Standards Alignment
- TEKS.TECH.3.04 primary
define emerging technologies.
Companion Video Lesson
This text lesson has a separate video watch page so search engines and learners can treat the written lesson and the video lesson as distinct resources.
Open the dedicated video lesson page
Lesson Overview
This lesson introduces third-grade students to the concept of emerging technologies, helping them understand that technology is always changing and affects different communities in various ways. Students will learn to define emerging technologies and recognize their impact, fostering creativity and innovation.
Learning Objectives
- Define what emerging technologies are in simple terms.
- Explain how technology changes over time and impacts communities.
- Identify examples of emerging technologies appropriate for their age.
Success Criteria
- Students can clearly state a definition of emerging technologies.
- Students can describe how technology can change and affect people.
- Students can give examples of new technologies they have learned about.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have a basic understanding of what technology is, including common devices or tools they use daily, and recognize that technology can help people in different ways.
Key Vocabulary
- Emerging technologies
- Technology
- Innovation
- Community
- Dynamic
Materials and Resources
- Chart paper or whiteboard
- Markers
- Images or videos of emerging technologies (e.g., robots, 3D printers, virtual reality)
- Paper and crayons or digital drawing tools
Teacher Preparation
- Prepare simple, child-friendly definitions and examples of emerging technologies.
- Gather visual aids such as pictures or short videos showing new technologies.
- Set up a space for group discussion and drawing activities.
- Prepare guiding questions to facilitate student thinking about technology and communities.
Detailed Lesson Notes
Definition of Emerging Technologies
Emerging technologies are new tools, machines, or ways of doing things that are just starting to be used and can change how people live and work. These technologies are different from older ones because they are new and often use the latest ideas or inventions.
Technology is Dynamic
Technology is dynamic, which means it is always changing and improving. What is new today might be different or better tomorrow. This change happens because people keep inventing new ideas and finding better ways to solve problems.
Impact on Communities
Different communities use technology in different ways. Emerging technologies can help communities by making work easier, helping people communicate, or solving problems like keeping the environment clean. However, not all communities have the same access to new technologies, which can affect how they benefit from them.
Examples of Emerging Technologies
Examples include robots that can help with tasks, 3D printers that can make objects, and virtual reality that lets people experience new places without leaving home. Showing pictures or videos of these helps students connect the idea to real things.
Encouraging Creativity and Innovation
Students are encouraged to think about how they might use new technologies to help their own community or solve a problem. This fosters creativity and helps them understand the importance of innovation in technology.
Worked Examples
Worked Example 1
Scenario
A teacher shows pictures of a robot that helps clean the house and a 3D printer that can make toys. The teacher asks: Are these examples of emerging technologies? Why or why not?
Explanation
These are examples of emerging technologies because they are new tools that use advanced ideas to do things differently than older machines. The robot helps with cleaning in a new way, and the 3D printer can create objects from digital designs, which is a recent invention.
Answer Guide
Yes, both are emerging technologies because they are new and use advanced ideas to help people in new ways.
Engage
Teacher Activity
Begin by asking students what technology they use every day and what they think technology means. Show pictures of familiar devices and then introduce images of new, less familiar technologies.
Student Activity
Students share examples of technology they know and express their ideas about what new technology might be.
Explanation
This phase activates prior knowledge and introduces the idea that technology is always changing, setting the stage for learning about emerging technologies.
Examples
- Students mention common technologies like phones, computers, or tablets.
- Students show curiosity or share ideas about new or unfamiliar technologies.
Explore
Teacher Activity
Show images or short videos of emerging technologies such as robots, 3D printers, or virtual reality. Discuss what makes these technologies new and different from older ones.
Student Activity
Students observe the examples and discuss in small groups what they notice about these technologies and how they might be used.
Explanation
Students explore concrete examples of emerging technologies to understand their characteristics and potential uses.
Examples
- Students identify new features or uses of the technologies.
- Students connect the technologies to possible benefits for people or communities.
Explain
Teacher Activity
Define emerging technologies clearly and write the definition on the board. Explain that technology changes over time and that new inventions can help people in many ways.
Student Activity
Students repeat the definition in their own words and ask questions to clarify their understanding.
Explanation
This phase ensures students understand the key concept of emerging technologies and the idea that technology is dynamic and impactful.
Examples
- Students can articulate a simple definition of emerging technologies.
- Students understand that technology changes and impacts people differently.
Elaborate
Teacher Activity
Guide students to think creatively about how they might invent a new technology to help their community. Provide drawing materials or digital tools for them to create their ideas.
