ASoundofThunder

By:RayBradbury

Name:__________________________
Homeroom:____________

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NoSchool

1:IntrotoScience 2:IfYouCould
Fiction
TimeTravel...

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3:ASoundof
Thunder

4:ASoundof
Thunder

ThisPacketIsDueMondayOctober24

1:IntroductiontoScienceFiction
1.
2.

Icananalyzehowparticularelementsofastoryordramainteract(e.g.,howsettingshapesthe
charactersorplot)(RI.7.5)
Icanwritesciencefictionnarrativestousingeffectivetechnique,relevantdescriptivedetails,and
well-structuredeventsequences(RW.7.3)

DONOW:
Whenyouhearthetermsciencefiction,whatdoyouthinkof?

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SCIENCEFICTION
ClassDefinition:____________________________________________________
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Sciencefictionistheoneliteraturethatdealswithtoday'srealitythatprovidesabasis
fordiscussionandunderstandingofthecomplexeventsofourtime.Itopensdoorsfor
studentsdoorsintoallbranchesofknowledge-LloydBiggleJr.

WhyWereReadingScienceFiction

BytheendofthisunitIcan

TheScienceFictionGenre
Whatisagenre?

Howissciencefictiondifferentthanfantasy?

Whataresomecharacteristicsofsciencefictionsbooks?

ExcerptfromTheTimeMachinebyH.G.Wells
ThethingtheTimeTravellerheldinhishandwasaglitteringmetallicframework,scarcely
larger than a small clock, and very delicately made. There was ivory in it, and some
transparentcrystallinesubstance.AndnowI mustbeexplicit,forthisthatfollowsunlesshis
explanationistobeacceptedisanabsolutelyunaccountablething.Hetook oneofthesmall
octagonaltablesthatwerescattered abouttheroom, and setitinfrontofthefire,withtwo
legs on the rug. Onthistableheplaced themechanism.Then hedrewupachair, andsat
down.Theonlyotherobjectonthetablewasasmallshadedlamp,thebrightlightofwhich
fell upon the model. There were also perhaps a dozen candles about, two in brass
candlesticks upon the mantel and several in sconces, so that the room was brilliantly
illuminated. I sat in a low armchair nearest the fire, and I drew this forward soasto be
almostbetweentheTimeTravellerand the fireplace.Filbysatbehindhim,lookingoverhis
shoulder.TheMedicalManandtheProvincialMayorwatchedhiminprofilefromtheright,
the Psychologist from the left. The Very Young Man stood behind the Psychologist. We
were all on the alert. It appears incredible to me that any kind of trick, however subtly
conceived and however [skillfully] done, could have been played upon us under these
conditions.
TheTimeTravellerlookedatus,andthenatthemechanism.`Well?'saidthePsychologist.
`Thislittleaffair,'saidtheTimeTraveller,restinghiselbowsuponthetableandpressinghis
handstogetherabove theapparatus,`is onlyamodel.It ismyplanforamachinetotravel
through time. You will notice that it looks singularly askew, and that there is an odd
twinkling appearance aboutthis bar, asthoughit wasinsomeway unreal.'Hepointedto
thepartwithhisfinger.`Also,hereisonelittlewhitelever,andhereisanother.'
The Medical Man got up out ofhischairandpeeredintothething.`It'sbeautifullymade,'
he said `It took two years to make,' retorted the Time Traveller. Then, when we had all
imitated the action of the Medical Man, he said: `Now I want you clearly to understand

that this lever,beingpressedover,sendsthe machinegliding intothefuture, and this other

reversesthemotion. This saddlerepresents the seatof atimetraveller.PresentlyI amgoing
to press the lever, and off the machine will go. It will vanish, pass into future Time, and
disappear.Have agoodlook atthething.Lookatthetabletoo,andsatisfyyourselvesthere
isnotrickery.Idon'twanttowastethismodel,andthenbetoldI'maquack.'
There was a minute's pause perhaps. The Psychologist seemed about to speak to me, but
changed his mind. Then the Time Traveller putforthhisfingertowardsthelever.`No,'he
said suddenly. `Lend me your hand.' And turning to the Psychologist, he took that
individual's hand in his own and told him to put out his forefinger. So that it was the
PsychologisthimselfwhosentforththemodelTimeMachineonits[endless]voyage.Weall
saw the lever turn. I am absolutely certain there was no trickery. There was a breath of
wind, and the lamp flame jumped. One ofthecandles onthe mantelwasblownout, and
thelittlemachinesuddenlyswunground,becameindistinct,wasseenasaghostforasecond
perhaps, as an eddy offaintlyglitteringbrassandivory; and itwasgonevanished!Save
forthelampthetablewasbare.
Everyonewassilentforaminute.ThenFilbysaidhewasdamned.
ThePsychologist recovered fromhis stupor,andsuddenlylookedunderthetable.Atthatthe
Time Traveller laughed cheerfully.`Well?'hesaid, witha reminiscenceofthePsychologist.
Then,gettingup,hewenttothetobaccojaronthemantel,andwithhisbacktousbeganto
fillhispipe.
We staredateachother.`Lookhere,'saidthe MedicalMan,`areyouinearnestaboutthis?
Doyouseriouslybelievethatthatmachinehastravelledintotime?'
`Certainly,' said the Time Traveller, stooping to light a spill at the fire. Then he turned,
lightinghispipe,tolookatthePsychologist'sface.(ThePsychologist,toshowthathewasnot
unhinged, helpedhimselftoacigar and triedtolightituncut.)`Whatismore,Ihaveabig

machine nearly finished in there'he indicated the laboratory`and when that is put
togetherImeantohaveajourneyonmyownaccount.'
`Youmeantosaythatthatmachinehastravelledintothefuture?'saidFilby.
`IntothefutureorthepastIdon't,forcertain,knowwhich.'

