Term
Summer 2025
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAT
Facilitator(s)
Karen Moroz
Content Expert
Susan Marshall
Abstract
This project responds to a need for interdisciplinary approaches that merge literacy development with scientific inquiry, recognizing the challenges of engaging diverse learners in complex ecological and evolutionary content. Drawing from research in fiction-based learning (Wong et al., 2024), science fiction and science pedagogy (Bixler, 2007), role-playing games in education (Cheville, 2016), and culturally responsive teaching (Rodriguez & Morrison, 2019), the project aims to make science more accessible, inclusive, and relevant to students’ lived experiences. This capstone explores how science fiction novels, specifically The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, can be effectively integrated into a secondary science curriculum to enhance student engagement, critical thinking, and understanding of scientific concepts. The project takes the form of a paper-based learning cycle composed of four components: (1) a guided reading companion to support literacy and content discovery; (2) a role-playing game (RPG) simulating decision-making in a fictional ecosystem; (3) structured discussion and ethical reflection sessions; and (4) a summative assessment allowing for student choice in creative or analytical investigative projects. Students take on scientific roles and apply ecological principles to manage conservation challenges related to fictional kaiju species. Gameplay incorporates key disciplinary core ideas from the NGSS and 2019 Minnesota Science Standards, such as biodiversity, human environmental impact, and ecosystem dynamics. The project is designed for high school biology or environmental science classrooms, including those with diverse learners, multilingual students, or students with IEPs. The curriculum materials include both student-facing and teacher-facing resources, such as vocabulary support, rubrics, a game master’s guide, and pacing calendars. Assessment is conducted through mixed methods, including reading journals, performance tasks, group strategy sheets, and post-game reflections. This capstone demonstrates that integrating science fiction and role-play can promote equity, deepen student understanding, and empower learners to see themselves as scientists and decision-makers.
Project Type
Interdisciplinary learning activity
Keywords
Curriculum, Interdisciplinary Teaching, Literacy, Science
Recommended Citation
Roos, Luiza, "The Literary Games We Play: Science Fiction in the Teaching of Secondary Science" (2025). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 1142.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/1142
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects