Workbook (4 parts, each = 10%, 40% of total grade)
Your Future Workbook will consist of four assignments based on materials you choose from lists on our course website. For these assignments, you will choose one from each of four different Content Options and one each of three different Format Options described below. By the end of the semester, you will have completed four assignments (one for each Content Option) in three different formats (one for each Format Option plus a fourth of your choice). However, you may NOT use the same Format Option for more than two Workbook assignments.

Content Options:
Choose one selection from the list for each of the following broad categories on our course website. It is up to you whether to choose selections you know nothing about or one you already know very well. Click on the links below for each list.

● Science Fiction: Either a Scifi book (any book on the Scifi list or one you clear with me ahead of time); or a group of Scifi Movies (each item on the Scifi movies list consists of 3 movies or roughly 6-8 hours of movie viewing); or part of a SciFi TV Series (any 6-8 episodes of an hour-long Scifi TV series or roughly 6-8 hours of TV viewing). If you choose the movie or TV series category but do not have access to a TV, VCR, or DVD player, I can make arrangements for you to watch your movie or TV series in the Honors Center on UHP equipment. You are also free to watch your movie or show with friends or others in the class, if you wish.

● Nonfiction: Either a nonfiction book (any book on the list of Nonfiction books from my office library, which I will loan to you for the semester, or a book you clear with me ahead of time); or The Futurist magazine(any issue which you may borrow from me for the semester, purchase online for yourself, or browse 8-10 articles from selected articles appearing online); or Wired online news/magazine (8-10 articles from any issue which you may browse free online or purchase in hard copy for yourself).

● Website: Browse as many pages as possible of any website on the list or one you clear with me ahead of time.

● Art or Music: Either listen to a music selection (any single piece of music on the list or one you clear with me ahead of time); or a visual art selection(any single work of visual art from a website on the list or from a book or website you clear with me ahead of time).

 Format Options:
Choose one of the following format options to use for each assignment you choose from the Content Options above. It is up to you to choose which format to employ for which content selection, as long as you use each of these options for at least one assignment.

Analytical Paper:
Write a fully developed analytical paper (5 pages minimum, maximum is whatever your topic requires) on your chosen content topic. Since this is a formal analytical paper, it must include: an introduction; supporting paragraphs; a conclusion; and correctly documented references in appropriate MLA format. Successful papers will focus their analyses by means of a strong, analytical thesis statement supported and explained using examples from your sources. As with any college paper, the more focused your paper is, the more effectively it is likely to make its point. Work to construct a fairly narrow topic that you develop in great depth. When developing ideas for your papers, remember that a topic is NOT a thesis! For each overarching topic, carve out your own individual, narrowly focused thesis statement that details and argues your specific position. This paper may be based on your own ideas or include additional secondary sources, but it must be a thesis-driven analysis rather than an informative paper, research paper, book report, or summary. If you feel it necessary to provide any summary of sources for the reader’s convenience, keep such summaries very brief (5-10 sentences on main points, plot or historical background). Because you are seniors, your paper should reflect serious thought and effort. Since it will be one of the last analytical papers you write for college, push yourself to go beyond the obvious and make an argument that truly matters to you. Your paper must include a bibliography of sources, presented in proper MLA style.

Creative Work:
This Format Option consists of two parts, a creative work and a short explanatory paper.

Part 1 – Creative Vision of the Future:
Using any medium you wish, create your own vision of the future that relates somehow to the Content Option you have chosen. You may write a short story (8 pages minimum), paint or draw a series of artworks or sculptures (1 large piece or 2 small pieces minimum), draw a comic book (6 pages minimum), write a long poem (10 pages minimum), compose and perform (or have performed) original music (minimum 5 minutes long), write an act or section of a play/screenplay (8 pages minimum). For example, you might choose to write a series of love letters between two people living on different planets, compose an epic song about the first settlement on Mars, draw a series of images of how Siberia might be transformed into a model Green community, etc. If you wish to complete another type of creative project, clear it with me before you start on it. While this project is based on a creative format, I expect you to incorporate solid, significant thought into your work. I hope you will be astounded by your own creativity; however, for you to earn a high score, I expect only that you make a sincere effort, not that the result be professional in quality.

Part 2 – Explanatory Paper:
Write a short paper (3 pages minimum) in which you explain the choices you made in your creative vision of the future. Further, I expect you to demonstrate that you are conscious of how other works (texts/films/television we have discussed in class as well as others you have read or seen) and ideas may influence your particular perspective. For example, let me know if you think your alien is more indebted to creatures in Aliens or Alf. Or, describe how your images of a future residential home were evoked by scenes in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. In your explanatory paper, also discuss any research or secondary source material you used in constructing your creative work. As part of your paper, include a bibliography of sources you consulted, presented in proper MLA style. Even if you do not consciously perform research for your creative expression, you have been influenced by other works in your past experience. Since no creative work ever comes totally out of your head without any background, any works that influenced your project must be cited. One point will be deducted automatically from your score if you omit the bibliography for the explanatory paper.

Worksheet
Complete all sections of the Worksheet for each Content Option that is stored on our course website under the Documents page.

 I know these various options may be confusing, so below are a couple of examples of how this might look in the end:

Example 1: You could choose to do Assignment 1 as a Creative Work on a Nonfiction book, Assignment 2 as a Worksheet on a Science Fiction TV series, Assignment 3 as an Analytical Paper on a Website, and Assignment 4 as a Creative Work on a piece of Music or Art. (All four Content Options and all three Format Options, plus one additional Creative Work.)

Example 2: You could choose to do Assignment 1 as a Worksheet on a piece of Music or Art, Assignment 2 as a Creative Work on a Science Fiction book, Assignment 3 as an Worksheet on a Nonfiction online magazine, and Assignment 4 as an Analytical paper on a Website. (All four Content Options and all three Format Options, plus one additional Worksheet.)

You may complete the four Workbook assignments in any order you wish and as quickly or as slowly in the semester as you wish, as long as all parts are completed by the final due date. However, you will turn in your Workbook once for a Progress Check before the final due date. This Progress Check will give you feedback for improving the work you have done up to that point, but will not earn points. Since you may complete Workbook assignments according to whatever works best for your schedule, you are free to complete all the required parts of the Workbook by the Progress Check and then spend your time improving on your work; or you may accomplish little work before the Progress Check and turn in most of your Workbook on the final due date. Just as the content and format of Workbook assignments is up to you to decide, it is up to you to determine when you want to complete these assignments and how much advantage you wish to take of the feedback opportunities offered by the Progress Check.