Life As We Knew It

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Describe the ways in which individuals and society as a whole responded when the COVID-19 pandemic started. How did everyone attempt to “flatten the curve?” How were individuals’ day-to-day lives affected? How did people cope with these changes?

Teaching Suggestion: This question can pique students’ interest in the novel by prompting them to make connections between the plot and their prior knowledge of a catastrophic event. Consider sharing information or ideas based on one or both of the videos below to help students move the discussion into a more significant doomsday scenario like the one in the novel. To take it a step further, you can ask students to brainstorm what knowledge, skills, and supplies might be necessary for Survival. This can be accomplished through a class discussion or collaborative list making. For example, you could post big pieces of butcher paper around the room with “knowledge,” “skill,” and “supplies” written in large letters and have the students circulate around and add any ideas they think of that are not already there.

• This video of an Indonesian tsunami shows actual footage of the panic that ensued when a powerful tsunami struck the country.
• “What If All the Volcanoes Erupted on Earth at Once?” is a 4-minute video discussing a possible apocalyptic event and how to prepare for it.

2. Science fiction is often viewed as a spyglass that looks into the future because it pushes readers to explore the unknown. What are some examples of science fiction that you have read or watched? What aspects of science have been interwoven into fictional stories to help readers explore the unknown? How might these science-related scenarios encourage readers to consider the possibility of science fiction becoming reality?

Teaching Suggestion: If students need some scaffolding for this question, you might ask them why people are so attracted to reading these kinds of stories and what motivates authors to write them. Once students acknowledge that these stories can challenge assumptions by exploring what-ifs and either the far-out or close to home that could change our society for better or worse, you might then offer a specific example, such as the hysteria that was caused by the radio broadcast of the War of the Worlds in 1938. Consider sharing information from one or more of the videos below to build background knowledge on the genre or the War of the Worlds radio broadcast.

• “Fiction Book Genres: What Is Science Fiction” is a brief video by Molding Minds that defines science fiction and makes connections between how science fiction plots can connect to reality.
• “The Story Behind ‘War of the Worlds’” briefly explains the context and effect of the War of the Worlds radio broadcast. 

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Charles Darwin is said to have shared the idea that a species’ survival relies more on their adaptability and response to change rather than their strength or intelligence. Do you agree with this idea? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: This question could be posed as a bell ringer. Allowing a few minutes for thinking and writing independently can facilitate a more in-depth and quality class discussion. You can also consider facilitating a quiet discussion in which students trade papers and respond to their peers by beginning with “I agree with you because” or “I disagree with you because.”

Differentiation Suggestion: Consider asking students to share their own ideas about qualities they believe are most important for survival. Advanced learners can be challenged by independently writing a persuasive piece. Students who need more support can do a similar activity in small groups. Adding a requirement or option for illustrations can allow artistic students’ creativity to flow. You may also consider having students share or more formally present their work to facilitate a class discussion or debate.