Student Activity
Students draw or design their own emerging technology and explain how it would help people.
Explanation
This activity encourages students to apply their understanding by imagining new technologies, fostering creativity and innovation.
Examples
- Students create original ideas for new technologies.
- Students explain the purpose and impact of their inventions.
Evaluate
Teacher Activity
Ask students to share their definitions of emerging technologies and examples they learned. Use a short quiz or exit ticket where students write or draw what they learned about emerging technologies.
Student Activity
Students explain or demonstrate their understanding by defining emerging technologies and giving examples.
Explanation
Assessment confirms students have met the learning objectives and can communicate their understanding effectively.
Examples
- Students provide accurate definitions and examples.
- Students show awareness of technology's dynamic nature and community impact.
Classroom Activity
Students observe the examples and discuss in small groups what they notice about these technologies and how they might be used.
Guided Practice
Guided Practice 1
Prompt
What is an emerging technology?
Teacher Answer Guide
An emerging technology is a new tool or machine that is just starting to be used and can change how people live and work.
Guided Practice 2
Prompt
Give an example of an emerging technology.
Teacher Answer Guide
Examples include robots that help with tasks, 3D printers, or virtual reality.
Guided Practice 3
Prompt
How does technology impact communities?
Teacher Answer Guide
Technology can help communities by making work easier, improving communication, or solving problems, but different communities may have different access to it.
Independent Practice
- Foundational: What does the word 'emerging' mean when we talk about emerging technologies?
- Developing: Name one example of an emerging technology you have learned about.
- Application: Explain how emerging technologies can help a community.
- Analysis: Compare an older technology you know with an emerging technology and explain one difference.
- Challenge: Imagine you could invent an emerging technology to help your school. Describe what it would do and how it would help.
Independent Practice Teacher Answer Key
- 1. It means new or just starting to be used.
- 2. Examples include robots that help with tasks, 3D printers, or virtual reality.
- 3. Emerging technologies can help communities by making work easier, helping people communicate, or solving problems like keeping the environment clean.
- 4. An older technology might be a regular phone, while an emerging technology could be a smartphone with many new features. The difference is that the smartphone can do more things and uses newer ideas.
- 5. Students' answers will vary but should describe a new tool or machine that solves a problem or makes something easier at school, showing understanding of emerging technologies' purpose.
Guiding Questions
- What does technology mean to you?
- How do new technologies help people?
- Why do you think technology changes over time?
- Can you think of a new technology that could help your community?
Common Misconceptions
- Emerging technologies are not just any technology; they are specifically new and just starting to be used.
- Technology does not stay the same; it changes and improves over time.
- All communities do not have the same access to technology, so its impact can be different.
Differentiation
Support and Intervention
Use simple language and visuals to explain emerging technologies. Provide sentence starters for students to describe technologies. Allow drawing or acting out ideas for students who struggle with writing.
English-Language Learner Support
Use pictures and realia to support vocabulary understanding. Pair ELL students with peers for discussion. Provide bilingual glossaries for key terms.
Advanced and Extension
Encourage students to research a recent emerging technology and present findings. Challenge students to think about the ethical impact of new technologies. Have students create a short story involving an emerging technology.
Assessment
- Observe student participation in discussions about technology.
- Listen to student explanations of emerging technologies during activities.
- Review students' drawings and descriptions of their invented technologies.
- Write a sentence defining emerging technologies.
- Name one example of an emerging technology and explain how it helps people.
- Create a poster showing different emerging technologies and their uses.
- Write a short paragraph about how technology changes and affects communities.
Answer Guide
- What is an emerging technology?
Answer: An emerging technology is a new tool or machine that is just starting to be used and can change how people live and work. - Give an example of an emerging technology.
Answer: Examples include robots that help with tasks, 3D printers, or virtual reality. - How does technology impact communities?
Answer: Technology can help communities by making work easier, improving communication, or solving problems, but different communities may have different access to it.
Real-Life Application
Ask students to talk with their family about a new technology they have seen or used recently and share what they learned in class about emerging technologies.
Homework or Home Connection
- Ask students to talk with their family about a new technology they have seen or used recently and share what they learned in class about emerging technologies.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, students learned that emerging technologies are new tools and machines that are just beginning to be used and can change how people live and work. They discovered that technology is dynamic, meaning it changes over time, and that these changes can affect different communities in many ways. Through examples and creative activities, students explored how innovation helps people and practiced thinking about new technologies that could help their own communities.
Teacher Notes
Use the exact standards alignment and retrieved-source provenance stored with this enrichment.