LS & IS Week 2 Overview: Creating a Utopia

Learning Objectives

By the end of the week you will be able to:

• SLO1: Write an alternate ending to the sci-fi short story, "The Book of Martha" by Octavia Butler
• SLO2: Integrate experiences, potentialities, and points of view of others when creating your own utopian society

Instructional Materials 

You will read the following:

• Article: "Utopias in America"
• Article: "How to Think Like A Utopian"

Activity

Last week you read Octavia Butler's "The Book of Martha" and considered utopian ideas and experiences. This week, you will be asked to reflect on the story and your discussion questions to write your own ending to the story. Imagine that you have the same responsibility as Martha, what would you do differently? What big decision would you make?

You can choose to begin your story at any part of Butler's story. We don't need the beginning but start wherever you feel will make the most creative and powerful impact! Think about a technique, technology, or idea that will give rise to a new, utopian society. The story should be 2-3 pages but remember quality over quantity. The story should be long enough to include the following elements:

• • • The technique, technology, or idea that you have chosen to give rise to your new utopian society
    • The discussion of potential outcomes (positive and negative) to showcase your thought process (just as Martha did)
    • Description of what your utopia would look like
    • The utopian decision you are making with logic and explanation