Using Science Fiction to Teach Play Writing

By

Mary C. Wyse

Introduction

What is science fiction? It is not easy to define. Charles Sheffield, in Borderlands of Science, thinks of science as a "sprawling continent, a body of learning and theories." He then goes on to define science fiction as "stories set on the shore of that huge scientific land mass." Stanley Schmidt says, "The very essence of science fiction is that it is free to question just about anything and look at alternate answers."

Even though it is not easy to come up with a definition of science fiction, I have found that my seventh and eighth grade students enjoy reading science fiction stories and watching science fiction movies. I want to capitalize on that interest. I also think it is important for students to become more interested in science. Articles about space probes and space shuttles appear daily in newspapers and magazines. Lasers are used in surgery; scientific discoveries are happening all of the time. Science is all around us.

Reading science fiction is a way to to get students more interested in science. Reading about black holes, space travel, time travel, and gravity can make science come alive for students.

Science fiction doesn’t just have to be about science, though. It can be about people, ideas, and where the world is going. It can also be about where people have already been. Science fiction allows the writer to use his imagination. Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." This does not mean that knowledge isn’t important in writing science fiction. Knowledge is important because it allows actual scientific information to be told in an interesting, entertaining way. Science fiction allows the writer to write about some scientific information that will make the science come alive for the reader..

This curriculum, Using Science Fiction to Teach Play Writing, will combine two elements, science fiction and drama. Students will have the opportunity to read well-written science fiction stories and plays which can also teach them about various scientific phenomena. Using drama in the classroom will help students to develop their creative abilities and talents. Performing pantomimes, improvising and acting out plays offers students a chance for self-expression and observation.

I intend to use these two elements, science fiction and drama, to act as "hooks" to get my students interested in writing plays, dialogues and scenes that are based on actual scientific facts.

The goals of this unit are these:

1. to encourage students to read science fiction.
2. to encourage students to take true scientific information and build a play, scene, and dialogue based on this information
3. to broaden the students’ knowledge of play writing
4. to create an atmosphere where students will use their imaginations

Rationale

I have designed this curriculum as part of a one-semester course for seventh and eighth grade students. At the beginning of the course, students will learn the basics of play writing. I will use models of published plays to show students how to put together a play of their own. Students will also practice writing dialogues, scenes and skits. I will then introduce the idea of learning science by reading science fiction stories. I will use some plays and videos that do not contain hard science. By hard science I mean using real scientific information. I have used these writings before and my students have enjoyed reading them. I want to use them to get the students interested, to get them thinking about some scientific phenomena. I will then introduce some of the short stories that I read in the seminar Learning Physics through Science Fiction that contains the real scientific information, the "hard" science. Since I like to tell my students to write about what they know, they will begin to know some "hard" scientific information that they can use in their writings.

Science fiction stories and plays by various authors will be available in the classroom. Students will be encouraged to keep a journal. These journals will be used to keep notes explaining the scientific phenomena and to list their favorite science fiction writers and favorite titles. Science books and magazines will also be available for the students to research, if necessary. These books and magazines have been written on a middle school level for easy reference. Students will be encouraged to use these text books to answer questions they might have after reading a science fiction story based on real scientific information. For example, if they work on the unit on black holes, and there is a concept they don’t fully understand, they can direct their questions to the teacher who will provide as much information as possible. The teacher will also direct the students to the correct books, magazines or additional information.

I have created an Introductory Activity and four different units. The Introductory Activity will be done as a whole group exercise. It will introduce students to the idea of using hard scientific information in their writings. Each unit has a different scientific topic. The four topics that I have chosen include: space travel; quantum mechanics/parallel universes; black holes/gravity; and time travel.

Students will read over all four units. They can then choose one topic that interests them the most. They will be asked to read all of the stories and plays included in each unit. They will also be responsible for completing the writing activities for each story. Each unit contains opportunities for performing pantomimes and improvisations. These activities will be done with the entire class. Students may respond to the discussion questions in their journals and then share their responses with orally with their classmates.

At the completion of the unit, each group will share its work. The students will act out the dialogues, scenes, or plays that they have written. Each student group will concentrate on one area, but the students will gain knowledge of all four areas as a result of their sharing.

