Introduction to Course, OpenLab, & Science Fiction

• Futurama (S01E01: “Space Pilot 3000”) 
• “Science Fiction Framework” (handout)

Blog/Due

• Register for OpenLab account, join our course site, and familiarize yourself with its content and navigation (look at OpenLab Help to get started blogging)

Science Fiction: definitions, genre, history, & key terms
*Su 9/2: Last Day to drop without the grade of WD.*M 9/3: Course Withdrawal Drop Period Begins; A grade of WD is assigned to students who officially drop a class

• Review Course Materials: 1) Syllabus; 2) Course Outline (English Department) — at bottom of Syllabus page; 3) Blogging Grading Rubric / Expectations & Guidelines; 4) Assignments: Formatting, Guidelines, and Submission
• “The Elements of Story or Fiction” 

*The “Elements of Story or Fiction” is there to help you, if you need a review of what the components of fiction are. There are key terms, and examples, and you can read through every word if you find it helpful, or just skim if you already know this stuff.

Blog/Due

• “Introductions” post (due W 8/29)

Writing Workshop: active reading (annotation, asking questions, making notes, defining vocabulary, identifying claims/evidence)

• Watch “Le Voyage Dans La Lune” (“A Trip to the Moon”), Georges Méliès, 1902
• “Moon Express Raises 20m for 2017 Voyage to the Moon,” Sam Levin, January 7, 2017
• “The Machine Stops,” E.M. Forster, 1909

*Make sure to watch these exact versions (follow the links) to the texts, so we are literally all on the same page.

*Make sure you actively/close “read” this short film (“Voyage Dans La Lune”) the same way you would for a printed text (short story or novel). You should take notes as you watch the film, annotating it (looking up words you don’t know, taking notes, asking questions, noting down elements of fiction, writing down quotes–cited by the time (minute:second), making claims). Bring these notes to class with you, and come ready to discuss specifics of the film (including pieces of textual evidence).

*You must print these texts (the article and the short story), read/annotate them, & bring to class

Blog/Due

• SEE ABOVE

Writing Workshop: blogging & paragraph structure and development (topic sentences, transitions, claims, incorporating evidence & quotes)

• “The Machine Stops,” E.M. Forster, 1909 (continued)
  

Blog/Due

• Reading Response #1: The Machine Stops (categorize as “The Machine Stops”)
• Participate in our Class Discussion #1: Moon Tourism

*Su 9/16: Last day to drop a course without the grade of W; Withdrawal Drop period ends

*M 9/17: Course Withdrawal period begins; A grade of W is assigned to students who officially drop a course.

• “The Star” (H.G. Wells), 1897 [*bring printed, annotated PDF to class]

Blog/Due

• People’s Choice Posts #1: The Machine Stops (due: Tu 9/11 by 2:30pm)
  
• Class Discussion #2: The Machine Stops (due: initial comment by M 9/10 + at least one additional comment by W 9/12)
  
• Reading Response #2: The Star (categorize as “The Star”)

• Metropolis, Fritz Lang, 1927 (Restored version)–Watch for free through Kanopy, a digital streaming service provided free through City Tech (automatically available on campus or sign in with your City Tech barcode at home to watch)

Blog/Due

• Reading Response #3: Metropolis
• (Optional) Extra Credit Opportunity #1: Brooklyn Book Festival (attend on Su 9/16; blog by Tu 9/18)

*Remember to use specifics–minimum of three–from the text (film) in your response, transcribing the exact quote (or stating accurately the scene) and citing the movie by the time (hours:minutes:seconds).

•  “The Star” (continued)
• Metropolis (continued)

Blog/Due

• Class Discussion #3: The Star (due: initial comment by Sa 9/22 + at least one additional comment by M 9/24)
• People’s Choice Posts #2: The Star (due: Tu 9/25 by 12:00pm)
• People’s Choice Posts #3: Metropolis (due: Tu 9/25 by 12:00pm)

• Metropolis (continued)

Blog/Due

•  review film and notes on it
  

• “The Rise of Science Fiction from Pulp Mags to Cyberpunk” (Jeff VanderMeer)

*This is an online text, but I created a PDF so that we can literally all be on the same page when we discuss in class. Print this PDF and annotate, and bring with you to class.

Blog/Due

City Tech Science Fiction Fiction Collection, Visit #1

Introduction to the City Tech Science Fiction Collection

*Class Held in Library in the Archive Classroom, L543 (5^th floor of library): meet outside the 4^th floor library entrance, at 2:30pm

• City Tech Science Fiction Collection (short video)
• City Tech Science Fiction Collection (information on the City Tech Science Fiction OpenLab site)

Blog/Due

• The Rise of Science Fiction from Pulp Mags to Cyberpunk” (Jeff VanderMeer), continued
  
• City Tech Science Fiction Collection (materials and discussion), continued

Blog/Due

• Finish in-class handout/work from Th 10/4 on the Archive (come to class ready to present with your partner)
• Reading Response #4: Reflection on 1st visit to City Tech Science Fiction Collection
  

• “August  2026: There Will Come Soft Rains” (Ray Bradbury), 1950
• “There will Come Soft Rains,” (Sara Teasdale), 1920

