TECHNOLOGY TERM 2 WEEK 2 (DRAFT)
GRADE
TEACHERS
PARENTS
LEARNERS’
ACTIVITIES
Informal
Assessment
7
TERM
2
Topic
WHAT I am going
to teach?
DATE:
27/04 - 01/05
Methodology
HOW I am going to
TEACH?
Structures:
• Investigate:
a Cell Phone
Tower – a frame
structure.
• Case study:
Examine existing
towers
strengthened by
triangulation.
• Practical
activities:
Investigate
Stiffening
materials and
structures
• Landline vs Cell
phone.
Read and discuss the
content.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Tips to parents.
Explain new vocabulary.
Practical activities can
be done in groups.
Educator must
demonstrate before
learners do these
activities.
WEEK
2
Resources
WHAT I am going to use?
Sheets of A4 wastepaper
Glue sticks
Sosatie/kebab sticks
Pairs of scissors
Cardboard
Sticky tape
Thin wire or string
A nail or awl to make holes
with.
Videos
Strong Structures with
Triangles:
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=mBHJtWbsiaA
What Makes Bridges So
Strong?
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=oVOnRPefcno
Let your child read
the content page
aloud. Explain new
vocabulary on new
words.
Same as above.
Use recycled materials for
the practical activities.
Do practical activities
together.
Learners engage with the content and participate in the discussion.
Learners complete the practical activities in groups
Learners complete the worksheet.
Worksheet: Landline vs Mobile (Cell phones)
1|Page
Content
Investigate
structures
Explanation
Cell phone towers are structures found all over South Africa. These structures are
designed for a very specific function. Frame structures often appear to be less
sturdy than shell or solid structures. They often consist of many metal pieces put
together. However, these frame structures can be very strong, and they can
remain standing for years.
Case Study
Study the towers on the right.
1. Can you identify the
different towers?
2. What do these structures
have in common?
One of the methods used to
strengthen frame structures is triangulation. A triangle is a very strong shape. When
a force or pressure is exerted on a triangle, two of the sides stretch the third side.
This side then pulls the other two sides towards itself. All of this stretching and pulling
means two things:
1. The structure stays rigid.
2. The force is spread among all three sides of the triangles.
The spreading of the force makes the shape very stable.
Practical
activity 1:
Stiffen a
structural
material by
tubing
Tubes are very good at resisting compression forces. A bicycle frame is made of
tubes instead of solid material. Tubing not only makes a structure rigid and strong,
but it also makes it very light because less solid material is used.
You are going to roll your own tubes using:
• two sheets of A4 paper (preferably wastepaper intended for recycling),
• glue,
• sosatie/kebab stick (or any thin rod)
• a pair of scissors.
Look at the pictures below to help you.
STEP 1
STEP 4
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 5
Step 1: Fold the paper over and make a square. Cut off the rest.
Step 2: Lift up the paper and roll it around a sosatie stick
Step 3: Roll the paper tightly around the stick.
Step 4: Stick the end down with glue.
Step 5: Take the stick out by twisting it around until it moves out.
2|Page
Practical
activity 2:
Stiffen a
structural
material by
folding
Thin sheets of paper are flexible. A sheet of paper or cardboard will bend easily
when a force (weight) is placed on it. One way of stiffening thin sheet material is to
change the shape of the material. This can be done by folding or bending the
material.
Work in pairs.
You need some cardboard, sticky
tape and a pair of scissors.
2
You also need two books. Cut two
strips of cardboard (no. 1 and 2),
each about 30 cm long and 8 cm
1
wide. Fold one strip along its length,
in the middle. Attach the sticky tape
at the bottom to keep the shape intact.
Which of the two pieces of cardboard will bend more easily?
Investigate to check your answer. One
person holds the flat strip of cardboard
across two books as shown on the left.
1
The other person presses down in the
middle of the sheet of paper.
Do the same with the folded strip.
2
Which strip is the easiest to bend, the
flat strip or the folded strip?
Practical
activity 3:
Stiffen a
frame
structure by
triangulation
You can stiffen a frame structure by making use of triangulation. You will need:
A few sheets of A4 scrap paper, glue, thin wire or string (or paper clips), and a nail
or awl to make holes with.
Work in groups of four:
2
3
1. Roll at least 5 paper
straws/tubes (see
practical activity 1)
2. Join four paper straws to
make a four-sided shape
(use the wire or string to attach them).
3. Look what happens when you push the sides of the
square or pull the sides of the square. Does the shape
change?
4
4. Insert another paper straw from the top left corner to
the bottom right corner. Repeat the pushing and
pulling actions. Does the shape change easily again?
By turning the square into two triangles, you made the structure stable. Making
triangles in a structure is called triangulation.
3|Page
Worksheet: Landline vs Mobile (Cell phones)
Read the conversation below:
1. Why can’t Mavis hear what Thomas is saying?
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Phillip and Lebogang enjoy their conversation. Why are they not experiencing the
same communication problem as Mavis and Thomas?
_________________________________________________________________________________
How does landlines work?
When making a call using a landline, your voice is transmitted down a group of cables
until it reaches the person on the other side. When you phone someone in another
country, your voice is transmitted via an undersea cable.
How does cell phones work?
Cell phones use radio waves to transmit your voice to relay towers. If you are moving when
you are on your cell phone, the cell phone tower that is transmitting your voice changes
as you move. This happens automatically, thus the cell phone tower that is closest to you
will transmit your voice. Many relay towers are used to connect you to the person you are
talking to.
Work with a partner
Complete the table below. Describe four advantages and four disadvantages of using
landline phones, and of using cell phones.
Network
Advantages
Disadvantages
Landline
phones
Cell
phones
4|Page