Each unit will be composed of an introduction, which will include discussion and theater games, reading several stories, plays, or watching a video of a play, writing, and presentation. I have provided an explanation to each one of these components of the unit.

Introduction

A discussion question will be posed at the beginning of each unit. The purpose of this is to allow students to begin thinking about that particular topic. It will give students a chance to share knowledge that they might already have on this particular topic. The teacher too can assess what knowledge the students know about these topics. Responses to these discussion questions can be written in the student journals and then shared with classmates orally.

Discussion will then be followed by theater games that will include pantomiming and improvisation. As stated earlier, performing these types of games allows the students to develop their creative abilities and talents. It permits the students to express themselves and to observe others. It promotes concentration, improves language skills, and fosters group interaction. My experience in using these kinds of activities has been very positive. Any student who is not comfortable with performing will not be forced to do so. But, I have also found that most students do want to join in after they have observed their classmates.

Some of the theater games show a connection to the topic for that unit while others do not. The pantomimes and improvisations show progression. They have a beginning, middle, and end, which can be used to show to the students the need to have those same three things in their writing. By using pantomimes, I hope to get the students to think about other universes and other worlds. With improvisations, I hope students will begin to think of new and different approaches to solving problems. Improvisation makes them think on their feet. It helps to develop orderly thinking, which will be useful in the writing section of each unit.

Reading

The reading section of each unit has a two-fold purpose. First, it will introduce the student to scientific information. Each unit includes at least one story that contains hard scientific information. Secondly, it will act as a springboard for the students’ own writing

A variety of reading selections will be available for each unit. Students will read plays and short stories by various science fiction writers. They will also view videos and listen to a taped version of a science fiction story. Discussion questions are also included for each reading. These questions can be answered in the student journals and responses shared orally with classmates.

Writing

After each play, story, video or tape, the student will be asked to write either a scene, dialogue, act, or play. They will be reminded to follow the play writing guidelines that have already established at the beginning of the course. In most cases, students will use the basic plot lines, but create their own original dialogue. For plot development, students are encouraged to create simple plots with a conflict.

These kinds of writing activities will allow the students to use their imaginations and the scientific information that is in the short stories. Other resources will also be available in the classroom to provide an additional scientific information the students might need. The students can use the stories and plays that are read in class as models for their own writing. Modeling is a valuable tool for young writers. Students can see how a well-written play entertains, and they can see how hard scientific information included in the play can inform.

As the students create their various writing assignments, they will be using the writing process. They will begin a rough draft and then revise it themselves. . I provide time for teacher conferences. I point out to my students both the strong and weak points of their writing. I also encourage my students to use peer response groups with their classmates. These groups use the praise, question, and suggestion format at this time. After these steps, students write the final draft for publication and presentation.

Presentation

Students will present their plays, scenes, acts, dialogues to their classmates at the end of the unit. . Since I see my students for 15 weeks, one hour per week, each student will not be able to work on all four units because of time constraints. Students will still gain knowledge of the other units, though, as a result of sharing their work. This is important to the students because they want to share their ideas and display their writing. They want to show they understand the scientific information, and they want to show off their acting talents.

Performance is usually the most popular aspect of my class. The students often work on all of the activities knowing they must complete them in order to present them to their peers. This provides an incentive in getting the students to complete their writing assignments to the best of their ability. Presentation is the last aspect of the unit, but it is a very important aspect of it.

I have developed an introductory activity that is not connected with the four basic units. It will be done with the entire class prior to introducing the four units. It will serve as warm-up to get the students interested in science fiction and the curriculum as a whole.

Borderlands of Science by Charles Sheffield

Procedure

1. Teacher will describe the possible plot of a science fiction story. (pages 8- 12)
2. Students will list events that they believe are actually possible.
3. Teacher will explain what events in the story made it a fantasy, not science fiction.
4. Students and teacher will make corrections for each fantastic item so that the story would qualify for "true" science fiction instead of fantasy.
5. Students will record notes in their journals.
6. As a follow-up, students could describe the plot of recent science fiction movie they have seen and then follow steps 2-5.

The four units will then be presented to the students.

