Language Arts, Writing, Writing Process

Grade 1- 3

Objective

The students will be able to write a science fiction story that contains a title, as many sentences as you require, and a conclusion.

Directions

Prewriting

1. Read a science fiction story to your class. Ask students what a science fiction story is. What are the things that make it a science fiction story? Science fiction is a story based on science where life as we know it has been dramatically changed. Sometimes it is the characters that have been altered (aliens, dinosaurs, etc.), or the setting (outer space, earth with different surroundings, the moon, etc.).
2. Brainstorm with your class a list of things that if scientifically changed would alter the way we live our lives. (What if our clocks stopped working? or everyone's skin turned green? or the sun stayed up night and day? etc.) Make a list of these changes on the chalkboard. Have each student select one change to write a science fiction story about.

1. Distribute copies of Science Fiction Outline to students. Have students answer the questions to prepare for writing their science fiction stories.
2. When students have finished the work sheet, have them write the drafts of their science fiction stories. Go over the criteria for the science fiction story (see objective above). Clarify with students the expectations for these stories.

1. When the stories are drafted, pair students up with a partner, and have students read each others' stories. Provide Science Fiction Peer Assessment for this purpose. Partners should check to make sure that all the criteria for the science fiction story have been met.
2. Following the peer editing, students should make any necessary changes and revisions before writing the final copies of the stories.

1. Students should type their drafts, using a word-processing program on the computer. Students could illustrate their final copies with a picture of a character or the scenery.
2. Use Science Fiction Teacher Assessment to evaluate the final copies of the science fiction stories.

Resources

• a science fiction story
• copies of the activity sheets: Science Fiction Outline, Science Fiction Peer Assessment, and Science Fiction Teacher Assessment for each student
• colored pencils or crayons