Lesson Plan #: CC-0085

Lesson 2: Technology Has Helped the United States to Interconnect to the Rest of the World.


Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. understand how technology has aided the United States in interconnecting with the rest of the world.

2. give specific examples of technology that improves communication.

3. research a new technological advancement.

4. share findings with the class.


Description of lesson/activity:

1. The teacher should help students gain an understanding of how the United States is connected to the rest of the world technologically. The class should brainstorm how the earth is "shrinking." Some validations to support this idea are the Internet system, cellular telephones, satellites, the space program of the 1980s, fax machines, and improvements in rapid transportation.

2. As a class assignment, students should collect at least ten pictures of technological devices which help us to more efficiently "connect" with each other. Students should arrange their pictures in a collage.

3. Students should research a technological advancement made since 1975. This could be done through reading books, analyzing advertisements, talking to store owners, or interviewing parents and relatives. Topics to research should be seen in the first t wo activities in this lesson. Students could build a model of the chosen technological advancement. A brief description and reaction to the technology should be included.

4. As a culminating activity for this lesson, students should predict how future technology might further interconnect us to each other. The class should be divided into groups and asked to come up with as many future "inventions" as possible. Finally, students should complete the accompanying worksheet entitled "Designs for the Future."