Unit One Space Travel

Sources

All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury

This play tells the story of a group of students living on another planet where it rains constantly. The rain only stops for a few hours every seven years. Several students are eagerly waiting for the sun to appear. One of the students, Margot, had lived on Earth and longs to see the sun again. William, an angry young boy, works to alter Margot’s plans.

The Monsters are Due on Maple Street by Rod Serling (video)

Aliens land on Earth and create havoc for a small town and its inhabitants. What have the aliens done? Power failures, cars not starting, and strange happenings occur throughout the town. Since the townspeople are unaware of the alien invasion yet, they begin to blame each other. The play dramatizes how the town’s inhabitants handle the small upsets.

At the Core by Larry Niven

Beowulf Shaeffer agrees to pilot a Puppeteer spacecraft to the center of the galaxy and back. Beowulf needs the money he will be paid for this dangerous mission and the thought of getting to the core in 25 days is enough to get him interested in the job. The story will explore all the peculiarities of the core and what may happen to Beowulf as he speeds through space.

Introduction

Discuss what you think life would be like on another planet. Record your thoughts in your journal. Students will share their responses aloud.

Perform pantomimes. Students will walk on a planet that has less gravity than Earth. Students will pretend they are walking in a pool filled with Jell-O. Students will imagine that their spaceship just landed on Mars. They will pantomime getting out of the ship and exploring their new surroundings.

Perform improvisations. Working with partners, students will improvise a first meeting between an alien being and a person from Earth. Several students will improvise a scene between an alien from Mars and a person from Earth. The Earth person will explain what a telephone is to the Martian. (Other common objects may also be used.)

Reading

All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury
What was life like for people on this planet? Why did they leave Earth? Why was it so important for Margot to see the sun? What made Margot different from the other students? How did seeing the sun affect Margot’s classmates?

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street by Rod Serling
What did these aliens look like? Were these aliens more intelligent than the humans were? Explain your answer. What was the reason these aliens landed on Earth? How did the aliens know how the humans would react to the situation they had created?

At the Core by Larry Niven
What does the Puppeteer look like? What was wrong with the ship the first time Beowulf Shaeffer saw it?

Writing

Write a scene between Margot and William. He has locked her in the closet and she missed seeing the sun. Margot’s classmates have unlocked the door. You may include other characters.

Create your own ending to The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. What do you think happened after the aliens got back into their spaceships?

Adapt the short story At the Core into a play. Follow the guidelines established in class. Keep the basic plot line but write your own original dialogue.

Presentation

Act out your scenes, ending and play for the class.

Unit Two Quantum Mechanics/Parallel Universes

Sources

A Piece of Wood by Ray Bradbury

This play tells the story of a lone soldier named Hollis who yearns for peace in a war-torn world. He invents a machine that he thinks can help him to achieve this goal. He soon finds out that not everyone shares his feelings, especially his superior, Colonel Morgan.

The Quantum Teleporter by Michael Burstein

An FBI agent, who works in scientific investigations, is asked to investigate a suicide of a man who was working on teleportation at the time of his death. The question is this: was it a suicide or murder? Agent Drew Cutter begins his search for the truth and uses his knowledge of teleportation and physics to solve the case.

For a Foggy Night by Larry Niven

This story is about parallel universes. It tells of two men who meet on an unusually foggy night. One of the men explains the theory of multiple world lines, which really intrigues his companion. The other man, a mathematics professor soon finds himself searching for his hotel in the fog. Will he find it or is he in "another world?"

Introduction

Discuss whether or not you think it is possible to have a parallel universe. Record your thoughts in your journal. Students will share their thoughts aloud.

Perform pantomimes. You and two other explorers leave your spaceship. You see an unusual creature. What do you do? Students will play "Guess the Mime." One person starts by announcing "What is my job?" He then begins to mime a job-a chef, mechanic, teacher. When he is done, he again asks the question, "What’s my job?" and then the class guesses. Other questions that could be used: "What is my animal?" "What is my sport?" What is my musical instrument?" "What is my circus character?"

