How to Use This Guide [cite: 4]
Start with Tier 1 words to understand the basics, then build up to higher tiers as we progress through the unit. [cite: 4] Use these terms in discussions and writing to show sophisticated thinking about science fiction! [cite: 5]
Start here-these help you access the texts [cite: 7]
Science Fiction Basics [cite: 8]
- Science fiction (sci-fi): Stories that imagine future technology and societies [cite: 9]
- Speculation: Making educated guesses about what might happen [cite: 10]
- Future narrative: Stories about what could happen in tomorrow's world [cite: 11, 12]
- Technology: Tools and machines that solve problems or change how we live [cite: 13]
- Society: How groups of people organize themselves and live together [cite: 14]
Time and Setting [cite: 15]
- Time period/Era: When something was created (1895, 1927, 2018) [cite: 16]
- Setting: Where and when a story takes place [cite: 17]
- Contemporary: From the same time period (contemporary to the author) [cite: 18, 20]
- Historical context: What was happening in the real world when something was written [cite: 19, 21]
Essential for discussing and writing about the texts [cite: 24]
Genre and Purpose [cite: 25]
- Social commentary: Using stories to point out problems in society [cite: 26]
- Allegory: A story that represents real-world issues through fictional situations [cite: 27]
- Satire: Using humor or exaggeration to criticize social problems [cite: 28]
- Dystopia: An imagined society where things have gone terribly wrong [cite: 29]
- Utopia: An imagined perfect society [cite: 30]
Narrative Elements [cite: 31]
- Protagonist: Main character (Time Traveler, T'Challa, Freder) [cite: 32]
- Perspective: Whose point of view we see the story from [cite: 33]
- Symbolism: When objects or characters represent bigger ideas [cite: 34]
- Theme: The big ideas or messages in a story [cite: 35]
- Conflict: The main problems or struggles in a story [cite: 36]
For understanding context and making connections [cite: 40]
Class and Power [cite: 41]
- Class system: How society is divided into groups with different levels of power [cite: 42]
- Elite: The small group of people with the most power and wealth [cite: 43]
- Working class: People who do physical labor for wages [cite: 44]
- Privilege: Advantages some people have that others don't [cite: 45]
- Inequality: When people don't have equal opportunities or treatment [cite: 46]
- Exploitation: Taking unfair advantage of people with less power [cite: 47]
Social Issues [cite: 48]
- Industrialization: When societies shift from farming to factory-based economies [cite: 49]
- Labor movement: Workers organizing to demand better treatment [cite: 50]
- Colonialism: When powerful countries take over and control other lands [cite: 51]
- Segregation: Keeping different groups of people apart [cite: 52]
- Systemic racism: When unfair treatment of racial groups is built into society's institutions [cite: 53]
Essential for understanding Afrofuturism and voice [cite: 58]
Representation and Voice [cite: 59]
- Representation: Who gets to be shown as heroes, leaders, or important in stories [cite: 60]
- Marginalized: Groups that have been pushed to the edges of society [cite: 61]
- Dominant narrative: The most common or accepted version of a story [cite: 62]
- Counter-narrative: A different version that challenges the dominant story [cite: 63]
- Cultural perspective: How your background shapes the way you see the world [cite: 64]
- Diaspora: Communities of people living outside their ancestral homeland [cite: 65]
Afrofuturism and Cultural Concepts [cite: 66]
- Afrofuturism: Art and literature that centers African and African diaspora experiences in visions of the future [cite: 67, 68, 69]
- Cultural identity: The sense of belonging to a particular cultural group [cite: 70]
- Tradition: Customs and beliefs passed down through generations [cite: 71, 72]
- Heritage: Cultural legacy inherited from previous generations [cite: 73]
- Indigenous knowledge: Traditional wisdom and ways of knowing from native peoples [cite: 74]
- Decolonization: Challenging and changing systems that come from colonialism [cite: 75]
For sophisticated thinking and writing [cite: 80]
Media and Cultural Criticism [cite: 81]
- Media literacy: The ability to analyze and evaluate media messages [cite: 82]
- Stereotype: Oversimplified ideas about a group of people [cite: 83]
- Representation matters: The idea that seeing yourself in stories affects how you view your possibilities [cite: 84]
- Cultural appropriation: Taking elements from a culture without permission or understanding [cite: 85]
- Authenticity: Being true to one's own culture and experiences [cite: 86]
Social Justice and Action [cite: 87]
- Activism: Taking action to bring about social or political change [cite: 88]
- Ally/Allyship: Supporting marginalized groups while recognizing your own privilege [cite: 89]
- Intersectionality: How different forms of discrimination overlap and affect people [cite: 90]
- Social responsibility: The duty to act for the benefit of society [cite: 91]
- Civic engagement: Participating in community and political life [cite: 92]
For complex analysis and transfer to real world [cite: 94]
Power and Politics [cite: 95]
- Systemic change: Changing the underlying structures of society [cite: 96]
- Reform vs. revolution: Gradual change vs. complete transformation [cite: 97]
- Power dynamics: How power flows between different groups [cite: 98]
- Institutional power: Power that comes from being part of official organizations [cite: 99]
- Grassroots movement: Change that starts with ordinary people [cite: 100, 102]
Future-Making and Vision [cite: 101]
- Speculative fiction: Literature that explores "what if" scenarios [cite: 103]
- Future literacy: The ability to think critically about possible futures [cite: 104]
- Scenario planning: Imagining different possible futures to prepare for them [cite: 105]
- Collective imagination: How communities together envision their future [cite: 106]
- Legacy: What you leave behind for future generations [cite: 107]