How Technology Helps Us!

This week in social studies we have been learning all about technology! We have talked bout different kinds of technology, how it has changed and how it helps us! I used activities from my new technology unit! 

I started the week on Monday by showing my kids an abacus and the calculator on my cell phone. I asked the kids about what the abacus and calculators do to help us. We compared them and talked about how both objects help us do similar things, but the calculator is faster and easier to use. 

 

We reviewed the words past and present and we then brainstormed other examples of technology used in then and now. I then sent the kids off to their seats to illustrate and label different examples. They came up with some great ideas:

(candle, bird: light, phone)

(quill, talking, candle, horse; pencil, light, phone, car)

(They use horses to go to work and school; They have cars now and they drive a seat.)

(quill, candle, horse, abacus; computer, car, lamp) 

On Tuesday we talked about how even though technology has changed a lot, there are still some examples that we used a long time ago and today. The kids worked on a venn diagram where they placed pictures according to when we used them. I told them there was not one right answer, they just had to explain their reasoning to me. For example, some kids thought horse should be in the past since we have cars now, but some kids said horse should be in both since some cowboys today still use horses in their work. 

After our venn diagram, I asked the kids to come up with technology that will be in the future. They came up with some very fun ideas:

(robot maid - Yes, she is modeled after Rosie from the Jetsons!) 

(super shoe - help you run super fast!)

(electricity car - hooray for no gas!) 

On Wednesday, we talked about how we use different kinds of technology depending on where we are and what we need to do. We talked about things we use at home versus at school. We noticed that we use a lot of the same things in both places. I then had the kids fill out a web for each setting:

(TV, phone, tablet, games, computer, lights)

(phone, computer, games, Wii, X-box, play station)

(Wii, lights, computer, car, microwave, phone)

(TV, toilets, tablets, phones, lights, computer)

(TV, kindle, toilets, pipes, lights, phone)

Today we talked about the many ways that technology helps us and makes our lives easier (most of the time!) I let them work on a paper book where they had to come up with one way that each example helps them. On the last page they had to come up with their own example:

(drive)

(play games)

(call people)

(see the moon)

(bathrooms - brush our teeth)

(lights - see)

We had a lot of fun this week! Hope you enjoyed all my kids' hard work! The first three people to comment (with their email) can get a free copy! Click on the picture below to check out my product on TpT!