Perform improvisations. Work with a partner. You have just returned from a trip to space. Because of the way space works, you aged more slowly than the people on earth. When you return, your wife/girlfriend, husband/boyfriend is 80 years old and you are 40. Improvise your first encounter. You and a friend are outside, looking up at the sky. You both see a strange object flying over head. You think it is a UFO. Your partner thinks it is a meteor. Improvise your reaction to each other.

Reading

A Piece of Wood by Ray Bradbury
What do you think of Hollis’ invention? Why does Colonel Morgan want to stop Hollis from using it? Do you think this invention could really work?

The Quantum Teleporter by Michael Burstein
Do you think the events in this story could actually happen?

For a Foggy Night by Larry Niven
What would you do if you suddenly found yourself in a parallel universe?

Writing

Write a one-act play. Students will create an invention or gadget that doesn’t exist. It could be something to solve a problem or for fulfilling a wish. They will then write a one-act play describing what would happen to their characters and the world as a result of using that invention. Use your imagination! Use the guidelines that have already been established for play writing. Include a cast of characters, and a setting. Include hard scientific information. Keep your scientific information as accurate as possible.

Create a dialogue between two people. These two characters will explain and describe the teleporter process. The dialogue should be as realistic as possible. It should also be clear and understandable. You don’t have to lecture the audience with this activity. Make it interesting. Use the books, magazines available in the classroom if there is some part of the process that you do not understand.

Adapt For a Foggy Night into a play. Create a new ending for it. In the final scene, the fog has just cleared. Describe what you find. Perhaps you can patent an invention that this universe hasn’t heard about yet.

Presentation

Act out your dialogue and plays for the class.

Unit Three Black Holes/Gravity

Sources

The Hole Man by Larry Niven
Andrew Lear and Captain Childrey don’t agree on much even though both are working on a life-support system that is orbiting Mars. Lear is an astrophysicist who believes he has found a quantum black hole. Childrey thinks Lear is crazy. This story explores what happens to both men as they go about their daily lives on Mars.

Neutron Star by Larry Niven

Beowulf Shaeffer lives on a planet called We Made It. He has been asked to explore a neutron star, BSV-1. This exploration has already led to the death of two other pilots, Sonya and Peter Laskins. Beowulf decides to accept the Puppeteer’s offer to find out what led to the Laskins’ deaths and at the same time find out more information about the neutron star.

Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury (tape)

This tape tells the story about a crew on a spaceship that explodes and everyone on board is tossed out into space. All are going in different directions. They are protected to some degree by spacesuits and they can still communicate by phone. The listeners will discover the destiny of each character, from the captain to the lowest crewmember.

Introduction

Give your definition of a black hole.

Perform pantomimes. A prop is placed in the middle of the floor. The students are to use it as any object other than what it is. Students will choose a partner. One student is the sculptor and the other will be the sculpture. Without talking, each sculptor will mold his partner into statue or piece of art.

Perform improvisations. Work with a partner. Your are in a foreign country where you have never been before. You don’t speak the language and you have lost the address of your hotel. You ask directions of someone you meet on the street. This person doesn’t speak your language. Work with a partner. You just got a wonderful job and you can’t wait to tell your new neighbor about it. You discover that your neighbor was fired from the job you are getting!

Reading

The Hole Man by Larry Niven
Why didn’t Lear and Childrey get along? Do you think Lear knew what was going to happen to Childrey? Why?

Neutron Star by Larry Niven
Why did Beowulf Shaeffer feel "stretched" as he reached perihelion? Why was Shaeffer able to blackmail the Puppeteer?

Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury Define
what a kaleidoscope is. What is the significance of using kaleidoscope as the title of the story?

Writing

Write a dialogue between Lear and someone who doesn’t understand science. Have Lear explain what a black hole is. Use scientific facts and information from the story. Research anything you don’t fully understand in the books available in the classroom. You do not have to lecture the audience. Be sure to have both characters interact in the dialogue. Make it interesting.

Write a one-act sequel to Neutron Star. Use Beowulf Shaeffer and the Puppeteer as two of your main characters. You may include other characters as needed. Use the scientific information from the story to tell the audience what happens next.

Write a play about people from Earth traveling to a black hole. You will tape your play. You will be able to include sound effects and music as they did in the tape of Kaleidoscope that you listened to in class.

Presentation

Act out your dialogue, sequel, and play for the class.

