NCSS Theme #8 Lesson Plan: Science, Technology and Society

Lesson Title: Technological innovations and its impact on society in 19

th
century

Lesson Author: Robert Atkinson, Ansis Nudiens

Key Curriculum Words: industry, technologies, innovations, science

Grade Level: 12
th
grade World history

Time Allotted: 90 minutes

Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is to enable learners to identify, describe, and examine both
current and historical examples of the interaction and interdependence of science,
technology, and society in a variety of cultural settings.
Background/Context
This lesson will be aimed to address the SOL requirements for WHII 9, section a and
c. It was designed for a 12 grade World history class and is intended to demonstrate
how technologies impact the everyday life of people and how short period of time in
history of mankind there is such an technologies which society in nowadays take for
granted. This lesson is intended as an introduction for a unit on industrial revolution.
Key Concepts:
Capitalism;
Urbanization;
Industrialization;
Industrial Revolution;
SOL Objective (Essential Knowledge and Skills)
WHII.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the effects of the Industrial
Revolution during the nineteenth century by:
a) Citing scientific, technological, and industrial developments and explaining
how they brought about urbanization and social and environmental changes.
c) Describing the evolution of the nature of work and the labor force, including its
effects on families, the status of women and children, the slave trade, and the labor union
movement.
NCSS Theme
The lesson will be focused on NCSS Standard number 8, which is Science,
Technologies and Society
NCSS Indicators
enable learners to identify, describe, and examine both current and historical
examples of the interaction and interdependence of science, technology, and
society in a variety of cultural settings;

provide opportunities for learners to make judgments about how science and
technology have transformed the physical world and human society and our
understanding of time, space, place, and human-environment interactions;
have learners analyze the way in which science and technology influence core
societal values, beliefs, and attitudes and how societal attitudes shape scientific
and technological change;

help learners to identify and interpret various perspectives about human societies
and the physical world using scientific knowledge, technologies, and ethical
standards from diverse world cultures;

encourage learners to formulate strategies and develop policy proposals for
influencing public discussions associated with science/technology-society issues.

Guiding Questions
What is the oldest technology which we are still using?

What is the role of technology trough the history?

How technologies can impact society?


The Days Big Question
What was the perception of the world in 19
th
century, based on achievements of science
and technology?
Lesson Objectives
1. Students will be able to process and analyze information using visual materials
(postcards) as primary sources.
2. Students will be able to discuss and explain the importance of science and technology
in historical development of society. Students will be able to explain the changes in
society based on technological innovations.
Assessments
Classroom discussion, which is based on postcards as primary sources, will determine
students ability to process given information. As well this lesson, as an introduction for
unit on Industrial Revolution, will indicate students prior knowledge on this topic. At
the end of the class students will fill out and hand in an exit slips which will be assessed
formative.

Materials
Textbooks
White (or Smart) board
Projector
Internet access
Poster sheet and markers

Just Do It! (15 minutes)
Students will take time to do a 3, 2, 1 exercise. Using their prior knowledge and
perception of the world they will answer these questions:
Write down 3 most important (in your opinion) technological inventions in the
history of mankind. Explain why.
Write down 2 examples how scientific and technological achievements have
changed society.
Give an example on without which technology world would have evolved
differently?
They will answer these questions on the sheet of paper that they will provide themselves.
Questions will be written on white board. After writing down answer there will be a
classroom discussion on the answers of exercise 3, 2, 1.
Activities (60 minutes)
Mini lecture (15 min.)
Introduction, explaining the situation in 19
th
century the role of science,
technological innovations, the heritage of Enlightenment movement, societys attitude
towards modernity and new technologies, social changes which was caused by
industrialization and technologic innovations (urbanization, emergence of working class
etc.)
Preparing answers (25 min.)
1) Students will be divided in small groups (3 4 students per group). These groups
should be arranged by teacher in order to create heterogeneous groups. Each group
will choose their leader and spokesperson.

2) Each group will receive one set of materials a series of postcards made by French
artists, dated circa 1899 (appendix 8a) see postcards here =>
http://singularityhub.com/2012/10/15/19th-century-french-artists-predicted-the-
world-of-the-future-in-this-series-of-postcards/

3) Each student will receive a question sheet (appendix 8b). It is important that each
student write down an answer in their question sheet, even it is a group activity.

4) Students are answering questions in their answer sheets using their textbooks and
notes from mini lecture. Students will create a group position for classroom
discussion. They will write down or draw a motto of the postcards (related to the
questions) on the poster sheet that is provided by teacher for each group.

Classroom discussion (25 min.)

The spokesperson of the group explain their poster and answer one of the questions
(there are 8 questions, so there should be 8 groups, each group answer one question,
but they dont know which question they are preparing answers to all of them).
After spokesperson has presented motto and answer of the group, then it is possible
for group members to add something or students from other groups ask a question.



Closure (10 minutes)
On a half sheet of paper that they provide themselves, the students will answer the days
big question: What was the perception of the world in 19
th
century, based on
achievements of science and technology? And another question: What are societys
expectations for the future in 19
th
century? They will also give an explanation what
caused that kind of perception and expectations. Those questions will be written down
on white board, so everyone can see. Students will hand in their answers, which will
indicate what students have learned and did this class reached its objectives.


Diverse Learner Accommodations
Students will start by learning the basic information on their own and it will build
toward more complex thinking and understanding. This will help slow learners
We will be discussing everything the individual students do as a group, so
everybody is on the same page
Both audial and visual learners will be helped, because there are charts that help
put things into context for visual learners, and discussion to help visual learners
IEPs that require students to get extra time on assignments will not be necessary,
as these assignments are not for grades, and it is expected that some students will
not finish. The discussion at the end of each section will allow for these students
to learn the required information, regardless of whether or not they have finished.
















MATERIALS

French Postcard series WORLD IN YEAR 2000, dated circa 1899.
Source: http://singularityhub.com/2012/10/15/19th-century-french-artists-predicted-the-world-of-the-future-in-this-
series-of-postcards/






























QUESTION SHEET

1. What type of historical document is the source? When and where was the source
produced? Is it possible to trust this source?




2. What is suggested by the source? What is the subject/ purpose of the source?




3. What specific information, details and/ or perspectives does the source provide? What
interpretations may be drawn from the source?



4. What was happening within the immediate and broader context at the time the source
was produced?




5. How to explain this perception depicted in the source?




6. What is mans and societys role in the world, according to the source?




7. What was achieved during the period of 100 years, in terms of mans role in
production, entertainment etc. What are the differences comparing expectations and
reality in year 2000.





8. Did people achieve what was expected 100 years ago? Give three positive examples
and at least one negative.