Teachers can capitalize on children's interest in recent science fiction movies by using books based on the films in their classrooms. Books taken from "E. T.,""Star Wars,""The Empire Strikes Back," and "The Wrath of Khan" are summarized, and learning activities to be used in conjunction with the books are suggested. (PP)

In today's rapidly changing world, science fiction can provide a bridge and a stimulus to the imagination of children. Provides an annotated bibliography of 25 science fiction titles for grades 1-3, 4-6, and 7-9. Suggests classroom applications including individual assignments, group discussion topics, and other activities. (LZ)

Presents a futuristic short story written by a high school student with cerebral palsy who used a DragonDictate voice-activated computer system to write the story, which was awarded the Indiana State Champion Prize in the Future Problem Solving Writers Contest. (LRW)

The best CD-ROMs for young people about space and flight exploit the promise of hypermedia to create informative simulations. This article provides an annotated bibliography of CD-ROMs on astronomy and flight for K-12 students; suggests book and Internet connections; and highlights poetry for astronomers, science fiction, a biography of Charles…

Tools for teaching students how to question intelligently are badly needed. Science fiction provides many such tools in a variety of subjects by stimulating the imagination and thus motivating students to learn. Such vehicles are available at all grade levels. From Mark Twain and H.G. Wells to Anne McCaffrey and Isaac Asimov, novels and short…

The use of science fiction can be a valuable tool for constructing a highly mental schema in a learner on which to build new learning, to stimulate creative problem solving, and to generate the flexibility needed for adjusting to a rapidly changing, progressively technological society. By using science fiction in a science class, a science teacher…

General semantics and science fiction are disciplines that can be incorporated in lectures for public speaking and other speech communication classes. Alfred Korzybski's theories of general semantics lend themselves to researching, preparing, delivering interpersonal communication messages, and establishing student interest in foreign languages,…

A committee comprised of children's book specialists from school and public libraries and a bookseller examined books published from November 1984 through November 1985, and compiled this annotated bibliography of picture books, fiction, and nonfiction. The bibliography is arranged by age group and categories, among which are picture stories for…

A rationale and suggestions for teaching 12th grade sociology using Ray Bradbury's novel "The Martian Chronicles" are presented. The conceptual material found in a high school sociology textbook is not always exciting and stimulating to read, but with a science fiction work that supplements this conceptual material, the motivation for learning can…

The six papers in this journal issue were presented at the 1977 spring meeting of the Missouri Association of Teachers of English, the theme of which was "Tradition and the Popular Arts." The papers deal with suggestions for texts and equipment for a film-production course; formal writing in the language arts curriculum; the teaching of a…

An introduction to the study of the future for secondary social studies and English classes is presented in this teaching guide. The primary purpose is to help students understand the nature of change in modern society, identify impending changes, order their priorities, and clarify their values. Built around key concepts, problems, and issues…

This teacher resource handbook provides a guide to science fiction books and themes for developing a secondary or university course on science fiction literature. The first section defines and examines the origin and reputation of science fiction writing. Section two provides a history of science fiction literature, including short biographies of…

Building on collaborative work between the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute and the Lawrence Hall of Science, this curriculum takes advantage of humans' fascination with extraterrestrials to catalyze the study of the solar system and beyond. The unit begins when students attempt to decode a fictitious message from outer…

Discusses two paperback books, "The Malacia Tapestry" and "The Shattered Chain," that are written with a junk-fiction formula yet have serious themes. Contends that teachers may find the books useful in motivating thoughtful nonreaders. (FL)

Criticizes astrology and uses student interest to help encouraging critical thinking and the scientific method. Provides some thought-provoking questions, three activities, and resource materials and a list of astronomy organizations. (YP)