Project: Science Fiction Writing and Publishing

Step Description Expected Student Results
1 Week One: Students will write and revise a letter of introduction to their mentors. Introductory letters must have the following characteristics presented in a letter containing no spelling mistakes and no run on sentences or fragments:

1. Statement of introduction ( including description of family, community, and school)
2. Discussion of academic interests ( including explanation of motivation and reading habits)
3. Discussion of extracurricular interests (including sports, hobbies, collections, community service organizations)
4. Description of greatest individual accomplishment

Student will also research the following and share with mentor:
Find out more about the science fiction genre of books by research, and using The 5 W's to organize the information found. The 5 W's should answer each of these questions:
a) Who are some famous authors in your favorite genre?
b) What are some of the common themes/issues in that genre?
c) Where do some of the most famous stories take place?
d) When did the genre first become popular?
e) Why do you like to read this genre of books?


Mentor Role: Mentor will send student introductory letter describing personal interests and job responsibilities Mentors can explain job on "kid friendly level," but also share the job description and responsibilities that they have. Doing so will enable teacher and students to better understand the work the mentor has to do each day. This year I am focusing on helping students recognize the importance of setting goals and meeting responsibilities. Mentor will also share their personal 5 W's for Science Fiction wi.th student


Teacher Role: Teacher will share with mentors his job description and describe the gifted program students are involved in. Teacher will provide mentors with a weekly schedule and appropriate handouts so that communication among teacher, students, and mentors will be efficient. T

 introductory message
2 Week Two: In class we will be reading a variety of science fiction short storiers and seeking to identify the characteristics that make the form a powerful means of communicating ethics.

Objective: Student will research technology of today and then brainstorm what the technology might do as it develops in the future.

Student is also to choose and read a science fiction novel and analyze it for setting, characters, and plot. Student will share information with mentor.

Students will begin developing plot and characters for story.

Mentor Role: Mentors will help student research today's technology--perhaps something related to their work--and then how it could develop in the future. Mentor will also help student understand possible negative or positive effects of each technology.

Technology predictions
Plot of story
Character development
Setting

Rough analysis of science fiction novel
3 Week Three: Students will write rough draft of science fiction short story. Story will be less then 7000 words. Draft should include elements of Science Fiction including Evidence of advanced technology, future or past time setting, alternate location setting, aliens, strange powers, protagonist, antagonist, problem, and resolution. By Tuesday, students should have a basic outline with all of the above elements included. Student will share this with mentor. After receiving feedback from mentor, student will continue to work on rough draft of story.

Mentor will critique outline and help student develop story.
 Outline of story with all elements of science fiction.
Rough draft of story.
4 Week Four: Students will continue to edit story. Tuesday, all students will send their mentors second drafts of their narratives.

Student Role: Students send revisions of story during the week. Mentors and students may write and respond as often as they are able.

Mentor Role: Mentors will critique student writing and provide encouragement.
revised copy of narrative
5 Week Five: Students will compelete final draft of science fiction story. Student will share story with classmates for feedback.


Student Role: Students will complete the final draft and share it with classmates.

Mentor Role: Mentors will aid students in developing story ideas into final, polished products.

Completed science fiction story
6 Week Six: Students and mentors will begin searching for audiences for their personal narratives and their short fiction works.
Student Role: Students and mentors will use Internet search engines and other means to identify potential contests or online magazines where they may submit their work. The sources must be free or of low cost and must come from a reputable source. Students will be engaged in a unit of study designed to help them become effective users of Internet resources. They will learn quick techniques for spotting sites run by unscrupulous people. Mentors and students will identify at least ten sites on subjects of their own choosing and use the resources at http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webeval.htm to evaluate the sites for credibility.

Mentor Role: Mentors will assist students in distinguishing betwee reliable and unreliable sources.

identify outlets for writings
7 Week Ten: Students will have chosen their short stories, and narratives to submit for an audience.
Student Role: Students will send at least one piece to at least two different sources of publication. One of those sources may be a local contest. Students will send mentors a final, electronic copy of their creative writings.

Mentor Role: Mentor will aid student in submitting short story by helping student to send story in proper format.		 final submission of story
8 Student will complete analysis of science fiction novel.

Student will write letter of thank you to telementor.

Student will complete final survey

Mentor will send final correspondence to student.		 Analysis of novel
Thank you letter
Survey