A Sound Of Thunder

These prompts can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before or after reading the story.

Pre-Reading Warm-Up

1. Think about books you’ve read or movies you’ve seen that deal with time travel. What are some risks and complications that time travel can cause?

Teaching Suggestion: Give a few examples of popular books or movies that include time travel that you think your students might be familiar with, such as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and About Time. You might also invite students to brainstorm other examples of time travel stories. After students read “A Sound of Thunder,” invite them to revisit their answers to see if any of the risks/complications they identified were involved in the plot.

2. Think about the balance that exists in nature. For instance, if bees went extinct, how would the rest of nature be affected? How would humans be affected?

Teaching Suggestion: Encourage students to think deeply rather than give a simple answer. You may want to give students the option to make a bullet point list rather than writing in paragraph form, and/or issue a challenge to see who can think of the most effects the extinction of bees would have. The purpose behind this question is to encourage students to think about the balance that exists in nature, and the harmful consequences that could happen as a result of one small change in nature. You may also want to bring up the butterfly effect (see linked definition below). This question connects to the story theme of The Complexity of Nature and the Importance of All Creatures.

• Bees: How important are they, and what would happen if they went extinct? an article with helpful information about the importance of bees that you can use when responding to students’ ideas
• The Butterfly Effect – a simple definition to introduce this concept to students

Personal Response Prompt

In the story, Eckels experiences a moment of panic as he realizes he overestimated his hunting abilities and declares that the dinosaur is impossible to kill. Have you ever thought you were ready for something, but when the moment came, you realized you weren’t as prepared as you thought? (e.g., preparing to give a speech, but when it was your turn to speak, you froze). Journal about an example from your own life. Afterward, write about your opinions of Eckels’s character. Do you sympathize with him, or not? Do you like or dislike his character? Explain your reasons for your answers.

Teaching Suggestion: Eckels is not a particularly likable character, which is why students are first prompted to think of an experience from their own life that might help them sympathize with his moment of panic. Although many students may respond that they dislike Eckels’s character, require them to give solid reasons from the story for this opinion, and talk about what Eckels’s character shows the reader about human nature. Hold a class discussion after students have time to write, or consider hosting a friendly debate in which students with opposing views about Eckels must defend their points of view in front of the class.