This unit is designed and intended for use in the seventh and eighth grade classroom, as a vehicle for the teaching of both fiction writing and independent research skills. It uses the impact of rapid technological change as the context for teaching these lessons. Because of its heavy dependence on student research skills, this unit would probably not be appropriate for a younger audience, the exception being a very sophisticated learner with a love for the intellectual. Teachers of ninth and tenth grade writing, however, might find this unit useful and engaging, altering the lesson content slightly for their older learners.
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In the first phase of this unit, students must gain a basic understanding of technology. They must be exposed to the concept that technology always proceeds in a linear way, (at least at the individual level), and that scientists use what they know, drawing heavily on the basic laws of nature and ideas as well as current need areas in their respective fields, to launch forward with new ideas and discoveries. Students will select an area experiencing rapid technological advances, such as computer technology or biotechnology, that they want to explore, research that particular interest, and move forward with proposals and ideas which extend the current knowledge base in the chosen field to make predictions for the future. In my unit preparations I will use a study of cloning and genetic engineering to illustrate how this project might manifest itself in the classroom. Several other topics will be introduced to provide the teacher with ideas for other directions in student research.
After demonstrating information-finding skills, (some teachers might use the "Big Six" method), students will need to use creative thinking to form their ideas for projecting the next phase of development for their topic. At this juncture of the project, emphasis will be placed on creative thinking and the synthesis of ideas, along with writing skills, to perfect the final product. Although the emphasis for research is one of science and technology, this project does not require a strong science background on the part of the teacher or the learner. The emphasis of the final product will be a science fiction story, primarily based on the research and predictions generated in the first phase of this project. It is important for the teacher to emphasize this point, as one of the primary goals of this unit will be to demonstrate the strong relationship between careful research, sound analytical thought and good fiction writing.
