Create Your Own World
Students will create and share their own fantasy or science fiction setting for stories they will write or for a tabletop roleplaying game (such as Dungeons & Dragons) they will play.
Jeremy Smith, M.T., M.Ed.
Average rating:
4.7
Number of reviews:(193)
What's included
6 live meetings
5 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursAssessment
I will continuously assess student progress by asking them to share their ideas in class. During the last class, each student will give a formal presentation of their setting, and I will give written feedback.Class Experience
US Grade 6 - 9
Beginner - Intermediate Level
In this class, students will develop a setting for their own fantasy or science fiction stories. This setting could be for stories the student will write on their own, or it could be a setting for a tabletop roleplaying game such as Dungeons & Dragons. We will take a structured, purpose-driven approach to building settings for stories. We will build settings at three levels: world-as-a-whole, region, and locality. At each level, I will ask students a set of questions about their settings and encourage students to think about and discuss their answers for their settings. Throughout the class, I will encourage students to share their settings and ideas and provide supportive feedback to each other. During the last class, each student will have an opportunity to present their setting to the rest of the class. I will provide formal written feedback for each presentation and make suggestions for next steps for each student's settings.
Learning Goals
Students will learn how to create fantasy and science fiction settings for a story.
Syllabus
6 Lessons
over 2 WeeksLesson 1:
Introduction and Narrative Purpose
We will introduce the class and class expectations and discuss the golden rules of world building: 1) Have fun! and 2) Build with a purpose. The teacher will also share the presentation template for the final class. Students will then discuss and decide on what types of stories they would like to tell in their world. Finally, we will discuss the importance of world building for the world as a whole, for the region where stories are set, and for the locality where stories are set. 55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
World as a Whole
Students will develop the backdrop for their world as a whole. This includes deciding on the name that people in the world use for the world, how the physical laws in their world might be different from the physical laws in our world, whether the world has any large empires or other groups that affect people everywhere, how interconnected different parts of the world are, and whether any global events have happened recently. 55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Region
Students will develop the region of their world where their stories will be set. Students will decide on a name for their region, develop the region's geography, decide on important nations or groups for the region, identify the major beliefs and philosophies of the people in the region, and make a rough map of the region. 55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Locality (Part 1)
Students will begin to develop the locality where their stories will be set. The locality could be a kingdom, town, school, or other primary setting for stories. Students will decide on the name of their locality, important historical events for their locality, how their locality relates to the region around it, how words and languages sound in their locality, and on how their locality is governed. 55 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Supply List
A template will be provided for student presentations in the final class.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined December, 2019
4.7
193reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
My greatest experience in creating worlds has been through running tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons & Dragons, which I have been doing for about 35 years. I value imagination and creativity as things we need to lead fulfilling lives and to make our own world a better place to live in. Reviews
Live Group Course
$110
for 6 classes3x per week, 2 weeks
55 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-15
3-6 learners per class
