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Lead the class in a game of “Is It Science? Is It Fiction?” Read aloud the scenarios from the Is It Science? Is It Fiction? List. Ask students to state if they think the scenario is “science” or “fiction” after each scenario is read.

Conclude the game by stating that some science sounds fictionalized, while some fiction can be realistic or scientific-sounding.

will define “science fiction” as a genre of fictional stories not restricted to reality and based on scientific concepts. I will record the definition on the board or chart paper. I will explain that some aspects of science fiction are realistic, but what makes science fiction a unique genre are the science-based scenarios and elements. I will introduce the genre science fiction to the class by comparing and contrasting it with fantasy fiction. Fantasy fiction contains fictionalized scenarios based completely on the fantastical, imaginary, or impossible. In both fantasy fiction and science fiction, anything is possible in a text, but in science fiction, the story line and concepts presented are usually based on real science. It is important to recognize scientific elements to distinguish science fiction from other fantasy fiction and other genres.

I will list the elements of science fiction on chart paper: future, outer space or aliens, time travel, robots or technology, new societies, science experiments, and a good vs. evil plot line.

I will model identifying scientific elements by reading the first excerpt from the Sci-Fi Finder 1. I will do this by identifying a scientific or fictional detail in the excerpt and recording that information in the Elements of Science Fiction Chart. (See example Elements of Science Fiction Chart.) I will classify that detail as one of the elements of science fiction (future, outer space or aliens, time travel, robots or technology, new societies, science experiments, and/or a good vs. evil plot line), and I will probe further by describing this scientific or fictional element.

Ask: "How can I identify whether a story is science fiction?" Students should answer that there should be fictionalized scientific elements in either science experiments, outer space, new societies, future, time travel, robots/technology, and/or a good vs. evil plot line, to be considered science fiction.

will read the excerpts on the Sci-Fi Finder 2. On the Elements of Science Fiction Chart, we will record any science fiction details we find in the text and we will classify them according to the science fiction elements charted earlier. (See example Elements of Science Fiction Chart.) As we examine each excerpt, we will discuss what makes each detail science fiction. We will locate and discuss the explicit information in the text about these scientific and fictional details.

will fill in your Student Packet as you read Only You Can Save Mankind. You will start by identifying the science fiction objects, words, characters, scenarios, and aspects of setting in Chapters 1-6 of Only You Can Save Mankind. You will record your findings on the Elements of Science Fiction page in your Student Packet. (See pp. 2-3 in the Student Packet.)You will also use this Student Packet throughout the unit to practice answering comprehension and vocabulary questions.

will check-in before Lesson 2 about the science fiction elements identified in Chapters 1-6 of Only You Can Save Mankind. These could include: the aliens in the video game typing to Johnny, ScreeWee aliens talking in English, Johnny waking up in the game.

We will continue to pause during later sections of the book to identify additional science fiction elements. For example, when Johnny is able to communicate and interact with the other human game players, or when Johnny and Kirsty “dream” themselves into the game. We will discuss what makes these occurrences science fiction.