Several years after an alien invasion of Earth by an army of bug soldiers, six-year-old Ender Wiggin is recruited to prepare for the next attack by attending battle school at a space station. Ender must struggle to keep his humanity as he deals with emotional isolation, rivalry among students, and the ever-increasing pressure of combat simulations. This book explores concepts of physics, entomology, psychology, computer science, and space travel and raises questions about the morality of modern warfare.
Related
Videos
Bugging Out Part 1: Insects Rule the World!
Join Dr. Jon S. Miller, professor of Biology at NIU, who talks about Ender’s Game‘s biggest threat, the buggers, and the real life bugs we see every day. In part 1 of his talk, Dr. Miller discusses bugs, and how they completely rule the world.
Bugging Out Part 2: The Anatomy of a Bugger
Join Dr. Jon S. Miller, professor of Biology at NIU, who talks about Ender’s Game‘s biggest threat, the buggers, and the real life bugs we see every day. In part 2 of his talk, Dr. Miller explains the anatomy of a bug so you, like Ender, can understand these creatures.
Bugging Out Part 3: Name That Bug
Join Dr. Jon S. Miller, professor of Biology at NIU, who talks about Ender’s Game‘s biggest threat, the buggers, and the real life bugs we see every day. In part 3 of his talk, Dr. Miller discusses how we name bugs, and gives the students of Ender’s Day a little homework.
Ender's Day: Bugging Out Highlights
Join Dr. Jon S. Miller, professor of Biology at NIU, who talks about Ender’s Game‘s biggest threat, the buggers, and the real life bugs we see every day. In these highlights, Dr. Miller talks about good and bad bugs, and why bugs rule the world.
A Brief History of Space Travel: From Science Fiction to a Man on the Moon
Matt Wiesner, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Physics and NIU, runs down a brief history of space travel. In this video, Matt describes those who first thought about space travel, and humanity’s first steps on the moon.
A Brief History of Space Travel: From Mars to the Space Station
Matt Wiesner, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Physics and NIU, runs down a brief history of space travel. Here, Matt discusses our exploration of other planets, international cooperation in space travel, and how private companies are taking over space.
A Brief History of Space Travel: To Infinity and Beyond
Matt Wiesner, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Physics and NIU, runs down a brief history of space travel. Matt takes some audience questions, and talks about the future of space travel.
Ender's Day: Your Body In Space
Did you ever want to be an astronaut? Well, you’d better start training! Danielle Hill from the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education talks about the physical fitness astronauts have to go through before, during and after space travel. She even shows some of the students at Ender’s Day some real life astronaut training exercises.
The Art of Alien Life: When Science Meets Art
Yale Factor, NIU Professor Emeritus in the School of Art and former scientific illustrator, talks about how his art relates to Ender’s Game. In this video, Yale talks about how he became a scientific illustrator, and the places where science meets art in awesome ways!
The Art of Alien Life: "If You Can Draw It You Can Do It"
Yale Factor, NIU Professor Emeritus in the School of Art and former scientific illustrator, talks about how his art relates to Ender’s Game. In this video, Yale shows off his art, and the fantastical alien worlds he can create with only art supplies and his imagination.
Ender's Day: Drones and the Future of Unmanned Flight
From fighting Buggers to delivering Amazon packages, unmanned drones have the potential for many uses. Sgt. Wilhelm and Sgt. Baker discuss the military and civilian uses of drones, and how it relates to Ender’s Game.
Ender's Day Panel: Drones
Join Northern Illinois University professors and members of the Illinois and US military as they talk about Ender’s Game. Here they talk about drones, and the benefits and potential issues with using them like Ender did.
Ender's Day Panel: Video Games
Join Northern Illinois University professors and members of the Illinois and US military as they talk about Ender’s Game. In this video, the panel talks about video games, and how they’re used for training in the military and in Ender’s Game. They’re not just for fun after all!
Ender's Day Panel: Bullying
Join Northern Illinois University professors and members of the Illinois and US military as they talk about Ender’s Game. One of the issues raised in the book is bullying, and the panel discusses how bullying affected Ender, and how it affects young people today.
Ender's Day Panel: Aliens, Science Fiction, and the Future
Join Northern Illinois University professors and members of the Illinois and US military as they talk about Ender’s Game. In this video the panelists talk about the future, the role of science fiction, and what to do if we encounter aliens.
Ender's Day Panel: Audience Q&A and Final Thoughts
Join Northern Illinois University professors and members of the Illinois and US military as they talk about Ender’s Game. Here, the students ask the panel questions, ranging from how close we are to the technology in Ender’s Game to whether or not we’ll start training 6-year-olds to kill. We also hear the panel’s closing thoughts on Ender’s Game.
Educators
Idea Sparks and Mini Lessons
These questions, prompts, and short activities provide quick ways to inspire interest and explore the STEAM concepts related to the book. Idea Sparks and Mini Lessons can be used for differentiation and to foster new ideas of your own.
Create a New Planet: Parts 1-3 Lesson Plans Related to Ender’s Game
Students will be introduced to concepts regarding biology/physiology of living organisms, space, gravity, and travel in space through a series of lessons.
Grades 6-8:
Part 1:
In this first lesson, students will explore real and imagined planets and their environmental features. They will discover how those features may be prohibitive or beneficial to life. Students will create their own planet in which unique life forms could survive. This lesson can be followed up by part two and part three, but is also a stand-alone.
This second lesson springboards from lesson one in which new planets were created. In this lesson, students will create a new lifeform that would be able to survive and thrive on the planet their group created.
In this final lesson, students will use their newly created planets and new creatures to write a story about an interaction between the creatures and humans. The lesson develops rigor in the concepts through additional research and analysis of factors that affect environments.
In this first lesson, students will explore real and imagined planets and their environmental features. They will discover how those features may be prohibitive or beneficial to life. Students will create their own planet in which unique life forms could survive. This lesson can be followed up by part two and part three, but is also a stand-alone.
This second lesson springboards from lesson one in which new planets were created. In this lesson, students will create a new lifeform that would be able to survive and thrive on the planet their group created.
In this final lesson, students will use their newly created planets and new creatures to write a story about an interaction between the creatures and humans. The lesson develops rigor in the concepts through additional research and analysis of factors that affect environments.
