A minicourse offered during a college intersession explored the essence of futuristic thinking through science fiction literature. Reading assignments, guests speakers, films, and simulations used in the course are described. (KM)

A science fiction approach is used to explore some unusual properties associated with the concept of infinity. (MP)

Describes a one-quarter seminar course in modern physics through science fiction. Presents the course format, subject matter, reading assignments, writing assignments, and student response. (GS)

Presents activities dealing with components of literature, literary devices, and persuasive material. (DD)

A science fiction story humorously relates the discovery of human computational abilities in an age when computers are believed to be the only means of solving number problems. (AV)

Profiles Gloria Skurzynski, author of more than two dozen books for children and young adults. Outlines her career and discusses some of her books: novels, mysteries, science fiction, and nonfiction. Provides an annotated bibliography of seven of her books and suggests class activities in survival, research, language arts, interviewing, science,…

Presents an interview with Greg Bear and David Brin, two science fiction writers who started Reading for the Future, an international project geared toward secondary school students that shows teachers and librarians how science fiction inspires young readers. Discusses programs that have come out of this group; standards for books geared toward…

Includes two articles that discuss science fiction and future possibilities in information technology: "'Jurassic Park' and Al Jolson: Thinking about the Information Revolution" (Connie Willis) and "The Good and the Bad: Outlines of Tomorrow" (David Brin). (LRW)

Introduces a new column written for the one-computer classroom and offers several perspectives for connecting software applications to trade book reading. Describes eight software packages for extending and enhancing students' reading of different genres: fairy tales, realistic fiction, science fiction, and biography and historical fiction in…

Suggests English teachers might draw from authors such as Carl Sagan, Arthur C. Clarke, Mary Shelly and others: (1) to knock down the walls that separate science and literature; (2) to show their interrelationship; and (3) to instill enthusiasm for the study of both. (NH)

This article discusses the results of a mainly qualitative study into possible impacts of recent controversial socio-scientific issues on a group of Portuguese secondary school students regarding their conceptions about scientists. The 86 participants: (1) answered a questionnaire with open-ended questions; and (2) wrote a science fiction story…

For the student of American politics as well as for the student of Brazilian literature and culture, a close reading of a 70-year old Brazilian science fiction novel could provide some insights into the ongoing presidential campaign in the United States. In 1925, one of Brazil's most popular writers, Jose Bento Monteiro Lobato, wrote a novel…

An English professor used science fiction to introduce his students to a range of questions about alternative sexualities. While a course proposal for a science fiction class being taught as a "diversity offering" with an emphasis on gender and sexual orientation was working its way through the bureaucracy at Pennsylvania State…

The use of science fiction in the classroom to clarify environmental or ecological values is discussed in this article. Science fiction was chosen due to its universal appeal and application. Students read and analyzed a story and were then required to take a position and to defend it. (MA)

Science fiction provides three major areas for providing an innovative technique for teaching social sciences: 1) concern with the future; 2) flexibility in dealing with ideas: and 3) interest and readability. A selected bibliography provides resources which correspond to topical concerns of social studies. (Author/JR)