To introduce elementary students to the two genres, find several age-appropriate books from both fantasy and science fiction. Bring them to class or visit the school library and have students pick books out themselves. Offer younger elementary students a simple explanation of the difference between fantasy and science fiction. Explain that fantasy focuses on characters and events that aren’t scientifically possible. It could be talking trees or an immortal wizard. Science fiction is grounded in real science, meaning the events might be possible, if unlikely. Give a short synopsis of each book to pique students’ curiosity.
Divide students into small groups of three or four. Have each group select a science fiction or fantasy book to study. Instruct students to pick an interesting section of the book that will make for an inspiring dramatic performance. Have each group pick parts and perform their piece. Older elementary students can turn the text into a script format, while younger ones can assign a narrator and read the text as is. As each group ends their performance, ask the audience to guess which genre their piece is taken from. Discuss what characteristics reveal whether the text is science fiction or fantasy.
Combine language, art and media studies by having students create a poster that advertises either a science fiction or a fantasy book. This can be an imaginary book with the student acting as “author.” Allow students to choose a genre. Instruct them to come up with a title and create pictures that clearly illustrate elements of their chosen genre. A science fiction poster might have an image of an alien emerging from a UFO, for example. Create a bulletin board for science fiction posters and a separate board for fantasy posters.
Gather props that symbolize elements of science fiction and fantasy. Ask students to bring in items or cut out pictures from magazines. For science fiction, props might include an alien figurine, a model space ship and "space" rocks. Fantasy props might be an toy action figure, a wand or a unicorn. Put all of the props on a table. Label two other empty tables with the titles “Science Fiction” and “Fantasy.” Divide the students into small groups and have each group visit the table. Depending on how many props you have, ask each group to select a few items that represent science fiction and a few that represent fantasy. They should then move the items to the appropriate table. Once all groups have finished, discuss the rationale for their decisions.