TIME: April - 25 October 99
1 Reading Red Mars
2 Grids: concerning plot/content and characterization of Maya; Frank; John
3 Basic knowledge (analysis of narrative prose; Mars: data and history of exploration; vocabulary)
4 Preparation of papers/presentations for the first plenary session
TIME: 1.5 weeks (25 October - 3 November 99)
1 Basic knowledge test
2 Science fiction - What and why? (course level)
3 First plenary session (all three courses; afternoon and early evening)
afternoon:
- general survey of the project: aims, methods, schedule
- papers and presentations on:
a. exploration and geography of Mars
b. novels about Mars
c. Robinson, Green Mars / Blue Mars (plot and basic aspects of content)
d. plans and visions about the colonization of Mars
- presentation of GHO(Gymnasium Haus Overbach) Mars library
- BBC-video: Future Fantastic: Colonizing the Red Planet
TIME: ca. 5 weeks (4 November - ca. 8 December 99)
course level:
1 Reconstruction of plot and basic aspects of content: Red Mars (Green Mars; Blue Mars)
2 Analysis of narrative techniques: Point(s) of view/narrative perspective(s)
3 Analysis of characters/character constellations:
-triangular relationship: Maya, John and Frank
-"minor" characters: Arkady, Nadia, Anne, Sax, Hiroko, Coyote, Michel etc.
4 Content: themes and leitmotifs; core passages
- terraforming: Reds vs Greens
- society: Martian autonomy vs external influences( the role of the UNOMA and the transnationals; the treaty; the space elevator etc.)
- the First100 as media stars of the 21st century
- longevity: the gerontology treatment
- escapism on Mars: the Hiroko theme/the hidden colony
- mythology: Martian creation myths
- areology/areography: geological and geographical aspects of Mars
- astronomy and meteorology
- technology: early beginnings at Underhill; vehicles; habitats; transponder roads; Windmill heaters; moholes; the space elevator; dirigibles; rocketry; propulsion systems
5 KLAUSUR (29 November and /or 8 December)
plenary (afternoon session; all three courses):
1 Presentation and discussion of basic results
2 Evaluation:
- Red Mars as a novel/ as a work of literature
- Red Mars as hard core science fiction
- interviews of K.S. Robinson
- reviews of Red Mars (mainly from the Internet)
3 Agreement on further course of project
TIME: ca. 3-4 (5-6) weeks (9 December 99 - 21 January 00)
LOGISTICS:
- group work
- main working hours: afternoons
- morning lessons: no work on project; reserved for coordination and homework for other subjects
- documentation of process: time-table must be presented in advance; project diary is obligatory and must be kept up to date
- intermediate (shorter) plenary session(s) might be necessary
- course teachers will selected group meetings
- presentation, discussion and evaluation of results/products (weekend seminar in the plenary: if possible from Friday afternoon to early Saturday afternoon; accommodation in the "INTERNAT"; 3rd week of January 2000)
- [February/March 2000: panel discussion in English with experts from Germany(KFA Jülich, DASA, DGLR) and the USA ( NASA; Mars Society; Dr. Zubrin?; K.S.Robinson?)
PROJECT SCENARIOS:
1. Restriction to the aspect of TERRAFORMING MARS, groups focus on different (mainly scientific) aspects of the terraforming process (e.g. biology; biotech/genetic engineering; chemistry; physics; ethics)
2. Widening of the perspective to the whole process of the COLONIZATION OF MARS
3. Comprehensive approach: Free choice from a wide range of themes (science and technology: terraforming; mining; propulsion; rocketry; space elevator etc.; social science: Martian society and external influences; ethics/religion: man playing God on Mars; creative focusing on both scientific and literary aspects, e.g.
creative tasks/literature and film:
- writing Martian poems/songs or a collection of poems/songs (e.g. concept album) on selected Martian themes or from specific perspectives( e.g. landscape poems on terraformed features of Mars; poems by parents of children born on Mars)
- writing short stories about specific aspects of life on Mars (e.g. continuing narrative strings of RED MARS, filling gaps)
- "and on the third day, Sax created ..." - writing a Martian version of GENESIS for the Martins of the distant future (creation myths)
- making film poems about terraforming (e.g. making use of computer animation)
- writing screenplay sequences for selected scenes from RED MARS ( and filming these scenes)
- writing and filming a fictitious discussion between Reds and Greens
- writing screenplays and filming short documentaries on the selected aspects of the colonization/terrafoming process
- writing screenplays and filming scenes for a daily soap dealing with life on Mars
- writing the diary of an early settler/colonist of Mars
- writing a newspaper column composed by an early Martin colonist for a "Terran" newspaper
- writing and designing advertisements and commercials about "holidays on Mars"
..........
creative tasks/science:
- designing a graduated plan for the terraforming of Mars
- designing maps depicting the process of the colonization/terraforming of Mars
-designing models of vehicles, rockets, technological equipment, towns etc.
- Martian weather reports
..........
creative tasks general:
- writing a fictitious constitution for Mars
- writing a "situation vacant" section of a newspaper advertising Martian jobs on Earth
- painting fictitious scenes of Martian life (e.g. landscape before, during and after terrafoming)
- report about the Mars Conference
- designing a project homepage