The Fifth Dimension for Adults

The middle school curriculum, The Fifth Dimension, has been a popular choice for youth programs since its introduction. Over the years, there have been many requests for an adult version of this curriculum. 

The Fifth Dimension for Adults uses episodes of The Twilight Zone as the basis for in-depth discussions of a wide variety of topics. The Twilight Zone tackled a diversity of social issues and political statements not seen in shows of its time.  Its creator, Rod Serling (himself a Unitarian), believed that controversial messages and dialogues were needed to get a point across, and purposely created a science fiction show to get such messages past corporate censors.  

As always, the episodes of The Twilight Zone remain timeless, with an eerie resonance to present day. Written in 2024, episodes and discussion questions for this adaptation reflect our current country’s polarization and recent isolation from the COVID-19 virus. The Twilight Zone remains one entry point for discussing values, ethics and important social justice issues.

Topics include loneliness and isolation; climate change; racism; censorship; the dangers of totalitarianism; and more. At each class, an entire episode is viewed.  After viewing, the class engages in discussion and activities, designed to encourage deep contemplation of issues.

This curriculum is very easy to teach and to administer.  The lesson guide provides an outline of each episode followed by discussion questions and activities.  Episodes are easy to obtain (not included with curriculum) through streaming or on DVD.  

Please note that this curriculum is intended for adult use and should not be used for middle school and younger groups. See the original curriculum, The Fifth Dimension, for these ages.
 

Note: this curriculum has been updated to reflect the 2024 revision to Article II of the UUA Bylaws and Rules.