scienceFiction | course site and materials for Elisa Beshero-Bondar’s science fiction course

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en-US"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8">  <title>scienceFiction | course site and materials for Elisa Beshero-Bondar’s science fiction course</title> <meta name="generator" content="Jekyll v3.8.5" /> <meta property="og:title" content="scienceFiction" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" /> <meta name="description" content="course site and materials for Elisa Beshero-Bondar’s science fiction course" /> <meta property="og:description" content="course site and materials for Elisa Beshero-Bondar’s science fiction course" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://ebeshero.github.io/scienceFiction/" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://ebeshero.github.io/scienceFiction/" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="scienceFiction" /> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"@type":"WebSite","url":"https://ebeshero.github.io/scienceFiction/","headline":"scienceFiction","name":"scienceFiction","description":"course site and materials for Elisa Beshero-Bondar’s science fiction course","@context":"https://schema.org"}</script>  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="theme-color" content="#157878"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/scienceFiction/assets/css/style.css?v=0f4279a745ec32f6e5b249711ba6865b4ea4eaaf"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/scienceFiction/local.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/scienceFiction/subpage.css"> </head> <body> <section class="page-header page-header-subpages">  <h1 class="project-name"><a href="/scienceFiction/index.html" class="link-no-style">Science Fiction</a></h1> <h2 class="project-tagline">Fall 2019 course site and resources</h2> <a href="/scienceFiction/course.html" class="btn">Course description</a> <a href="/scienceFiction/index.html" class="btn">Syllabus</a> <a href="/scienceFiction/projects.html" class="btn">Projects</a> </section> <section class="main-content"> <p>Welcome to the course site for Science Fiction, taught by Elisa Beshero-Bondar, working with students at <a href="http://greensburg.pitt.edu">Pitt-Greensburg</a>. These pages will include the <a href="/scienceFiction/course.html">course description</a> and schedule (below), as well as <a href="/scienceFiction/projects.html">digital projects</a>.</p> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <section id="table"> <table> <tr> <th id="week-1">Week 1</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-08-27"> <td>T 8-27</td> <td><p>Welcome to the course! Intro to science fiction and H. G. Wells.</p> <p>Introduce <a href="project1.html">Project 1</a> and set up Hypothes.is accounts.</p> <p>Context:</p> <ul><li><a href="http://sounds.mercurytheatre.info/mercury/381030.mp3">Orson Welles’ Radio Broadcast, 1938</a></li> <li>During the 1930s actors Orson Welles and John Houseman presented a radio show, <q>The Mercury Theatre on the Air</q>. This show is remembered most for its October 30, 1938 broadcast of <q>The War of the Worlds</q> . Although listeners were cautioned that this was only a story, panic ensued across the country as people thought it was a real news broadcast and that the earth was being invaded by Martians.</li> <li><a href="http://bit.ly/2Lt2Pcr">Google Map of Locations in <i>War of the Worlds</i></a> </li> </ul></td> </tr> <tr id="2019-08-29"> <td>H 8-29</td> <td><p>Read H. G. Wells, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36/36-h/36-h.htm"><i>War of the Worlds</i>, Book I, Ch. I through Ch. VIII.</a>, pp. 41-68</p> <strong>Slides</strong>: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/ebbondar/the-war-of-the-worlds-and-alien-first-contact-in-sf">The War of the Worlds and Alien First Contact Scenarios</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/ebbondar/the-context-of-darwin-in-h-g-wells-the-war-of-the-worlds/ebbondar/the-context-of-darwin-in-h-g-wells-the-war-of-the-worlds">Darwin, H. G. Wells, and the War of Nature</a></li> </ul> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-2">Week 2</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-09-03"> <td>T 9-03</td> <td><p><a href="HGWellsManoftheYearMillion.pdf"><q>The Man of the Year Million</q></a>.</p><p><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36/36-h/36-h.htm"><i>War of the Worlds</i>, to the end of Book II Ch. III</a> (to p. 154).