Speculative Literature:
Science Fiction II - Novels and Movies

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Instructor: Josh Shaine
3-12 students
Suggested Age Ranges: 13+
Meets: Mondays at 3:00pm ET, 15 weeks, starting January. 27th.

Course Description

What Science Fiction novels have you read that you think everybody else should read, too, if only so you have somebody to talk to about them?! What SF novels have you wanted to read, but just not gotten around to? The class will choose which books we will read during the term, then we'll explore them, with a different novel every two weeks

There have been some outstanding films that help illustrate the principles of Science Fiction - exploring what makes them exemplars can be a blast!.

“That movie was soooooooo bad! Gotta talk about it.” “Oh, but I thought it was great!”

Everybody has an opinion, but they don’t all agree. We will look at some movies, old and new, good and bad, to discuss them in terms of Science Fiction, as well as in terms of how movies work or don’t. I hope to cover a movie per week. 

Possible movies include 2001, Dark Star, Solaris, Back to the Future, Buckaroo Banzai, Jurassic Park, and many more. Some movies may be PG 13.

Description of final project options for students:

Students will craft a response to one or more of the works we have read, though it might be fiction rather than essay!

Outline

1. These are a few of my favorite books!
2. Book One
3. Movie One
4. Book Two
5. Movie Two
6. Book Three
7. Movie Three and Discussion of Final Project
8. Book Four
9. Movie Four
10. Book Five
11. Movie Five
12. Book Six
13. Movie Six
14. Book Seven
15. Final Projects

The students and I will share our creations, whether story, essay, art, or something else.

Register for Science Fiction II here!