jamie.gillette@fivetowns.

net

R2 Cli-Fi Short Story Discussions

Discussion Facilitators

For 11/30 “Time Capsule”, demo story discussion Ms. Gillette

12/2 Assembly during Red 2 class period

For 12/6 Read assigned story, role assignment

For 12/8 (ER) “Office of Climate Facts” AND

“Last Grand Tour of Albertine’s Watch”

For 12/10 “Monarch Blue” AND

“The Myth of Rain”

For 12/14 “Factory Air” AND

“For the Snake of Power”

For 12/16 Wrap-up: connections among stories and techniques, models of book reviews

For 12/20 Assessment over short stories

NO LATE DAYS - students who are absent for assigned presentation will be responsible for
assisting with a future discussion in order to earn assessment grade.

Discussion Facilitators:

Each group member takes one role and submits documentation of their efforts:

1.Facilitation director—creates detailed lesson plan meeting all the expectations, acts as
lead facilitator while also insuring that all group members have an active role in either
whole-class or small-group discussion in-person or online. (Submit lesson plan)

2.Reality researcher—reads/views 1+ science/technology article and 1+ video published in

2020 or 2021 related to climate issues within the story and assesses the effect of the
fictional portrayal compared to specific real-life situations. (Submit article/video
summaries + connections to situation/events in story)

3.Textual analyzer—completes ‘events vs. function’ worksheet to analyze 4-paragraph

passage in preparation for leading group discussion of this passage. (Submit worksheet)

4.4th group member = second textual analyzer w/worksheet

On assigned date, facilitate a 25-30 minute discussion about the assigned story. Begin
discussion with an ‘activator’ (initial starting point for discussion), ask open-ended questions
to focus on the effects of writing choices in focus passage(s), discuss links between climate
reality and the fictional story, and require participation from all students. Create any kind of
learning activities that promote understanding of use/effect of literary technique.

Individual work: 3.2 completion of role, 3.4 productive participation during other
discussions, 3.5 test prep discussion thread and 3.6 passage test at conclusion of unit based
on the stories you did NOT facilitate.

Group work: 3.3 group members will share the grade assessed for the first two criteria;
individuals will be assessed on third criteria based on digital and observational evidence.

Group Discussion Facilitation rubric

Speaking and Listening: Presentation (GROUP)

Prepare appropriate organization (including an ‘activator’), development, style, and substance for 25-30 minute formal
task; lesson including passage analysis and interdisciplinary links should use thoughtful sequence and create meaningful
exchange of ideas and participation from all students.

Exceeds Meets Partially meets Does not meet

Reading: Key Ideas and Details (GROUP)

Read story closely at all four layers (story, imagery, diction, and narrative structure) to determine what it explicitly says
and to make logical inferences; cite specific textual evidence to support conclusions drawn from the text; lead class to
detailed analysis of the impact of the author’s choices.

Exceeds Meets Partially meets Does not meet

Speaking and Listening: Comprehension + Collaboration (INDIVIDUAL)

Contribute actively to brainstorming, planning, generating content, direct instruction, and supportive assistance during
facilitated discussion by building on others' ideas and expressing your own clearly and persuasively.

Exceeds Meets Partially meets Does not meet

Cli-fi Short Story Lesson Plan TIPS:

1. Break up time into smaller chunks with specific goals + rotating leaders.

2. Move from general to more specific/detailed examination, focusing on

the four ‘layers’ (story, imagery, diction, narrative structure) and the
effect of author’s writing choices.

3. Facilitators should be active even during group time; divide up, circulate,
and support.

4. Choose activities that are fun and also meet stated objectives - tailor
your approach to opportunities presented by the story.

5. If it’s a good activity, don’t rush it if students don’t at first ‘bite’ at your
questions - pair them up to talk in smaller groups if getting whole-class
discussion going is difficult.

6. Deliberately get everyone to participate, not just the extroverts.

7. Ask follow-up questions to validate participants’ comments, push for deeper meaning.

8. I’ll give you a signal at 25 minutes in, and will stop you at 30 minutes.

____________________________________________________________________________

LESSON PLAN SUGGESTIONS

Activator — Visualization (5 minutes)

On scrap paper, create a visual of a memorable moment in the story. Share.

Activator — Highlight sentences in pairs (5 min)

Students in pairs to identify central sentence in the story; 3-4 share reasoning with group.

Activator — Save the Last Word for Me in pairs (6 minutes)

Student 1 identifies a passage of interest without revealing why. Student 2 comments on this
passage, then Student 1 adds insights. Repeat with passage identified by Student 2.

Climate reality link — Background info (10 minutes)

Provide a link to a recent article/video about climate issues referenced in text for consumption
and discussion. How does the author using current knowledge to a specific purpose?

Climate reality link — Setting study (5 minutes)

Determine how the specific setting and its link to climate change has affected individuals,
families, and government structures within the story.