TEXTDEPENDENTQUESTIONS
1.

Whyisthisbookconsideredtobesciencefiction?

2. Whatscientificprincipleortechnologydoestheexcerptreveal?

3. Howcanthisexcerptbecomparedtocontemporarytime?Inotherwords,wouldthis
stillbeconsideredsciencefictiontoday?

YOUWRITE!
Write the next chapter of the story! Describe what happens to the Time Traveller next.
Where does he go? Who does he meet? Use as much descriptive language as you can.
(minimum2paragraphs)

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2:IfYouHadATimeMachine...
Ifyouhadatimemachine
1.

Wherewouldyougo?

2. Towhichyearorperiodoftimewouldyoutravel?
3. Whowouldyouwanttomeetorwhateventwouldyouwanttowitness?Where
wouldyoufindthispersonorseethisevent?
4. Whywouldyouwanttomeetthispersonorwitnessthisevent?
5. Howmightyouchangehistory?

YourJob:
MakeaGoogleSlidespresentationansweringthefollowingquestions
Answereachquestiononitsownslide
Youshouldhaveatleast2-3bulletpointsforeachquestionandatleast1pictureper
slide
UploadyourpresentationtotheGoogleClassroom

3:DeterminingtheCentralIdea

1.
2.

IcandeterminethecentralideaofASoundofThunder(RL.7.2)
Icananalyzeinteractionsbetweenindividuals,events,andideasinASoundofThunder(RL.7.3)

3. Icanciteseveralpiecesoftext-basedevidencetosupportananalysis(RL.7.1)

DONOW:
Whathappenswhenyouleavethepathinyourlife?Howcanyouractionsaffectothers?
Canyouractionsimpactordestroythefutureinanyway?
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IMPORTANTVOCABULARY
1.

Primeval:Belongingtothefirstorearliestages;ancient

2. Revoke:totakesomethingback
3. Undulate:tomoveinawave-likemotion
4. Resilient:abletoreturntoitsoriginalshape
5. Expendable:Notneeded.Canbesacrificed.
6. Annihilate:todestroycompletely
7. Infinitesimal:sosmallitcan'tbemeasured
8. Sheathed:coveredbysomethingthatprotectsit
9. Taint:toaffectslightlywithsomethingbad

TextDependentQuestions

1.

UsethebubblemaptodescribeEckels.

2. Whatisthesettingofthisstory?(hint:therearetwo)

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*REMEMBER:SimilesandMetaphorsarebothCOMPARISONSbutsimilesuse
_____________or______________.

3.Findanexampleofasimileinthestory.(Thisshouldbeadirectquote)

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4.Findanexampleofametaphorinthestory.(Thisshouldbeadirectquote)

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5.Repeatedly,thetravelersarewarnedtostayonthepath?Whatcouldthepath
symbolize?

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6.HowdoesTimeSafariletthetravelersknowwhichdinosaurstoshoot?Whyisitokayto
shootthosedinosaursbutnotothers?

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4:UnderstandingCause&Effect
1.
2.

IcandeterminethecentralideaofASoundofThunder(RL.7.1)
Icananalyzeinteractionsbetweenindividuals,events,andideasinASoundofThunder(RL.7.3)

DONOW:
HowdoesTravisexplainthechainofcauseandeffectthathesayswouldoccurifahunter
accidentallykilledevenonemouse?Doyouthinkthismightreallybepossible?Explain.

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THEBUTTERFLYEFFECT
Definition:_________________________________________________________
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Today:_________________________________________________________
Tomorrow:
1.

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2. __________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________

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INDEPENDENTQUESTIONS
Howdidsteppingonthebutterflyimpactthefuture?
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Whatisthethemeofthestory?Remember,thethemeisthelessonormoralofthestory.
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Whatdoesthesoundofthundersymbolize?
A. ThesoundofEckelssteppingonthebutterfly
B. ThesoundofthegungoingoffastheyshottheT-Rex
C. ThesoundofagungoingoffasEckelsisshot

Whydoyouthinkthis?Useevidencefromthestory

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ALTERNATEENDINGS...
WriteanalternateendingtoORcontinuewritingtheshortstorywereadinclassthisweek.
Youhavealotofcreativefreedominwritingthisbutpleasejustmakesureitisgood
qualitywork.Itshouldbeatleast2paragraphslong.

Hereistheoriginalending:
Eckelsmoaned.Hedroppedtohisknees.Hescrabbledatthegoldenbutterflywithshaking
fingers."Can'twe,"hepleadedtotheworld,tohimself,totheofficials,totheMachine,"can't
wetakeitback,can'twemakeitaliveagain?Can'twestartover?Can'twe-"

Hedidnotmove.Eyesshut,hewaited,shivering.HeheardTravisbreatheloudintheroom;
heheardTravisshifthisrifle,clickthesafetycatch,andraisetheweapon.

Therewasasoundofthunder.

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