</p></td> </tr> <tr id="2019-09-05"> <td>H 9-05</td> <td><p>Finish <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36/36-h/36-h.htm"><i>War of the Worlds</i></a>.</p> <p>Finish Hypothes.is annotations for <a href="project1.html">Digital Project 1</a>.</p> <p>In class: introduce <a href="project2.html">Digital Project 2</a></p> <p>(Note: Add/drop period ends F 9-06.)</p></td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-3">Week 3</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-09-10"> <td>T 9-10</td> <td><p>Before class:</p> <ul> <li>Start Philip K. Dick, <i>Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?</i> Chs. 1-4 (to p. 47)</li> <li>Test sound recording technology for <a href="project2.html">Digital Project 2</a>.</li> </ul> <p>Context: <strong>Slides</strong>: <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/ebbondar/doandroidsdream">Background and Concepts in <i>Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?</i></a></p> <p> Introduce DADES Discussion Assignment on <a href="https://courseweb.pitt.edu">Courseweb </a> (counts in Quizzes portion of grade). </p> </td> </tr> <tr id="2019-09-12"> <td>H 9-12</td> <td><i>Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?</i> Chs. 5-13 (to p. 153)</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-4">Week 4</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-09-17"> <td>T 9-17</td> <td>Reading/online discussion day. Work on your own on <a href="project2.html">Digital Project 2</a> (due Tuesday 9/24). </td> </tr> <tr id="2019-09-19"> <td>H 9-19</td> <td><p>In class: discuss ending of <i>Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?</i>. Post last contributions to online threaded discussions.</p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZbXA4lyCtqpOurhK3_v7BJLXyCFmYzKH">Clips from <i>Blade Runner</i> (1982)</a></p></td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-5">Week 5</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-09-24"> <td>T 9-24</td> <td><p>For class: Read Alan Moore, <i>Watchmen</i>, to the end of Ch. III (including the prose segments at the ends of the chapters)</p> <p>Intro slides on <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/ebbondar/watchmen-by-alan-moore-introduction-and-context">Watchmen and the history of comics and graphic novels</a></p> <p>By 11:59pm: Complete, export and submit <a href="project2.html">Digital Project 2</a> (as mp3 file)</p> </td> </tr> <tr id="2019-09-26"> <td>H 9-26</td> <td> <p><i>Watchmen</i>, to the end of Ch. VI</p> <ul><li>Kitty Genovese and Bystander Syndrome: Context reading: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/27/37-who-saw-murder-didnt-call-the-police.html?_r=0">"37 Who Saw Murder Didn't Call the Police"</a> *New York Times* article, 27 March 1964 </li> <li>Friedrich Nietzsche Context (short video): <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxiKqA-u8y4">Friedrich Nietzsche on the Superman</a> </li> <li> Context reading: <a href="http://praxeology.net/zara.htm">translated passages from Nietzsche's *Also Sprach Zarathustra*</a> </li> </ul> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-6">Week 6</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-01"> <td>T 10-01</td> <td><p><i>Watchmen</i> through Chapter IX.</p> <p>In class: <a href="watchmenExercise.html">Watchmen Analysis Exercise</a> </p> </td> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-03"> <td>H 10-03</td> <td><p>Finish <i>Watchmen</i>. </p> <p><a href="watchmenExercise2.html">Watchmen: “in the final analysis”</a></p> <p>Context Slides: <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/secret/wfjlnA4jwE8HBr">Alien Invasions, Pulp Comics, and <i>Watchmen</i></a></p> <p>Start Margaret Atwood, <i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> Chs. I - III (to p. 40)</p> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-7">Week 7</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-08"> <td>T 10-08</td> <td> <p><i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> Chs. IV - VII (to p. 106)</p> <p>Context Slides: <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/ebbondar/handmaidstale-80987622">The Handmaid’s Tale</a></p> <p>Digital Project 3 due.</p> </td> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-10"> <td>H 10-10</td> <td><i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> Chs. VIII - X (to p. 188)</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-8">Week 8</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-15"> <td>T 10-15</td> <td><i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> Chs. XI- XII (to p. 255). Introduce <a href="project4.html">Digital Project 4</a>.