Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Causality”

In this activity, students will write a brief chapter of the novel in which one major decision is different, and in an epilogue, briefly outline how the rest of the story might play out as a result.

Causality is the study of cause and effect: how things influence one another, and how an event, process, decision, or action may be responsible for the outcome. Examples of causality exist throughout Project Hail Mary.

Write a chapter of the novel in which an alternative decision dramatically affects the outcome of the story. In your chapter, allude to characters’ voices and Weir’s writing style while composing original content. Incorporate at least one of the themes:

• Survival, Sacrifice, and the Utilitarian Good
• The Justifiable Use of Advanced Science for Morally Complex Purposes
• The Role of Speculation in Discovery and the Danger of Assumptions
• The Importance of Cultural Relativism in Collaboration.

After the chapter is complete, write an epilogue that briefly outlines how the rest of the story would play out as a result.

Part A: Outline and Cause/Effect Timeline

• Note which key decision will change and a theme your chapter will highlight.