In this episode of the Teaching ELA Podcast, I discuss one of my favorite science fiction stories, “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury. I’ve got an emergency “Veldt” lesson plan you can get on the board right now involving setting and conflict. If you’re going to teach one thing from this story that will make everything else easier or no longer necessary, teach students to cite textual evidence to analyze theme. I discuss that along with the elements of science fiction, cause and effect, conflict, and a Methods of Persuasion Advertising Project.
- Use a setting/conflict 2-column analysis chart if you need a lesson plan right now.
- If you’re going to teach one thing from this story, go with theme. It will naturally lead to the elements of Science Fiction and help you teach cause and effect and methods of persuasion.
- This story was written in the 1950s, long before virtual technology existed.
- Science Fiction isn’t just for nerds!
Show Links
- Science Fiction Lesson Plans Collection (4 teacher ready lesson plans you can use right now)
- “The Veldt” Lesson Plans at elacommoncorelessonplans.com
- Analyzing Conflict in “The Veldt” handout (Different from the one we talked about)
- “The Veldt” text
- “The Veldt” movie
