Task

Process

Evaluation

Conclusion

Teacher's Page

Instructional Plan

Goal of Web Quest: 

Major developments in technology have changed how people communicate.

Content:

Could you imagine life without electricity, cell phones, cars, CD players, TV, refrigerators, computers, the internet and the World Wide Web, antibiotics, vitamins, vaccination, heating, bar codes, metal detectors, contact lenses, printers, digital cameras, play stations? Technology is everywhere and used by everyone in today's society.

How have developments in technology affected how we communicate?  Students will study developments during the 1800s in technology in visual communications, audio communications, and oral communications.  Exploration of inventions and inventors will give greater insight into how communication evolved during the 1800s.

After completing the unit, students should be able to describe how developments in technology have changed how people communicate.

Target Age Group:

This web quest is designed for middle school students, grades 6, 7, and 8, who have some technology skills in keyboarding and making PowerPoint presentations.

Target Subjects:

Computer Keyboarding
Social Studies
Science
English/Language Arts

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Ability Level:

This web quest can be adapted to meet the needs of most students.  Assignments can be shortened and additional scaffolding can be supplied to those students who need more assistance in reading and comprehending material. Students will be working in groups so accommodations can be made by pairing students according to need.  Gifted and talented students can be challenged with additional research of other inventions (such as the light bulb).  Visually impaired students should have their computer screen view size adjusted.  Audio impaired students may need special headphones during the phonograph presentation.

Standards:

South Carolina curriculum standards are addressed with this unit in keyboarding, English/Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.  Click here for specific strands.

Prior Knowledge of Students:

Since this unit is incorporated at the conclusion of keyboarding curriculum schema, students will have prior knowledge about formatting basic documents.  Students will know how to format newsletters and simple PowerPoint presentations. 

Prior Knowledge of Teacher:

Before teaching this unit, the teacher should review the historical content about technology communications in the 1800s. 

Before Launching the Unit:

The teacher should visit the computer lab before launching the lesson to be assured that all appropriate software and plug-ins are loaded.  It is recommended that the teacher bookmark the lesson web pages on each computer in the lab that the students will be using in this unit.  The teacher should be sure all web pages are viewable and links are active.

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Sources:

The American Memory Collection (from the Library of Congress)
The New York Public Library (from the Library of Congress)
Stereoscopy (from The National Stereoscopy Association)
Typewriter History (Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio)
The QWERTY Collection (article by Darryl Rehr, a typewriter collector)|
The Science Museum (United Kingdom)
Charles Babbage (The Charles Babbage Institute)
RubiStar

Reflection:

My students loved this web quest!  It took more time than I had originally planned, however.  Using Intel's Visual Ranking helped the students focus on the essential question of this web quest.

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