Blog/Due

• Reading Response #5: There Will Come Soft Rains
  

• “The Last Question” (Isaac Asimov), 1956

Blog/Due

• Class Discussion #4: Apocalypse (due M 10/15)
  
• Class Discussion #5: AI (due M 10/15)
  
• People’s Choice #4: There Will Come Soft Rains (due: Tu 10/16 by 12:00pm)

•  Enjoy the archive 🙂
  

Blog/Due

•  Enjoy the archive 🙂
  

• Review “The Last Question” and bring to class for further discussion
• Review notes and readings for upcoming midterm exam

Blog/Due

• Reading Response #6: Reflection on 2nd visit to City Tech Science Fiction Collection (due Tu 10/23 by 2pm): categorize correctly

*This was your second visit to the Archive, and this time you more time to browse the collection at your leisure, follow your interests, and explore works at length. For this second reflection post, discuss this visit in as much detail as possible, so that readers can understand your particular experience in the archive. Feel free to describe impressions, emotions, experiences, thoughts, and to include images, photos, links, research. Why did you choose what you chose to explore? What drew / sustained your attention?  What stories or authors or themes or ads or question caught your eye? Did you spend the time looking through one text or try to browse as many as possible? What would you like to do if you had more time in the archive? What questions do you have? What do you want to know more about?

• (Optional) Extra Credit #2 Post: #whyIwrite for National Day of Writing (due Saturday, 10/20)

 Class Notes: Tyler

• Review notes and readings for upcoming midterm exam

Blog/Due

• Study for Midterm Exam + bring questions to class
• Work on Essay 1 + bring questions to class

*W 10/31: Faculty to inform students of midterm grades

**STUDENTS: Check in your OpenLab Gradebook for your midsemester grades

Blog/Due

• Study for Midterm Exam
  
• Work on Essay 1

Blog/Due

• Study for Midterm Exam
• Essay 1 (due today, start of class: submit to Dropbox before class and bring one printed copy to class)
  

*Course Withdrawal period ends; Last day to drop a course with a grade of W

• “The Image of Women in Science Fiction” (Joanna Russ), Vertex, 1974
  

Blog/Due

*M 11/12-M 11/19: WF period begins; A grade of WF is assigned to students who elect to withdraw from a class

• “Science Fiction’s Women Problem“ (Bronwyn Lovell), September 15, 2016
• Read “The Image of Women in Science Fiction” (if you haven’t already, for last class)

*Bring printed, annotated copies of both articles to class. For the Lovell, print using the “print” button near start of article, so we’re all literally on the same page (should print to be 8 pages).

Blog/Due

• Class Discussion #6: World-Building in Political Elections (at least two comments–with specifics/sources–due by start of class on Th 11/8)
  

•  The Handmaid’s Tale (“Offred,” Season 1, Episode 1, Hulu series)

Blog/Due

•  Reading Response #7: The Handmaid’s Tale
  

•  Westworld (“The Beginning,” Season 1 Episode 1, HBO series)
  

Blog/Due

•  Reading Response #8: Westworld
  

•  Westworld (continued)

Blog/Due

• People’s Choice #5: The Handmaid’s Tale (due: M 11/19)
• People’s Choice #6: Westworld (due: M 11/19)
• Class Discussion #7: What does it mean to be “human in Westworld” (due: 2 comments by Tu 11/20 by 2:30pm; 2 additional comments by M 11/26)
• Read Research Project assignment and begin work on it

*Class Held at the Science Fiction Symposium (A105, Academic Complex, aka the new building: meet there)

•  City Tech Science Fiction Symposium
  

Blog/Due

•  Work on Research Project
  

•  Westworld (continued)

Blog/Due

• Exploratory Research + First Draft of Proposals: Minimum of 2 paragraphs and four (annotated) sources. Post to our OpenLab course site as “Proposals, Drafts” & bring 3 printed copies to class.
  

In-Class Peer Review of Revised Proposals

*Individual Student Conferences w/Professor Belli (during office hours)

Blog/Due

• Additional Focused Research + Second Draft of (thoroughly revised) Proposals. Minimum of 2 (revised, more specific) paragraphs and 3 additional (new) annotated sources (7 sources total). Post to our OpenLab course site as “Revised Proposals” & bring 4 printed copies to class.

In-Class Research, Presentation, and Abstract Workshop

*Individual Student Conferences w/Professor Belli (during office hours)

*M 12/10: Last day to Withdraw with a WF grade

• Read Edward M. Lerner’s guest editorial, “Dyopic? Or Myopic?”
• Browse through the rest of the November/December 2018 issue of Analog (provided complimentary by the publisher at the City Tech Science Fiction Symposium)

Blog/Due

• Work on Research Project
  
• Class Discussion #8: “Dystopic? Or Myopic?” (due: two comments by W 12/5)

Blog/Due

• 2-3 minute “lightning presentation” (bring presentation file, notes, and questions to class)
• Work on Research Project
• Work on Final Course Reflection

Blog/Due

• Research Project (due Tu 12/18, by start of class, 2:30pm)
• Work on Final Course Reflection

In-Class Research Project Presentations

*Final Examinations

Blog/Due

• Final Course Reflection (due: Tu 12/20, by start of class, 2:30pm; submit to Dropbox as Word document, clearly labeled & bring printed copy to class)