Florida's Future
Problem Solving Program Web Site (FLFPSP)
Scenarios
How
do
I
register students for Scenario Writing?
This year, all
scenario materials are
available online, free of charge.You
can access all scenario materials from the Florida FPS website (www.flfpsp.org).The packet includes guidelines for submission,
tips for coaches
and
students, evaluation information, sample
scenarios, and official entry sheets (these may be duplicated). The
fee of
$30.00 per entry is submitted along with the story.
Coaches MUST
abide by ALL submission guidelines
in order for scenarios to be accepted.
What
is
Scenario
Writing?
Scenario
writing is an individual
competition in which students develop short stories related to one of
the five
FPS topics for the year. The story is set at least 20 years in the
future and
is an imagined, but logical, outgrowth of actions or events taking
place in the
world today. The story should focus on one main character and develop
that
character through the plot of the story.
Why
Scenario Writing?
Today's
students will spend most of
their lives in the 21st century. Our job as educators is to prepare
students to
think critically about the future and to create images of what the
future may
be like. Through scenario writing, students are able to enlarge,
enrich, and
make more accurate those images of the future while honing their
creative
writing skills.
Who
can participate in Scenario Writing?
Students may
participate in Scenario
Writing in three divisions: Junior (grades 4 - 6), Middle (grades 7 -
9), and
Senior (grades 10 - 12). For students who participate in the booklet
component
of Future Problem Solving, Scenario Writing can serve as an excellent
complement to their work on any of the topics used during the year.
Scenario
Writing is also an excellent offering for students who do not
participate in
other components of FPS; the creative writing involved may appeal to
students
who are not drawn to the team orientation of the other components.Scenario Writing can be used as a stand-alone
activity by an FPS coach, an English teacher, or any other instructor
with
students who are interested in creative writing.
Do
students need to know the 6-step process for Scenarios?
Although
knowing the process can help
students to think about the future, it is not a prerequisite for
scenario
writing. However, the scenarios must relate to one of the year's
topics, so
students should do some background reading about the topic they select
for
their stories. The Readings, Research,
& Resources manual from the FPSP Catalog Company contains
article
summaries for four of the topics, but students may also do their own
research
in publications.
•How
can I get started with my students?
The best way to
become acquainted with
scenarios is for you and your students to read many of them. In
addition to
carrying the Scenario Writing Guide,
each year the FPSP Catalog Company (www.fpspi.org) publishes the
stories of the
international winners in each division. You may also go to the Florida
FPSP
website for additional examples (www.flfpsp.org).
•How
are scenarios evaluated?
State scenario
evaluators read
scenarios during January and February. The aspects they consider
include:
creativity, social and cultural influences, feelings and emotions,
structure,
future thinking, interest, character development, style, and mechanics.
The top
scenarios in each division are published by the Florida FPS Program to
be
distributed at the State Competition.The winning stories are also submitted for
consideration in the
international-level competition, and the 1st place authors are invited
to
attend International FPS Conference.All
scenario writers are invited to attend the State Competition to
participate in
the on-site Scenario Writing Group Competition.