In our previous class, we discussed E.M. Forster’s “The Machines Stops” and I gave a lecture on SF working definitions and proto-SF. Write a summary of the reading and your notes so that you return to the text and your notes to help you remember this material. Copy-and-paste your summary into a comment made to this blog post.

Remember: If you miss a day and need notes from class, you should ask other students for a copy of their notes. Offering to exchange your own notes, or gifting pizza in exchange for notes will likely work in your favor. If you have questions about how to spell a name or what is an important date, refer to some of the links under Resources. And, of course, stop by my office hours to talk with me about the class or your final paper.

Write at least 250 words that summarizes H.G. Wells’ “The Star” and our lecture notes from today’s class about proto-science fiction (or proto-SF). Remember to save your work some place safe and then copy-and-paste it into a comment on this blog post. This weeks’ after class writing assignments (today’s and Wednesday’s) are both due before class next Monday.

I have received questions about the upcoming exam. We will have a brief review session during the class before the exam, but you should be practicing how to spell writers’ names and what their birth/death dates are. Same is true for lists. Mnemonics and other memory-enhancing strategies such as these are recommended.

Before class on Monday, Feb. 22, post a comment to this blog post of at least 250 words (feel free to exceed this word count but always aim for at least meeting it) that includes a summary of this reading and a summary of your lecture notes from class.

Remember to check out the Wikipedia entry for Frankenstein for additional background information and links to other resources focusing on the novel if you would like to learn more about it.

Be prepared to discuss H.G. Wells’ “The Star” in The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction on Monday. There will be lecture on proto-SF that follows after Frankenstein.

If you miss a class, be sure to talk with other classmates about borrowing/sharing your lecture notes. If you want to discuss readings or lecture with me, feel free to stop by during my office hours on Monday and Tuesday between 4:00-5:00PM, or by appointment in Namm 520.

Before our class next Wednesday, you will want to write a summary of our discussion from today’s class. It should be at least 250 words, and it should include a synopsis of the assigned chapters from Frankenstein and a discussion of today’s lecture. This reflective writing will help you remember our course content, and it can be an opportunity for you to demonstrate your understanding of course material by bridging your thoughts to what we are covering during class by sharing your informed opinion, independent research, links to relevant material, etc.

For our first after class summary, which is due before class on Wed, Feb. 17, write at least 250 words summarizing what you read through chapter 8 in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and class lecture. Focus on the important points instead of getting bogged down in the minutiae. Remember that these assignments are graded on best effort. Save your work some place safe and copy-and-paste your summary into a comment to this blog post.

During today’s class, you had a chance to write down some of your favorite examples of science fiction. Here’s your list:

• Robocop
• Man of Steel
• Gattaca
• Akira
• The X-Files
• The Fifth Element
• Stargate
• Avatar
• X-Men
• Warhammer 40,000
• Ultraman
• Mass Effect
• A.I.
• Alien vs. Predator
• Firefly
• Planet of the Apes
• Fringe
• Battletech
• Total Recall (old one)
• Crisis
• Terminator
• 12 Monkeys
• Diamond Age
• The Matrix
• The Giver
• Helix
• The Walking Dead
• Continuum
• Star Wars
• Halo
• Equilibrium
• Star Trek
• Transformersr
• Gundam
• Killjoys
• Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (tl;dr: 42)
• Power Rangers
• I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
• Exmahina
• Fallout
• Defiance
• Back to the Future
• The Flash (TV)
• Starship Troopers
• The Colony
• Phantoms (Koontz)
• TMNT
• Ghost in the Shell
• Blade Runner
• Dr. Who
• VR Troopers
• The Expanse
• Ghostbusters
• Ghosthunters