AI is moving fast enough that students already have strong opinions about it. This assignment gives them a framework for thinking about those opinions rigorously — and science fiction turns out to be a surprisingly precise tool for that. The task: choose an SF text that imagines a technology — robot, AI, cyborg, autonomous system — connect it to a current real-world version of that technology, and argue an ethical question in the form "Should [technology] be allowed to [specific action]?" The essay makes three moves in sequence: establish the SF precedent, connect to current reality, argue the ethics.
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Each move requires its own evidence. That structure is what separates this from a standard opinion paper — students can't just assert a position, they have to build to it. The SF text menu runs from Asimov's "Franchise" (should a machine replace democratic participation?) to Blade Runner (do synthetic beings deserve rights?) to Ted Chiang's "Exhalation" (what do we owe to consciousness that is finite and known?). Students can also propose their own text. A research source directory points them toward peer-reviewed and journalism sources before they lose a period to unusable results.
What's Included: Full assignment guide with three-move essay structure explained SF text menu — short stories, novellas, and films — with a specific ethical question scaffolded for each text Research source directory Essay planning scaffold Annotated bibliography guide APA citation rubric Full assessment rubric Teacher notes How to Use It: Works as the major research writing assignment in any SF unit, or as a standalone ethics and technology essay in AP Language, a cross-disciplinary ELA and technology course, or an ethics elective. The three-move structure is transferable — teachers have used it outside the SF context with other text types once students learn the pattern. About This Resource:
This is one of those assignments where students come in skeptical and leave having actually changed their mind about something. The combination of SF precedent, real technology, and ethical argument hits differently than a standard research paper — partly because the SF texts got there first, and students find that genuinely interesting once they see it. This resource is part of the Complete SF Literature Unit — 9 Resources Grades 9–12 ELA, which builds a full science fiction literature course from genre introduction through essay writing. If this resource saved you prep time, please leave a rating under My Purchases Provide Feedback. Every review earns you TpT Credits toward future purchases — roughly $1 in credits for every $10 reviewed.
Follow Starmaker Tools for Teachers to be notified when new resources launch or go on sale. Keywords: AI ethics lesson high school, robot ethics essay, science fiction research paper, technology ethics ELA, argumentative research essay, Blade Runner lesson, Ted Chiang lesson, AI classroom activity, science fiction writing assignment, ethics in technology ELA, SF literature unit, high school research essay, grades 9-12 argumentative writing
Designed for grades 9–12.
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