science fiction to teach English as a second language, but
which has much more than that.
Many reading lists, such as those promulgated by Accelerated Reader and
California Reads, show an unmistakable and profound bias toward the
interests and inclinations of girls. For example, dozens of Nancy Drew
mysteries and not Hardy Boys... and nearly a complete absence of science
fiction. (As sops to the boys, there are swarms of simpleminded sports
stories.) One aim of WOW is to correct this without swinging in a sexist
way the other direction. One web site that has tried to address the needs
of boys is http://www.guysread.com
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http://www.iplus.zetnet.co.uk/ - Free science fiction stories
http://tale.com/genre.phtml?genre_id=sf or http://tale.com/ "Semi-free
stories on the web" (first half free, the rest will cost small change):
http://ww w.dreamwvr.com/webframe.htm H. G. Wells books on line
http://www.georgetown.edu/irvinemj/english016 /franken/franken.html
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
http://www.sfwa.org/fiction/ - lots of fiction by members of the Science
Fiction Writer’s Association
http://www.literature.org/Works/Edgar-Rice-Burroughs/earths core/
Edgar Rice Burroughs’ works
http://w ww.jaffebros.com/lee/gulliver/index.html Gulliver's Travels
http://www.gutenberg.net/ Project Gutenberg, a massive endeavor to put
online huge numbers of public domain books.
http://www.davidbrin.com/ David Brin has posted a number of his award nominated works online for free access. Topic areas include biology, astronomy, the future of disease, genetic engineering of other species and the possibility of Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life. Several other authors have done likewise and their web sites can be accessed via SFF.net. Do contact the authors before reproducing stories in large quantities.
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http://libnt1. lib.uoguelph.ca/SFBib/index.htm searchable by age/grade
level and including detailed descriptions of the books
http://www.harcourtcollege.com/astro/fraknoi/stories /stories.html ?
listing of science fiction stories good for teaching astronomy
Some more online reading lists:
http://www. sff.net/rff/readlist/readlists.htm
http://www.sfsi te.com/lists/younger.htm
http://members. aol.com/candylc/kidssf.html
http://compa ny.blackboard.com/Bb/index.html Blackboard.com is a free
service that enables instructors to add an online component to their
classes, or even host an entire course on the Web.
http://www.pta.org /links/OrgLinks.htm (Parent-Teacher Organization
site)
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http://ww w.randomhouse.com/delrey/althist/ - a publisher’s alternate
history site
http://www.sff.net
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SIDEWISE AWARDS FOR ALTERNATE HISTORY (M33) -- The Sidewise
Awards for Alternate History were created in 1995 and are named after
the 1934 short story "Sidewise in Time," written by Murray Leinster. The
awards are given annually to the best alternate history publications that
received their first English language or American publication during the
calendar year prior to the year in which the award is to be presented.
Awards for 1995-1998 are listed. Info: Steve H. Silver
shsilver@ameritech.net
GOLDEN DUCKS (M22; M31) -- The Golden Duck Awards were created in
1992 after it was "suggested that there should be a 'Hugo-like-object' for
children's SF." The Young Adult category is named after Hal Clement, who
taught high school while writing hard SF stories and novels that often
feature young protagonists. Given for excellence in children's SF, the
Golden Ducks are administered by DucKon. DucKon is near Chicago. Awards
are presented at WorldCon. Info: Helen Gbala gbala@ameritech.net and
Lindalee Stuckey redunicorn@aol.com
http://members. aol.com/candylc/kidssf.html
http://memb ers.aol.com/gducksf/awards.html
http://www. sff.net/rff/readlist/readlists.htm
FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVING SCENARIOS (M34) -- The Future Problem
Solving Scenario program is national. It promotes thinking skills.
http://www.fpsp.org
CONduit RFF Utah Original Art Competition -- Open only to students
living in Utah; grades 6-12. Deadline: March 1, 2000
http://www.jps.net/helgem /rffutah Geohanatham Allred fenric2@aol.com
http://www.bsfs.org/bsf sywc.htm Baltimore science fiction writing
contest for kids.
ALBACON 99 SHORT STORY CONTEST RULES AND REGULATIONS (M21)--
Open to grades K-8, grades 9-12 and adults living within 75 miles of
Schenectady-Albany-Troy or ALBACON members. Details: Albacon '99 Short
Story Contest, POBox 2085, Albany NY 12220-0085 NOTE: Information for
the current contest are not in RFF file. NOTE: There is also a contest for
works of art produced by kids on science fictional themes.
WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION STUDENT SCIENCE FICTION
AND FANTASY CONTEST - Writing (M26; M9; M42) -- Essay and fiction
writing contest open to all students 12th grade or less. Original details
Are the same as for artwork; update Lindalee Stuckley redunicorn@aol.com
For further information contact: David-Glenn Anderson, RFFUtahe@juno.com
===
SF-Lovers Convention Listings (regional and local conventions):
http://sflovers.rutgers.edu/Web/cons.html (don't use 'www')
The World Science Fiction Convention
http://worldcon.org/index.html
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National Science Teachers' Association www.nsta.org
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http://vitalviewer.com/files/pubpartners.html A potential way to
distribute stories and other materials via web-publishing.
Exploring Science Writing is a Sea Grant education project featuring
resources to help high school teachers incorporate science writing into
existing curriculums. http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/il-in
sg/education/sw/esw.htm
The Santa Fe Science-Writing Workshop, June 16 21,
2001 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, ass intended to assist science writers with
their craft. http://www.santafe.edu/~johnson/sciwrite.html
Writing and Selling the Science Fiction Genre - From The
Writer's Store, this site provides a list of books, with abstracts,
related to writing and publishing science fiction. A specialty source for
script writing software, screenwriting and story software and books for
prose and script writing. http://writerscomputer.com/cgi
bin/SoftCart.exe/ store/sciencefiction_writing_books.htm?E+writers
Critters Writers' Workshop -
is an online workshop for serious science fiction, fantasy, and horror
writers. Authors must critique a certain number of manuscripts to have
their own critiqued. Its several thousand members include authors from
first timers to award-winning professionals.
Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction and Fantasy - an
online community of writers of SF &F who aim to help each other improve
their work. - http://sff.onlinewritingworkshop.com/
Science Fiction Collaboratory provides a number of forums for
students to post their ideas and stories and ask for feedback from their
fellow students. - http://collab.mathsoft.com/~sciencefiction
http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~sfcenter/ => the Center for the Study of
Science Fiction website includes information on summer Writers
Workshop and Institute, and about a new book THE SCIENCE OF SCIENCE
FICTION WRITING. Created by James Gunn, professor and award-winning SF
author.
Math site for kids: http://www.figurethis.com
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MISCELLANEOUS...
Editor's Choice Author Links
http://ww w.edsoasis.org/Treasure/Authors.html (not sf)
http://www.edsoasis.org/Treasure/TreasSci.html
Science Fiction Writers of America (Junior memberships available for
students) http://www.sfwa.org/
SFWA maintains a list of online fiction by members at
http://www.sfwa.org/fiction/
The International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts:
http://ebb s.english.vt.edu/iafa/iafa.home.html
Science Fiction Research Association: http://www.sfra.org/
see also: http://www. liv.ac.uk/~asawyer/sffchome.html
http://www.uwm.edu/~sands/Science Fictionra/scifi.htm
Science Fiction Foundation Collection:
http://www.liv.ac.uk/~asawyer/Science Fictionfchome.htmlAmerican
Association of Physics Teachers (http://www.aapt.org/ ) and American
Journal of Physics:
"Teaching modern physics through science fiction", Roger A. Freedman, W.
A. Little Vol.48, Issue 7, pp. 548-551 1980
"Close Encounters? Science and Science Fiction", Robert Lambourne Author
et.al. Volume 59, Issue 9, pp. 861-862 1991
"Wormholes in spacetime and their use for interstellar travel: teaching
general relativity", Michael S. Morris, Kip S. Thorne, Volume 56, Issue 5,
pp. 395-412 1988
"Science and fiction: An interdisciplinary approach" Arlen R. Zander
Volume 43, Issue 1, pp. 9-12 , 1975
Out Of Time -- a new YA Science Fiction Series from Avon
Books: http://www.kithrup.com/brin/oot.htm
===
Do you want to get permission to use a currently copyrighted
story in connection with your web site entry? Some authors
may already have posted their stories, or be willing to let you
do so, for a good cause. Andrew Burt has volunteered to help put
contestants in touch with authors of stories that might be
linked with a curriculum on your site. Another way would be to
join the group discussion at http://www.eGroups.com/list /rff
===
Looking to share ideas or maybe bounce some notions against
helpful critics? There are already groups of people online who
share an interest in getting the best science fiction into the
hands of kids. One group is the Reading For the Future Project.
They can be found at http://www.eGroups.com/list /rff
GOOD LUCK!
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