Activities on the topic ``Inventions. Technologies``

Activities on the topic `` Inventions and Technologies``

Wit and Wisdom

Quotes of Famous People to Discuss

1. All of the biggest technological inventions created by man - the airplane, the automobile, the computer - says little about his intelligence, but speaks volumes about his laziness. 

Mark Kennedy

2. Modern technology
   Owes ecology
   An apology.
                                Alan M. Eddison
3. Man is a slow, sloppy and brilliant thinker; the machine is fast, accurate and stupid. 

William M. Kell

4. Education makes machines which act like men and produces men who act like machines.

  Erich Fromm

5. The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers. 

Sydney J. Harris

6. Technology makes it possible for people to gain control over everything, except over technology.

John Tudor

7. The science of today is the technology of tomorrow.

Edward Teller

Brainstorming

What is technology?

What is science?

What is the difference between science and technology?

What are some of the greatest technological achievements?

What are the advantages of technology?

What are the disadvantages of technology?

In your opinion, what is the greatest technological invention? Why?

What do you think robots should be used for?

Do you think robots will cause unemployment (loss of jobs) in the future or make more work? Why?

 Do you think using cell phones too much is bad for our physical or mental health? Why? How do you think face to face communication differs from communication using computers?

What social changes have cell phones made?

What are good and bad points of using computers?

What do you think is the worst invention of the mankind? (weapon, atomic energy, cigarettes, television, mobile phones, cars, genetically modified products etc)

Can you name some inventions are you looking forward to? (human cloning, time travelling, eternal-life-pill, AIDS\cancer vaccine, teleportation)

How have technological advances affected our life?

Do you think technological advances are always good? Or can they sometimes be bad and harmful?

Technology  Review

Brainstorm and Research a list of important skills needed in the 21^st century.

Questions to Discuss

      Are you a Mac or a PC user? What are some of the differences?

What do you think open source software means?

What do you know about software? What can software be used for?

Are you a Facebook, Mixi or Myspace user?

      If not, are there websites that are similar to these in your country?

Facebook often gets in trouble for not having very good privacy settings. Do you think that this really is a big problem?

How much private information are you prepared to share about yourself on the internet?

Game “SPELLING REVIEW”

This activity will make students rewiew spelling in a funny way. You can create similar spellings as the following ones: Write an email to your friend using these spellings.

I.1.2.C.U = I want to see you
R.U.O.K? = Are you O.k?
Iґs T = Iced tea
I.C.Q = I seek you
I.O.U. = I owe you
E.Z. = Easy
B.Z. = Busy
I.1.T = I want tea
I.8 = I ate
U.2 = You two/ you too.
Y? = Why?
C.U.@.9 = See you at nine
2E.Z.4U = Too easy for you
R.U.D.Z? = Are you dizzy?

stand
------ = I understand

Poems for Fun

Listen to a poem and try to imagine the life without any of the things that are mentioned. What was the life like without them?

What Did People Do?

What did people do before they had TV?
Or radios, or VCR's
Or electric trains, or motor cars.
Or calculators, or roller blades
Or stereos, or game arcades?

What did they do?
How did they have fun?
Of course, in the year 3001...

Some kid will look back
and start wondering about
how we lived without things
that he can't live without.

  Listen to a poem and name all modern devices

I Won a Computer One Day

I won a computer the other day
Just for completing a short survey
Here it sits on my kitchen table
With manuals to read, if I am able.

Mp3? Dvd?
What is this new technology?
Copy it, Burn it,
How can I hope to learn it?

Gigabytes, megabytes?
Wow, this stuff is out of sight!
Millions , billions,
Nobody needs to store that much. Right?

Plasma screen, LCD
Analogue's OK by me.
Why do I need a screen saver?
I'll turn it off, do us all a favour.

Buses, ROMS and RAMS,
Looks like the cause of traffic jams.
And if it all stops, I just open the lid,
and fix it...Who am I trying to kid?

Software, hardware,
It's getting me nowhere,
This computer stuff is quite a caper,
I think I'll just stick to pen and pap

A bit of Humour

Some scientists decided to do the following experiments on a dog.

For the first experiment, they cut one of the dog's legs off, then they told the dog to walk. The dog got up and walked, so they learned that a dog could walk with just three legs.

For the second experiment, they cut off a second leg from the dog, then they told the dog once more to walk. The dog was still able to walk with only two legs.

For the third experiment, they cut off yet another leg from the dog and once more they told the dog to walk. However, the dog wasn't able to walk with only one leg.

As a result of these three experiments, the scientists wrote in their final report that the dog had lost it's hearing after having three legs cut off.

Creative Writing

Create Your Own Invention

In Honour of National Inventor`s Day create your own invention.

Use your imagination and think of an invention that would make life easier, safer, or more fun. Then, answer the questions below.

Your name....

Your invention`s name...

What does your invention do?

How would this improve life?

Name two scientists whose inventions or discoveries made your invention possible?

Game “Now or Long ago`Directions

1. Discuss with students things that they noticed about themselves that have changed, such as

height or clothing size.

2. Explain that today they will look at how some items have changed.  They will decide which

items are from a long time ago and which ones are from today.

3. Draw two columns on the board and label them Now and Long Ago.
4. Show students one item card as a sample.  For instance, show the car from the past.  Ask

students, “Where do you think this car would go, under the title Long Ago or Now?”  Ask

students why it would be placed under Long Ago.

5. Have students mix up their item cards and place them in a pile facedown.
6. Students will pick an item card.
7. Then they will look at the card and decide whether it fits in the “Now” category or the “Long Ago” category on their charts.
8. Students will place each card under the appropriate heading.
9. Have students discuss why they placed them under the particular heading.
10. Continue until all item cards are categorized.

Sorting Chart

My Modern Car

The Story

After lunch my friend and I paid the bill and made our way to my car. I took out my remote-control gadget and pressed the button which automatically unlocks the doors.
Not having noticed what I did, my friend looked puzzled and asked, "What was that clicking sound?"
"It was just the doors unlocking," I answered.
He looked at me with astonishment and said, "The car recognizes you?!"

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. 'Bill' here means a ........
   1. part of a bird's mouth
   2. printed notice on a wall or fence
   3. list of things bought and their price
   4. piece of paper money
2. A 'gadget' is a ........
   1. kind of car
   2. small machine
   3. long key
   4. piece of cloth
3. 'Puzzled' means ......
   1. very happy
   2. in an angry manner
   3. unable to understand
   4. not suitable
4. To 'click' means to .....
   1. try to understand something
   2. make a short, sharp sound
   3. drop something heavy
   4. walk toward something
5. 'Astonishment' means ......
   1. happiness
   2. friendly smile
   3. grate surprise
   4. indifference

Questions for Discussion

1. What is funny about this story?
2. How do like this kind of technology?

Activities

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.
2. Pronounce the following words several times:
   1. Remote-control
   2. Gadget
   3. Automatically
   4. Puzzled
   5. Click
   6. Astonishment
   7. Recognize