AustLit

What if Martians are watching us and don’t like what they see?

What if a girl in a wheelchair, following mysterious lights, is thrown into a parallel universe?

What if a cult in remote Tasmania is hiding secrets about its genetic make-up?

Welcome to mind-expanding stories where asking ‘what if’ isn’t just fun, it’s mandatory. These are the worlds of Speculative Fiction.

Speculative fiction is a popular genre that can explore a wide range of issues. In this trail, you can:

• develop an understanding and appreciation of speculative fiction
• raise your awareness of who’s who and what’s what in Australian speculative fiction
• evaluate the opportunities that this genre offers to tell a range of stories about the lives of diverse people
• design your own speculative fiction story.

These lesson plans are based on an online exhibition exploring diversity in Australian speculative fiction, compiled and published by AustLit.

Before you delve too far into the lesson plans, take a short, guided tour of the exhibition so you’ll be able to find your way around.

Now explore the exhibition by yourself, and learn more about the world of speculative fiction.