The Veldt

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. What genres are associated with writer Ray Bradbury? If you are not familiar with the author, have you heard of Fahrenheit 451? What might you already know about Bradbury’s ideas regarding our relationship with technology in the future?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might benefit from discussing these questions as a group or investigating resources like the ones below. For students who are familiar with Bradbury’s work, encourage them to consider whether Bradbury’s works have proved to be prophetic. If so, how?

• “Ray Bradbury, Who Brought Mars to Earth With a Lyrical Mastery, Dies at 91”—The author’s obituary in the New York Times chronicles his personal and professional achievements, particularly his contributions to the genre of science fiction. (Subscription may be needed to view.)
• “Fahrenheit 451 Trailer (2018)”—This 2-minute trailer for the 2018 adaptation of Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 can help build context for students and establish Bradbury’s continued relevance today.
• “Ray Bradbury”—This site from Bradbury’s literary agency provides a wealth of information about the author’s life and work.

2. What electronic device is society most dependent on? How often do you witness the use of this device throughout the day? What do you use it for? How would society be different without this technology?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might benefit from a “turn and talk” to answer these questions. In pairs, student A answers the questions while student B listens and asks follow-up or clarifying questions. After 2 minutes, students switch roles.

• “What If Smartphones Were Never Invented?”—This 8-minute video provides a brief history of the smartphone and discusses the benefits and harms the invention of the smartphone has elicited.

Personal Connection Prompt

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

Consider the role of science in our society. Do you think advances in science and technology have been mostly positive or mostly negative for society? Why?

Teaching Suggestion: It might be helpful to break this prompt into categories—space technology, medical technology, communication technology, etc. Encourage students to think about specific technologies when determining whether science and technology have been more beneficial than harmful.

• “15 Influential Inventions of the Past 50 Years”—This CNBC article might help students jumpstart their discussion about the benefits and drawbacks of technology.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with executive function challenges might benefit from using a Venn diagram to organize their ideas—one circle for “Only beneficial” technologies, the other circle for “Only harmful” technologies. Technologies that have been both beneficial and harmful should be listed in the middle. Completing a Venn diagram in advance might help facilitate discussion.