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I've always wondered why these genres are all but ignored in our English classrooms. There is such a wealth of beautiful writing in these imaginary worlds, yet many of us refuse to touch them with a twelve foot pole. Why is that? If you do teach sci-fi/fantasy, what are your favorite novels?

I did not teach sci-fi/fantasy works in my classroom because I was not familiar with them from my own reading over the decades. I think if I had been a sci-fi reader as a young person, it definitely would have influenced my choices of what to teach in my classroom. I tended to choose classic literature as a teacher because that’s what I enjoy as a reader. One thing I did love to read as a kid was comic books; I used to wait at the drugstore every Wednesday for the delivery of the new Batman and Superman comics. As a teacher, I enjoyed drawing parallels between heroes of classic literature and heroes of the comics. It was a fun way to engage with my students, many of whom were serious fans of graphic novels, comics, and anime.

I don't think it's that we refuse to touch them with a ten-foot pole as much as some of our curriculums don't have the wiggle room to fit them in.  I, for one, love sci-fi, but with a regimented Brit Lit or Am Lit curriculum and the "teaching to the standardized test because we MUST have proficient scores" mentality of schools, it's hard to do as much "fun" stuff.  One of my favorite things of all time is time-travel books.  I love Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, and I'm reading the first in the Eye of the World series by Robert Jordan now.

In my district we had a sci-fi/fantasy unit. I didn't agree with the novel we chose, Calling B for Butterfly, but that is because it was out of print and very hard to get copies. There were teachers on other campuses that received permission to teach Harry Potter. I think the best way to handle Sci Fi/Fantasy as a unit is to have book clubs. This allows students to explore the genre without being forced into one book. A teacher offers the class four choices within the genre, then students have book club type assignments with these books. Here are some of the books kids can choose from off my school's list:

The Spiderwick Chronicles series

Artemis Fowl series

The City of Ember series

Inkheart Inkworld trilogy series

George’s Secret Key to the Universe

Warriors: The Power of Three series

Midnight for Charlie Bone

Airborn trilogy

Surviving Antarctica

I am a math teacher but have been a sci-fi fanatic forever.  I don't know what age you are teaching but this list is probably geared toward high school. Fantasy is mixed in.

Enders Game by Orson Scott Card, might work for any age!

Alvin Maker series begining with "Prophet" Orson Scott Card

The Hobbit any age!

I am so big on Harry Potter.

Short Stories of Ray Bradbury!

DUNE by Frank Herbert trust them they can read this and love it, high school age, though I was reading this in the 7th grade.

You CAN teach sci-fi.  You can teach any genre you want to teach.  If the curriculum requires that you teach literary elements, then you can use sci-fi/fantasy as well as with any other genre.  There are tons of lesson plans on Harry Potter. Scholastics has sample lessons for Harry Potter.   I used War of the Worlds to teach climax and resolution.  Time Machine was great for setting.  Take your curriculum guide or standards and build from there.  You can also teach genres and focus on sci-fi.  Encourage students to look at sci-fi for independent reading, then use it in literature discussions.

I studied with a scholar in graduate school who specialized in this type of literature. She taught a graduate seminar in Female Fantasy Writers that was amazing! We read the Earthsea Trilogy, The Mists of Avalon, and some other things I can't recall.

I myself have used some fantasy short fiction in my creative writing classes, by authors like Charles de Lint, Jane Yolen, Steven Millhauser and others. This is some of the finest contemporary fiction out there, so why not teach it?

I personally love Sci-Fi/fantasy, there is so much you can do with it if your creative and or willing to try something different...and trust me when I tell you how engaged your students will be. It's a wonder to see them actively reading and thinking. One of my favorite things to do with Sci-Fi/fantasy or any novel is do a Media to Novel comparison. Read the book then watch the movie and compare the differences and similarties. I think is important to ask why? Why would the director take this out or add this in? Why would the Protagonist go in that direction,etc...I think it just really gets kids thinking and you could go a step further and ask if they relate to or see themselves  as particular person of Identify with a group. Maybe they wish they could the Elven that saves the world or the dragon rider....and ask why? You get to know a lot about yourself and other when you ask why.

Some of my favorites are

Hitchers Guide to the Galaxy series

Harry Potter series

Chronicles of Narnia series

The Spiderwick Chronicles series

The City of Ember series

Lord of the Rings

In reply to #1:I think one of the reasons Science Fiction is often overlooked is the fact that students often pick it up willingly.  Also, some of them deal with subjects that different religious groups find offensive, and so, the schools shy away. I found one of the best ways to get around the "no Sci/Fi" literature is to use it as the basis of a "hero's quest" study.  This is an essential understanding (the parts of a quest) if a student wants to take an AP test.  One excellent Si/Fi book to use for this type of study is STAR WARS.  Another is ERAGON. All of the critical attribute are present.

I suppose it isn't one of the main genres, but I know that much of Lord of the Rings (especially its precursor: The Hobbit) is included in the curriculums of the schools in which I have taught.  Although I've never taught elementary or middle school, I wonder if the Harry Potter series is creeping into the core?

In regards to your actual question, I guess the answer is that usually a sci-fi/fantasy novel or series has an incredible backstory and/or universe that needs to be explained and studied as well (in order for us to fully understand it).  Considering the limited time we have to spend on a particular unit, perhaps it is the amount of time it would take for exploration that is the main factor?  Just a thought.

That being said, if you think your students would enjoy a good sci-fi/fantasy novel, I say GO FOR IT!  : )  They will sense your excitement and "get into it" as well.  : )  Or perhaps, if you think teaching an entire novel of that sort would be too much, feel free to use parts of these novels as excerpts to teach other literary concepts!