Course Outlines and Teaching Tools

These sample courses cover a variety of the most popular and most important science fiction texts. They include full syllabi, sample discussion questions, and course outlines. Some focus on a single book or series, while others incorporate a variety of texts.

• Science Fiction Studies (Online College Course)
  from the University of Kansas
  • Course Outline
  • Lesson 1: In the Beginning
  • Lesson 2: Toward Verne: 1800-1885
  • Lesson 3: The Birth of the Mass Magazines: 1885-1911
  • Lesson 4: The Rise of the Pulps: 1911 - 1926
  • Lesson 5: Scientifiction: 1926 - 1938
  • Lesson 6: John W. Campbell's Astounding: 1938 - 1950
  • Lesson 7: Alternate Worlds: 1950 - 1965
  • Lesson 8: The New Wave: 1965 - 1978
  • Lesson 9: Modern Voices: 1978 - 2006
  • Lesson 10: The Shape of Things to Come
  
  
• A Sample High School Science Fiction Course
  from Mary Rose-Shaffer
  (some of these documents open in a new browser window)
  • Introduction-How to Use these Documents
  • Sample Course Proposal (rtf)
  • Sample Syllabus with Rationale (rtf)
  • Course Matrix (rtf)
  
  
• A Sample High School SF Curriculum Map
  from Jeanne Murray
  (some of these documents open in a new browser window)
  • Curriculum Map with Readings and Goals (pdf)
  
  
• Teaching H.G. Wells' The Time Machine
  from James Van Pelt
  • Biography of H.G. Wells
  • Chapter-by-Chapter Study Guide
  • Discussion and Writing Topics
  • Literature Lessons
  • Social Studies and The Time Machine
  • Vocabulary in The Time Machine
  
  
• Teaching Robert Heinlein's Have Space Suit--Will Travel
  from World Space Week
  • World Space Week's Heinlein Teaching Kit (pdf)
    Designed for use in conjunction with World Space Week, October 4-10 annually.
  
  
• Teaching J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings
  from Jim Schiavoni
  (some of these documents open in a new browser window)
  • Introduction by Prof. Jim Schiavoni
  • Sample Course Syllabus (rtf)
  • Questions using Various Literary Interpretive Methods (Historical, Marxist, Feminist, etc.) (rtf)
  • Gifts of Galadriel handout (more interpretive examples using one scene) (rtf)
  • Research Paper Assignment (rtf)
  • Partial Research Paper Sample with Sources (rtf)
  
  
• Science Fiction in Twentieth Century Literature
  from Mike Page
  (some of these documents open in a new browser window)
  • Introduction by Prof. Mike Page
  • Sample Course Syllabus (rtf)
  • Sample Assignments (rtf)
  
  
• Science Fiction of the Nineteenth Century
  from Nathaniel Williams
  (some of these documents open in a new browser window)
  • Sample Course Syllabus (pdf)
  • Sample Essay 1 (pdf)
  • Sample Essay 2 (pdf)
  • Sample Essay 3 (pdf)
  • Potential Final Exam Questions (pdf)
  • Study Guide for Scholarly Article (pdf)
  
  
• A 200-Level College Science Fiction Course with Sample Assignments
  from Richard Levesque
  (some of these documents open in a new browser window)
  • Sample Course Syllabus (pdf)
  • Sample Essay 1 (pdf)
  • Sample Essay 2 (pdf)
  • Sample Essay 3 (pdf)
  • Two Extra Credit Essays (pdf)
  • Some Definitions of SF handout** (pdf)

  We're actively seeking out new lessons to add to our library. To submit your own lesson, click here.