Unit Four Time Travel

Sources

Time and Time Again by H. Beam Piper

Allan Hartley is a 43- year-old man. He is an army officer, chemist, and a best-selling novelist. A bomb has hit his shelter and when he awakes he finds himself back in the bedroom of his childhood home. He is a 43-year-old man in the body of a 13-year-old boy. The story will describe what happens to Allan and his dad because of his experience with time travel.

Moon Six by Steven Baxter

Bado is exploring the moon with his co-pilot Slade. Everything is going according to plan; they’re taking photos, collecting moon rocks, and sampling a crater called Wildwood. Suddenly, Bado sees a shimmer, like a heat wave, and Slade is gone. He can’t find the lunar module either. What is happening? This story will let you discover what happens to Bado each time that "shimmer" appears.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (video)

A young scientist develops a time machine. His friends advise him to destroy it, but he ignores their advice and finds himself in a New World in the year 802,701 A.D. He discovers a passive, subservient race of people who are governed by the Morlocks. This video will take the viewer into a fantastic science fiction world as envisioned by H.G. Wells.

Introduction

Discuss what you would do if you woke up one day and discovered that it was 30 years later than when you went to bed.

Perform pantomimes. Pretend you are a middle-age man or woman chasing a UFO. Work with a partner. Decide on a task that it takes two people to do, such as moving a piece of heavy furniture. Perform it for the class. Use imaginary objects; establish their shapes.

Perform improvisations. Work with a partner. You walk into a classroom. The teacher is sitting in your seat and everyone thinks you are the teacher. Work with two other classmates. You walk into your home after school and your family won’t let you in.

Reading

Time and Time Again by H. Beam Piper
Allan was still an adult, but he was in a child’s body. What were some of the adjustments he had to make? Do you think you could be as convinced as Allan’s father was about time travel?

Moon Six by Steven Baxter
How would you convince someone that you were from an alternate time line? Would you try to change history if you traveled to an alternate time line?

1. All students use effective research and information management skills, including locating primary and secondary sources of information with traditional and emerging library technologies.
2. All students read and use a variety of methods to make sense of various kinds of complex texts.
3.  All students respond orally and in writing to information and ideas gained by reading narrative and informational texts and use the information and ideas to make decisions and solve problems.
4. All students write for a variety of purposes, including to narrate, inform and persuade, in all subject areas.
5. All students analyze and make critical judgements about all forms of communication, separating fact from opinion, recognizing propaganda, stereotypes and statements of bias, recognizing inconsistencies and judging the validity of evidence.
6. All students exchange information orally, including understanding and giving spoken instructions, asking and answering questions appropriately, and promoting effective group communications.
7. All students listen to and understand complex oral messages and identify the purpose, structure, and use.
8. All students compose and make oral presentations for each academic area of study that are designed to persuade, inform, or describe.
9. All students communicate appropriately in business, work, and other applied situations.

This curriculum will focus on the Communication Standards. The units are matched to specific standards. Each unit is composed of an introduction, reading, writing, and presentation.

The introduction section includes discussion and theater games. By writing responses and sharing them aloud, students will meet standards 3, 4, 6, 7, 8.

By performing pantomimes and improvisations, students will meet standards 6, 7, 8, 9.

In the reading section, students will meet standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 by reading, responding orally and in writing responses to discussion questions.

For the writing section, students will meet standards 1, 3, 4 by writing, and researching when necessary.

In the presentation section, students will meet standards 6, 7, 8, 9 by presenting and performing their scenes, acts, dialogues, and plays for their classmates.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Asimov, Isaac, Mysteries of Deep Space: Black Holes, Pulsars, and Quasars. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 1994.
Asimov discusses new things that have been discovered about the stars, neutron stars, quasars, and black holes. The book includes illustrations, and the explanations are readable.

_________________, Guide to Earth and Space. New York: Random House, 1991.
Every chapter answers a question that the author presents as the title of each chapter. Explanations are precise and easy to understand.

Bourne, Barbara, Exploring Space. New York, Morrow Junior Books, 1994.
This book provides activities for students who are interested in learning about space. The activities range from hands-on experiments to investigations.

