Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

A fellow teacher is looking for some sci-fi recommendations appropriate for 10th grade focusing on science (she wants them to be able to research the science behind it, which might include things like robotics, space travel, etc). I had a few ideas, but thought I would come to the experts for suggestions to share with her.
Thanks!

Hmmm, appropriate for 10th grade adds interesting degree of difficulty.

One of the risks writing "hard science fiction" is that you're trying to extrapolate current science to the future, and there's always the risk science will turn out to be quite different. Several of the classic hard SF novels have not fared well over time. Anderson's Tau Zero has been overtaken by subsequent theories in cosmology. Clarke's A Fall of Moondust hasn't stood up to actual exploration of the moon. And Niven's Ringworld turns out to have just gotten its science all wrong.

Robinson's Red Mars is a detailed examination of how one might build an initial colony on Mars, then expand it, and then embark on an ambitious terraforming project (included in the sequels, Green Mars and Blue Mars.) On the other hand, it also has some lengthy political passages and a bit of interpersonal soap opera mixed in, which adds to its verisimilitude but might disqualify it from 10th grade.

I'll suggest two books I quite enjoy that are also similar in what they're exploring, which is worlds with extremely high gravity. Clement's Mission of Gravity imagines what kind of life might exist on an extremely high gravity world, and Forward's Dragon's Egg ups the ante even more by putting life on the surface of a neutron star.

Clarke's The Fountains of Paradise remains a classic story of how one might build a space elevator.

In a more terrestrial vein:

Stross's Halting State (and sequel Rule 34) extrapolates cyber crime & policing into a very near-future Edinburg, featuring not just the usual cyber hacking but augmented reality and 3d printing.

Kress's Beggars in Spain examines some ideas in genetic engineering (I suggest the novella over the expanded novel), and Nagata's Limit of Vision looks at nanotech together with genetic engineering.

Bacigalupi's The Windup Girl it is an interesting if occasionally tedious look at a future cursed by global warming, genetically modified plants, and fossil fuel shortages. It's set in Thailand, which adds an exotic locale.

Greg Egan is to me the most obvious choice - on his website he also explores the scientific theories of his stories in much more depth. I think that there is a good argument for doing short stories rather than novels, much quicker to read and more choice of ideas potentially to look at.

Nancy Kress for short stories (G33z3r has already suggested her) (Beakers Dozen or Fountains of Age) might work quite well.

Still on short stories - Ted Chiang's collection might be a good bet, not all of the 8 stories are SF but there are plenty of interesting ideas in those that are.

I plan on writing a book with real scientific aspects in it <3

I know that's kind of random but I promise there are people working on shortage. :)

How about The Martian? It's a fun read and it's pretty accurate if exaggerated science behind it.

the orginal Star Trek has some pretty cutting-edge science in it, as well as some goofs they could get extra points for finding, and special awards for anyone able to explain the "science-babble" so often used to come up with a solution in the last 5 minutes of the show...

For high-schoolers, S. J. Kincaid's Insignia might be good. I know I liked it :D
Nueral processors installed in the brain, robots fighting a war in outer space, a main character who likes gaming; quite good for tenth graders.

Frank Herbert's Dune if it suits the level of the students..
The merge of language and plot through careful use of words and juxtaposition of narration of events is excellent. I paused every paragraph or two while reading, just plain thinking about the hidden and apparent meanings in the book.
On the other hand though, it depends on the school she's teaching at. Frank Herbert drew many elements from many religions, mainly Shiite/Sufi Islam (and obviously Arabic) then changes things to suit his book. Could be a potential source of trouble... Pretty long book, with a gazillion sequels too.

Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game perhaps?
Enough action to cease boring the poor students, but also enough to anaylse too.

Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison leads to a discussion on over population and limits to growth...

Thanks--these are good suggestions and I am passing them on.

Christy wrote: "Thanks--these are good suggestions and I am passing them on."

I agree with The Martian. It's a very fun read. The MC makes jokes, but it's a very smart and resourceful guy.

There is an old Robert Heinlein's book writen for teens. It's called Have Space Suit—Will Travel. There is technical details in it and the 10th graders can discuss if it's still true or not.

Danny wrote: "Christy wrote: "Thanks--these are good suggestions and I am passing them on."

I agree with The Martian. It's a very fun read. The MC makes jokes, b..."

"Have spacesuit" was great. I loved it as a teenager. I would probably still enjoy it today.

Clement's Mission of Gravity imagines what kind of life might exist on an extremely high gravity world, and Forward's Dragon's Egg ups the ante even more by putting life on the surface of a neutron star.

Two excellent books based on similar concepts. Dragon's Egg rather reminded me of an updated version of Flatland.

the orginal Star Trek has some pretty cutting-edge science in it

I don't know about that. What science is in ST:TOS seems to mostly be a combination of hand-waving and technobabble, with little or no hard science in it.

Frank Herbert's Dune if it suits the level of the students..

I love the world building in Dune and there is some intereting discussion of drylands ecology and survival, but I'm not sure there's a lot of hard science to discuss involved. Most of the technology is rather glossed over and of course the Bene Gesserit and Kwisatz Haderach buisness is pure fantasy.

Reynolds' Pushing Ice and perhaps Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama are a couple of other ideas.

Mike

Most of Strugatsky, Arkady and Boris books situated in Noon, 22nd Century universe are full of scientific details such as photon propulsion engines, geologists on other planets and computers that have neither screens nor keyboards. At the same time, throughout the series they develop a more and more critical onto the postulates of Soviet propaganda such as negligibly small importance of personal desires in comparison to "common welfare".

I liked 'Raft' by Stephen Baxter and its description of an extremely high gravity universe and the effects on its inhabitants. Could be a bit too 'out there' being a completely different universe though...