</td> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-17"> <td>H 10-17</td> <td><p>Finish <i>The Handmaid’s Tale</i> including the <q>Historical Notes</q>, which actually conclude the novel.</p> <p><strong><a href="MidtermExam2019.html">Initiate take-home Midterm exam.</a></strong></p> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-9">Week 9</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-22"> <td>T 10-22</td> <td><p>Octavia Butler, <i>Lilith’s Brood: Dawn</i>, Part I, pp. 5 - 44.</p> <p>Watch together: Star Trek Season 5 Episode 3: <q>Darmok</q>.</p> <p><strong>Take-home Midterm Exam due by 11:59pm</strong>.</p> </td> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-24"> <td>H 10-24</td> <td><p><i>Lilith’s Brood: Dawn</i>, Part II just up to p. 112.</p> <p>Context Slides: <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/ebbondar/octavia-butler-sf-liliths-brood">Octavia Butler, Science Fiction, and <i>Lilith's Brood</i></a></p> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-10">Week 10</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-29"> <td>T 10-29</td> <td><i>Lilith’s Brood: Adulthood Rites</i>: Part II (<q>Phoenix</q>) through Ch. 9 (pp. 313-417)</td> </tr> <tr id="2019-10-31"> <td>H 10-31</td> <td>Finish <i>Lilith’s Brood: Adulthood Rites</i> (pp. 421-477) + last two chapters of <i>Lilith’s Brood: Imago</i>, pp. 741-746.</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-11">Week 11</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-11-05"> <td>T 11-05</td> <td>Digital Project 4: Complete Kumu network visualizations and make sure all links are recorded and updated. </td> </tr> <tr id="2019-11-07"> <td>H 11-07</td> <td><p>Start Neal Stephenson, <i>Snow Crash</i>, Chs. 1-8.</p> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-12">Week 12</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-11-12"> <td>T 11-12</td> <td> <p>**Reading Day** (no class meeting). Continue reading <i>Snow Crash</i>, Chs. 9-20</p> <p>Digital Project 4 Essay due (by 11:59pm) on Courseweb.</p> </td> </tr> <tr id="2019-11-14"> <td>H 11-14</td> <td><i>Snow Crash</i>, Chs. 21-35. <a href="SnowCrashHandout.pdf">Dr. B’s Guide to Human-Computer Fusions in <i>Snow Crash</i></a> </td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-13">Week 13</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-11-19"> <td>T 11-19</td> <td><i>Snow Crash</i>, Chs. 36-45. <a href="project5.html">Introduce Digital Project 5</a>. </td> </tr> <tr id="2019-11-21"> <td>H 11-21</td> <td><p><i>Snow Crash</i>, Chs. 46-56.</p> <p>Start <a href="gamePlayExercise.html">indie science fiction game analysis</a> via <a href="https://itch.io">https://itch.io</a>.</p></td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-14">Week 14:</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-11-26"> <td>T 11-26 - H 11/28</td> <td><b>Thanksgiving break</b></td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th id="week-15">Week 15</th> <th /> </tr> <tr id="2019-12-03"> <td>T 12-03</td> <td><p>Finish <i>Snow Crash</i>.</p> <p>Games as SF narration and world development: Work on and share <a href="gamePlayExercise.html">indie science fiction game analysis</a></p></td> </tr> <tr id="2019-12-05"> <td>H 12-05</td> <td>Last day: Conclude <a href="gamePlayExercise.html">class exercise on indie science fiction game analysis</a>. Finish visualization for <a href="project5.html">Digital Project 5</a>. Initiate <a href="FinalExam2019.html">Optional Take-Home Final Exam</a>.</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr><th>Finals Week</th></tr> <tr><td></td><td><ol> <li><a href="project5.html">Digital Project 5</a>: complete essays with linked visualizations and Google Sheets due on M 12/09 by 11:59pm.</li> <li><a href="FinalExam2019.html">Optional Final Exam: due on <b>H 12/12 by 11:59pm</b></a>.</li></ol></td></tr> </table> </section> <footer class="site-footer"> <span class="site-footer-owner"><a href="https://github.com/ebeshero/scienceFiction">scienceFiction</a> is maintained by <a href="https://github.com/ebeshero">ebeshero</a>.</span> <span class="site-footer-credits">This page was generated by <a href="https://pages.github.com">GitHub Pages</a>.</span> </footer> </section> </body> </html>

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scienceFiction | course site and materials for Elisa Beshero-Bondar’s science fiction course