Branley, Franklyn M., Black Holes, White Dwarfs and Superstars. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1976.
Branley describes black holes, white dwarfs, and superstars and then explains scientific theories about their origins and development. Illustrations enable the reader to visualize the explanations.

________________. Mysteries of the Universe. New York: Lodestar Books, E.P. Dutton, 1984.
The author explores how the universe began. He answers questions about the universe, including questions on pulsars, quasars, and black holes.

Clark, Andrew J.H. and David H., Aliens: Can We Make Contact With Extraterrestrial Intelligence? New York: Fromm International, 1999.
The authors give scientific answers about extraterrestrial civilizations and man’s attempts to find them. It is written for easy understanding and does not require specialized knowledge.

Couper, Heather and Henbest, Nigel, Black Holes. London: Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
These astronomers explain everything about black holes, and use colorful illustrations to help the reader better understand the concepts.

Ferguson, Kitty, Black Holes in Space Time. New York: Venture Books, 1991.
This is an easy-to-read book that explains why black holes exist. It traces a star from its birth to its death.

Fisher, David E., The Ideas of Einstein. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1980.
Although this book is 20 years old, the author carefully explains the concepts that Einstein worked on during his life.

Gribbin, John and Mary, Eyewitness Science and Time and Space. London: Dorling Kindersley, 1994.
These authors use illustrations and photographs to explain black holes, wormholes, and the relationships of space and time. It is easy for students to use.

Gutsch, William, The Search for Extraterrestrial Life. New York: Crown Publishers, 1991. This author explains how scientists continue to try to answer questions about life in space. He describes projects using radio signals that have been beamed to find out about "other worlds."

Lampton, Christopher, Black Holes and Other Secrets of the Universe. New York: Franklin Watts, 1980.
This book provides detailed explanations of black holes, their formation and their location in space.

Sheffield, Charles, Borderlands of Science. Riverdale, New York: Baen Publishing Enterprises, 1999.
The author defines the frontiers of today’s science. It is a good source for those who want to include real science in writing science fiction.

Sipiera, Paul P., Black Holes. New York: Children’s Press, 1997.
The author explains how a black hole forms, and where they are found in an easy-to-read format. The book also includes illustrations for better understanding.

 

RESOURCES ABOUT DRAMA

Cassady, Marsh, Characters In Action. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Meriwether Publishing, LTD., 1995.
The author uses 12 chapters to explain every step in the play writing process. She uses exercises, examples, and activities.

Mayer, Eric and Reed, Mary. "Worlds of the Mind, How to Write Science Fiction," Writing Magazine, April 1993.
These two authors provide careful explanations on how to write successful science fiction. It is easy for students to use and it provides many ides for getting started in the science fiction genre.

Scher, Anna and Verrall, Charles, Two Hundred Plus Ideas for Drama. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1992.
This book provides teachers with a variety of activities and exercises to use in drama and acting classes.

 

SCIENCE FICTION STORIES

Baxter, Stephen, "Moon Six," from Traces, Harper Collins, 1998.

Bradbury, Ray, "A Piece of Wood," adapted from Long After Midnight, Scholastic Scope, January 7, 1983, Vol.31, No.11.

___________ "All Summer in a Day," teleplay adapted by S. Murdock Donaldson, Scholastic Scope, January 7, 1983, Vol. 31, No.11.

Burstein, Michael, "The Quantum Teleporter,"Analog Magazine, February, 2000.

Niven, Larry, "At the Core," from Neutron Star, Del Rey Books, 1968.

___________, "For a Foggy Night," from N-Space, Tome Doherty Associates, 1990.

___________, "Neutron Star," from Neutron Star, Del Rey Books, 1968.

___________, "The Hole Man," from N-Space, Tom Doherty Associates, 1990.

Piper, H. Beam, "Time and Time Again," from Worlds of H. Beam Piper, edited by John F. Carr, Ace Books, 1983.

VIDEOS

Serling Rod, "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," 1990.

Wells, H.G. "The Time Machine." Loews Incorporated and Galaxy Films, Inc.

AUDIO TAPE

Bradbury, Ray, "Kaleidoscope," from The Illustrated Man. Produced at Brigham Young University Media Production Studios, 1984.