Focus Passage — Wow Me With Your Prowess in teams (15 minutes)

Read passage aloud (1-2 minutes)

Number off within groups. For each question, confer among your group for provided time, then
the numbered group member stands to indicate response; 1st standing answers first. Points
awarded 1-4 based on accuracy/specificity, with no points for duplication. (Design questions to
yield a number of strong responses.) Sample questions:

1. Identify how this passage characterizes any of the people within it.

2. Identify how imagery (diction choice) in this passage is meant to affect the reader/story.

3. Link this passage to any other detail from the rest of the story.

Technique Focus — Symbolic concrete objects (5 minutes)

Identify concrete objects in the story that have possible larger symbolic meaning. Share.

Technique Focus — Character connections in pairs (5 minutes)

Identify character; how are they like or unlike you? What does author achieve by making them
respond the way they do to the situations they encounter? Would you make the same decision?

“Time capsule found on the dead planet” Lesson Plan

Facilitator — Ms. Gillette

RUBRIC:

Speaking and Listening: Presentation (GROUP)

Prepare appropriate organization (including an ‘activator’), development, style, and substance for
25-30 minute formal task; lesson including passage analysis and interdisciplinary links should use
thoughtful sequence and create meaningful exchange of ideas and participation from all students.

Reading: Key Ideas and Details (GROUP)

Read story closely at all four layers (story, imagery, diction, and narrative structure) to determine
what it explicitly says and to make logical inferences; cite specific textual evidence to support
conclusions drawn from the text; lead class to detailed analysis of the impact of the author’s choices.

Speaking and Listening: Comprehension + Collaboration (INDIVIDUAL)

Contribute actively to brainstorming, planning, generating content, direct instruction, and supportive
assistance during facilitated discussion by building on others' ideas and expressing your own clearly
and persuasively.

Room set up with students in groups of 3-4 Photocopies of “Time Capsule” + highlighters. Slide
with passage from story for projecting on white board

Activator 1 — Word Association (5 min)

What is a ‘time capsule’? What purpose does it serve? Who makes it and who discovers it?

Read Aloud “Time Capsule” (5 min)

Activator 2 — Highlight sentences (5 min)

Individuals identify powerful sentences and share with group. (EX: “In the third age, money
became a god,” or “If you had enough of it, it was said, you would be able to fly.”)

Technique Focus — Jigsaw (10 min)

With whole class, analyze effects of point of view (1st person). Then assign pairs or groups
layers to discuss: story, imagery, diction, narrative structure. (1 facilitator joins each group
to assist conversation.) Then report out to whole class

Climate Reality - Desertification article (10 min)

Provide link to article from BBC - discuss current droughts and relationship to story.

Focus Passage — White board annotations (Read passage 1 min; annotations 5 min)

What choices does Atwood made in writing this final paragraph?

Alternative Title? — in groups (2 min)

Each group to suggest alternative title for story. Would these titles capture the overall meaning?
(EX: Dead Planet, Prayer, Evolution)

Big insight — individual (3 minutes)

In a single sentence, capture the most important literary technique and what result the author
achieves with it. (EX: In the story “Time capsule found on the dead planet,” Atwood creates a
negative view of money through characterization and conflict in order to encourage the reader
to abandon the hollow pleasures of wealth in favor for valuing the natural landscape that has
not yet been so terribly ruined.)

 Cli-Fi Fiction Literature Circles

Read a work of cli-fi (a book containing some element of speculative fiction concerning a
future world impacted by climate change). If you finish one, you may ask to see if another
of the choices is available.

Assessments

1. Your 5 best sticky notes + a 6-word sentence summarizing your understanding of the
book. Make sure each includes page number and title of the book; they should
represent the beginning, middle, and end of the book.

Full credit = specificity of response, evidence of original insight beyond summary

of events, thoroughness.

2. A 300+ word review published @ goodreads.com, amazon.com, or CHRHS library

Assume your audience knows overall plot but isn’t sure about investing in reading

Provide context to your personal interest in the text

Assess how climate change affects characters and conflicts as well as the scientific
basis of these speculative elements and the effect on the reader

Identify a distinctive technique in the writing

Use at least one quote to represent author’s style

Make it interesting with your own individual voice

If preparing for the CHRHS Library, format in two columns so it can be folded lengthwise
into a tall bookmark.

DEADLINES

Fri 12/17 (W2) or Mon 12/20 (R2): Target for finishing book, Sticky notes due

Tues 12/21 (W2) or Wed 12/22 (R2): Complete draft Book Review

You’ll get feedback from peers for ways to improve your work.

Wed 1/5 (W2) or Thurs 1/6 (R2): Final draft Book Review

Based on feedback, revise and polish your review and publish either on AMAZON.COM,
GOODREADS.COM, or in the SCHOOL LIBRARY. Take a screenshot of the published
review and add to group Google Slide presentation.