1. Future Tense Written by: Robert Lipsyte
By: A.J. Ross, Elena Cleghorn, Elizabeth Nelson, Louis Joerissen, and Molly Smith
3rd hour

2. This story is about Gary, a high school student who loves writing and imagination. Two new teachers Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones are hired by the principle, Dr. Proctor. Then Gary has to write about a typical day at school. He decides to write about a typical day at school through the point of view of a teacher with no imagination. Gary soon suspects that Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones are aliens!
He ends up going to Ms. Jones office and getting in trouble for using his imagination. Then Gary goes to Dr. Proctor’s office and finds out that Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones aren’t the aliens… its Dr. Proctor! Dr. Proctor then tells Gary that his story is correct about him. Then he freezes him in place and sends him to his home planet to tell his story.
Summary

3. How difficult is it to spot an alien in your environment?
Focus Question

4. Initial Characters:
Gary
Mr. Smith
Ms. Jones
Doctor Proctor
Exposition

5. Initial Setting:
The school and Gary’s house.
Exposition

6. Exposition Initiating Action:
Gary thinks that the new “boring” teachers Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones are aliens.
Exposition

7. Gary continues to rewrite his paper using science fiction.
Mr. Smith keeps pushing Gary to do better and better.
Gary realizes that Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones are not aliens, but Doctor Proctor is.
Rising Action

8. Climax Gary thought Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones were aliens.
Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones are not aliens.
Gary realizes Doctor Proctor is the alien.
Climax

9. Doctor Proctor talks to Gary in his office, freezes Gary, and Gary dissolves into the air to be taken to Doctor Proctor’s planet.
Falling Action

10. Science Fiction Elements
Imaginary settings
Time travel
Teleportation
Stopping time
Alien invasion
Science Fiction Elements

11. Our group thought that the story “Future Tense” was a very interesting and a bit confusing story. The ending was very shocking, and surprising. We thought that the story was very well written and well told. We really enjoyed the story!
Story Responses