Technology Then and Now

Active learning works well for this topic because students need to see and touch technology to grasp how tools have changed over time. Comparing old and new objects helps them move beyond assumptions about progress and focus on purpose instead.

• Year 1
• Technologies
• 3 activities
• 15 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Compare the functions of historical communication tools with modern digital messaging systems.
2. Explain how the design of a rotary phone differs from a smartphone.
3. Identify changes in learning activities at school due to the introduction of computers.
4. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using a quill pen versus a keyboard for writing.

Gallery Walk

⏱ 30 min·Whole Class

Gallery Walk: The Tech Museum

Set up a 'museum' with old items (a cassette tape, a film camera, a paper map) next to modern ones (a tablet). Students walk around and guess how the 'old' one worked.

Prepare & details

Explain how people sent messages before emails existed.

Facilitation Tip: During the Gallery Walk, place artifacts at eye level so students can observe details like size, shape, and materials without touching unless given permission.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Grandparent's School

Students imagine what their grandparents used to write with. They share their ideas with a partner and then compare a photo of an old classroom with their own.

Prepare & details

Evaluate if technology is always better than the old way of doing things.

Facilitation Tip: For Think-Pair-Share, provide sentence starters like 'My grandparent used... because...' to guide students in sharing meaningful comparisons.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Simulation Game

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Message Race

One group 'sends a message' by writing a letter and walking it across the school. Another group 'sends' a digital message (with teacher help). They discuss the pros and cons of each.

Prepare & details

Analyze how the way we learn in school has changed because of computers.

Facilitation Tip: In The Message Race, set a clear timer and emphasize that the goal is to test how quickly messages can travel, not just to finish first.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should avoid framing old technology as 'worse' by focusing on the context of use, such as how a hand-cranked radio met a community’s needs during a blackout. Research shows that hands-on comparisons help students see technology as solutions to human problems, not just as objects. Use guided questions to push students beyond 'it’s old' or 'it’s new' to 'it was built for this specific need.'

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students explaining why a tool fits its purpose, not just naming it as old or new. They should compare how tasks were completed in the past versus today using clear details about function and design.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Gallery Walk, watch for students labeling objects as 'bad' or 'dumb' because they are old.

What to Teach Instead

Redirect them by having them hold a boomerang and explain how its shape makes it perfect for flying in a curved path, showing that old tools are often well-designed for their purpose.

Common Misconception

During Think-Pair-Share, listen for students defining technology only as objects with screens.

What to Teach Instead

Ask them to point to examples in the room, like a chair or a ruler, and explain how each one is a tool designed to help humans complete a task.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Gallery Walk, show students pictures of a rotary phone and a smartphone. Ask them to point to the older object and explain one way they differ in how they work, such as how a rotary phone uses a dial while a smartphone uses a touchscreen.

Exit Ticket

During The Message Race, give each student a card with a picture of a historical technology (e.g., a typewriter) and a modern equivalent (e.g., a laptop). Ask them to draw one line connecting them and write one sentence about how they are similar or different in how they help people communicate.

Discussion Prompt

After Think-Pair-Share, ask students: 'Imagine you need to tell your friend a secret quickly. Would you rather use a letter, a rotary phone, or a smartphone? Why?' Listen for reasoning based on speed, ease of use, and reliability.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students to design a new tool that improves upon a historical object while explaining which features they kept and why.
• For students who struggle, provide matching cards with pictures of old and new tools and simple phrases describing their uses (e.g., 'to send a message quickly' for a smartphone).
• Deeper exploration: Ask students to research a historical technology and present a short report on how it solved a problem in its time and what modern tool does the same job today.

Key Vocabulary

Rotary phone	An old type of telephone that used a dial with holes for each number, which you turned to make a call.
Slate board	A small, flat piece of dark material, often slate, used for writing on with chalk in schools before paper notebooks were common.
Typewriter	A machine with keys that you press to print letters onto paper, used for writing documents before computers.
Digital system	A system that uses electronic parts, like computers or tablets, to store, send, or receive information.