• Assess students’ engagement and their ability to compare technology of the past and modern technology through observation of group discussions.

• Assess students’ understanding of a specific inventor or invention’s contribution through a review of their presentations.

• Collect the “My Life Without a(n) _____” report and use it to evaluate students’ understanding of the lesson material.

• Observe student and partner discussion after read-alouds to check for accuracy of their responses.

Students will be learning from past and present inventors how they got their ideas, how following specific procedures bring their ideas to production, and how their invention impacted our lives.

Greet students at the classroom door dressed in “pioneer period” clothing at the beginning of your school day. Say, “Greetings, young ladies and gentlemen. Today we are going to discuss what life was like during the pioneer time period without all the technologic improvements we have today.”

Pretend to be a student attending a one-room school house during the pioneer time.

Suggested Interactive Script: “Wow! This classroom is quite different from where I go to school. Where I go to school my entire school building could take the place of your classroom. I do my lessons with a slate and chalk. What do you use? I was tired before I even got to school because I had to do my morning chores, like milking and tilling the field or garden. Then I had to walk four miles just to get to school. How do you get to school?” Point to the lights above you. “What are those flickering things above me?” (students answer “lights”) “We only have natural light from the window or sometimes from an oil lamp but, only when it is really dark outside or when I do my studies at night. It is so warm in here, but where is your stove? Sometimes during recess we have to find small limbs or chop wood to feed the stove. When recess is over the teacher rings the school bell on the top of the school house. How do you know when to come in? We have the McGuffy Reader, but we have to share with other students. What materials do you use when you read?” (computer Web site and software, IPOD, wireless reading device like the Kindle, and printed books)

Add other differences that are pertinent to your school. Guide students to thinking that students of long ago did have limited technology and how those technologies have changed over time.

Read aloud to students Then & Now (Learning Center Emergent Readers) by Samantha Berger or another like topic. Periodically stop and ask students to discuss guided questions with a partner to check for understanding. Select a few students to share responses.

On chart paper draw a Venn diagram, and list students’ responses, on how to compare how our school day has changed with the inclusion of more modern technology.

Suggestions might be:

Guide students’ thinking by saying, “Where did these new ideas come from? Who would have come up with these new ideas?”

Distribute to each student a copy of the What Was Technology Like Long Ago? interview form (S-K2-10_Interview Form.doc). Explain to students that they are to find a family member or close family friend to interview about how technology affected their lives as they were growing up. They will fill out the interview form as they conduct the interview.

Conclude this lesson by having students think of what life would be like for them if they didn’t have one of the technological improvements listed or if that technology had never been invented. Distribute a blank sheet of paper and allow them to draw/write how their life would be affected. Have them title the page, “My Life Without a(n) _____.”

If time permits, invite students to the meeting area and read another book on inventors and/or interventions or share some of the inventions and/or inventors from one of the Web sites listed in the Related Resources section.

Day 2

Review with students the Venn diagram created the previous day. Discuss with students the changes that they see have occurred. Ask: “What do you think caused these changes? Why would things have to change?” Lead students to discuss the fact that someone saw a problem and tried to solve the problem. Guide students through one example. Say: “Let’s look at the candle. Would there be a problem with using candles for light all the time?” Students should begin to discuss the problems with constantly using candles such as fire hazard, poor lighting, smell, etc. Have students get into pairs and select one item used long ago mentioned in the Venn diagram and discuss the problem and the solution. After a few minutes allow each pair to share their thoughts.

Review

Invite students to the meeting area of your classroom and read one of the suggested books on inventors and/or inventions. You may want to read a few over the next few days. Periodically stop and ask students questions over what you read to check for understanding.

Guide students’ thinking by asking, “Why did these people come up with these ideas? What was the purpose of the invention?” (improve the quality of life, to make something more interesting, and/or to make work easier) “Were these inventions needs or wants?”

Create a class chart listing inventors and their inventions. Briefly discuss the inventors and their inventions.

Allow students to select an inventor or invention from the suggested list to make a short report. Students can gather information from the selected Web sites during their computer lab class and organize the information during their writer’s workshop (write a short phrase on each of two sticky notes). Students will write a complete sentence for each of the phrases on their sticky notes. Once students have generated the information for their report they can then go back to the computer lab class to import the information into a PowerPoint slide. Then have a “Share-a-Thon” day when students can view the class PowerPoint slides. If technology is not available, students can print an illustration (invention/inventor) from one of the stories read aloud in class or from a Web site and write a short report to be shared and displayed in your classroom. Make sure students identify the source in their reports.

Scoring Rubric for Report and Presentation:

Extension:

• Students who might need an opportunity for additional learning can select a book on inventors or inventions from the school or city library to share with the class.

• Students who may be going beyond the standards can write a futuristic adventure for an invention that will be needed in the future and then share it with their classmates.