Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Consider examples of science fiction you have encountered in literature, cinema, or even the visual arts. What are 6-8 characteristic traits of science fiction? Why is this genre important?

Teaching Suggestion: Science fiction is a fictional genre that is typically characterized by an emphasis on the potential of scientific principles, discoveries, or technologies; works in this genre are often set in future worlds or societies. Before beginning this collection of stories, it may be helpful to discuss the history of science fiction with the class, tracing the genre from antiquity (e.g., Lucian’s A True Story) through the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Students who are fans of the genre may be able to contribute important authors and examples of science fiction to this discussion (e.g., authors such as Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Philip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin, and, of course, Isaac Asimov). As the mention of modern science fiction movies and series (e.g., the Matrix or Star Wars films, the Star Trek franchise) will likely arise, students might analyze these examples and point out how closely each one fits the 6-8 traits they listed in response to the prompt.