http://hera-rises.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] hera-rises.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2007-01-18 03:21 pm

Sociology of Space Travel, Thursday, 6th Period

Students arrived, finding Professor Roslin leant against the front of the desk, smiling at them as they entered. Her arms were folded across her chest, and her glasses dangled from her right hand. The sign in sheet was on the corner of the desk, just beyond her glasses; an empty “IN” basket sat next to it, ostensibly for the homework assignment from last week.

“Okay, let’s get rolling,” she said as the clock ticked over. “Last week, we talked a bit about the reasons why we travel into space.” Keying a button on the remote, the SmartBoard came to life, showing the list collected during the previous class. “Over the course of the term, we’re going to be discussing a lot of these. Today, however, we’re going to be discussing ‘aliens.’”

She grinned as she moved to the board and cleared the screen. Using one of the electronic markers, she scrawled the word “ALIEN” in blue, capital letters. “We toss this word around a lot – ‘alien’ – an ‘alien’ planet, an ‘alien’ concept. What does it mean? And here, I’m not necessarily looking for a dictionary answer. I’m actually curious as to what it means to you.”

“That being said,” she continued after a bit of discussion, “let’s talk about your homework. You were supposed to go to a public place and act erratically, record the responses you got. What type of ‘alien’ behavior did you adopt? How did others react around you?”

They went around the room, listening to the stories as they were volunteered. It was an experiment Laura could remember having one of her high school psychology classes perform; the stories then were fairly amusing. She hadn’t been at all sure how the assignment would work here, in an environment where the odd was an everyday occurrence.

Finally, she nudged the conversation back to the topic at hand. “So last week,” Roslin said, “some of our reasons for space travel included discovery, exploration; meeting new people and seeing new things. So what happens when that new discovery or any new friends we make are ‘alien’ to us? How do you think we react? Why do we react that way?”

When this discussion drew to a close, the former president resumed her place, leaning against the edge of the desk. “Okay. Next week -- Terran space travel. After class, I’ll be having a few key episodes of From Earth to the Moon set aside -- chiefly those dealing with lunar orbit, the launch pad fire, and the moon landing. That’s about three hours worth of viewing, and you have about a week to take care of it. If you can’t get to the library, I happen to know it’s available for rental. Oh, and I strongly suggest you take notes.

“That's it from me this week. Now, get out of here, and have a good weekend.”

She waved them out of the classroom, then set about gathering her things.


[OCD threads coming up. I'll also hunt up some links about the episodes Laura mentioned after I get home.]

Re: Sign-In

[identity profile] morpherboy.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 09:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Marco signed in and turned his half-effort of a homework.

Re: Sign-In

[identity profile] dbiers.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 09:14 pm (UTC)(link)
D'anna signed in.

She'd forgot about the assignment until late last night, so she BSed her way through a paper based on her behavior leading up to the Seawhorse party - making alcoholic gummi bears, the party, having a breakfast of foods she didn't normally eat, and having an actual conversation with Jake. Names changed, and events enhanced for maximum UAU effect! effect. Sorta like that popular autobiography making the rounds, Walks with Paste.

Re: Sign-In

[identity profile] enginegirl.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Kaylee signed in and turned in her handwaved homework assignment.

Re: Sign-In

[identity profile] maias-notebook.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 10:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Maia Rutledge and turned in her homework assignment detailing her day wearing nothing but her bra and panties.

Re: Sign-In

[identity profile] carter-i-am.livejournal.com 2007-01-19 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
Sam signed in and realized she'd completely forgotten to do her homework. So, she quickly jotted down a largely illegible couple of paragraphs about wandering around shirtless and kissing Cedric in front of Jack and a whole roomful of people.

Jack's response was described as very enthusiastic, but was probably borderline TMI.
chasingangela: (just a test)

Re: Sign-In

[personal profile] chasingangela 2007-01-19 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
Angela signed in and turned in a handwavy homework assignment.

Re: Sign-In

[identity profile] cameronmitchell.livejournal.com 2007-01-19 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
Cameron had completely spaced out on his homework what with his girlfriend getting attacked and then the whole attack during the weekend. So his homework consisted pretty much of a description of his weird dancing behaviour that was suppose to be a distraction at the party and the blank stares that he'd gotten.
janet_fraiser: (Default)

Re: Sign-In

[personal profile] janet_fraiser 2007-01-19 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Janet signed in and turned in a very well-done homework assignment. (And the player is now hopping off 'til tonight, as busy here, wow.)

Re: Discussion 1 - What *is* alien?

[identity profile] morpherboy.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
"Someone who's not from Earth?"

Re: Discussion 1 - What *is* alien?

[identity profile] dbiers.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
D'anna glared at the boy she didn't know and rolled her eyes, but kept silent.

Re: Discussion 1 - What *is* alien?

[identity profile] dbiers.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 09:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"If something is 'alien' it's simply unfamiliar, unknown, something which makes one slightly uneasy." D'anna said. Then, a teeny bit annoyed she added, "around here? It can mean many different things."

Re: Discussion 1 - What *is* alien?

[identity profile] enginegirl.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Kaylee didn't really have to think too much about this answer. "I think an alien is someone or somethin' that's different and unfamiliar."

Re: Discussion 1 - What *is* alien?

[identity profile] maias-notebook.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"It means something that is different from my immediate frame of reference."

Re: Discussion 1 - What *is* alien?

[identity profile] carter-i-am.livejournal.com 2007-01-19 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
Sam shrugged, her own personal definition of alien having changed considerably over the past few years. "Usually, it means something strange, unfamiliar, or not properly understood. I tend to look at it as unfamiliar, mostly."
chasingangela: (hmm?)

Re: Discussion 1 - What *is* alien?

[personal profile] chasingangela 2007-01-19 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Something I don't know about," Angela ventured. "Something other."

Re: Discussion 2 - 'Alien' behavior

[identity profile] dbiers.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ummm, they might have acted that way cause I was shirtless." D said, mostly to herself.

Re: Discussion 2 - 'Alien' behavior

[identity profile] morpherboy.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Marco oogled.

Re: Discussion 2 - 'Alien' behavior

[identity profile] dbiers.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 10:43 pm (UTC)(link)
D shared another pipping hot serving of glaring. "I didn't say topless."

Re: Discussion 2 - 'Alien' behavior

[identity profile] maias-notebook.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 10:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"People stared at me, most seemed to polite to point out that I was only wearing my bra and panties."

Re: Discussion 2 - 'Alien' behavior

[identity profile] carter-i-am.livejournal.com 2007-01-19 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
"I usually end up asking a lot of questions," Sam said a little sheepishly.