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125 pages 4 hours read

The Martian Chronicles

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1950

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Activities

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Silent Debate: Bradbury—Pessimist or Realist?”

In this activity, students will evaluate the text’s views on humanity by engaging in a silent debate.

The characterization of humanity in The Martian Chronicles is bleak. Is Bradbury too pessimistic about humans, or is he simply being realistic? In this activity, you will use evidence from the text to argue both sides of the issue.

The Debate

1. Your teacher will assign you to begin with either the “pessimistic” or the “realistic” argument. Put your name on a blank sheet of paper and then write “Bradbury is being ________ [‘pessimistic’ or ‘realistic’]” at the top.

2. Underneath this, offer a piece of evidence from the text and write a warrant connecting your evidence to your argument.

3. Pass the sheet of paper in the direction your teacher tells you to—everyone will end up with someone else’s sheet of paper.

4. Read the argument. Respond with a counter-argument, textual evidence, and warrant.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4. Make sure that you read the whole argument each time so that you do not repeat any arguments or evidence. Your response each time is to the newest argument on the page.

The Evaluation

1. When you get your own paper back, read the entire argument it contains.

2. Put a star by the three best arguments. In the margin, explain why these three arguments are persuasive. These three arguments do not all have to support the same side of the debate.

Teaching Suggestion: The silent debate allows for more equal participation and prevents more confident students from dominating the conversation. Decide in advance how you will have students pass papers so that each time students receive arguments they have not yet responded to. You will also want to decide in advance how many times students will pass the papers and respond.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with attentional and organizational differences, as well as those with anxiety and related conditions, may need more time to come up with arguments. You might wish to give these students time to practice a few arguments ahead of the activity. Alternatively, this activity can be set up in an online classroom using shared documents or a threaded chat, and students can be allowed much longer periods to write their arguments. These studentsas well as English language learners and those with conditions impacting reading fluencymay also benefit from some preparation time in advance of this assignment to compile evidence.

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