Technology Past & Present
Technology
Using knowledge to develop products and
systems that satisfy needs, solve
problems, and increase our capabilities.
Technological Eras (or Ages)
Agricultural Era
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Stone Age
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Industrial Age
Information Age
Communication Age
Stone Age – Up to about 3500 B.C.
Humans traveled in
small nomadic groups.
Tools used to help in
tasks were made from
stone.
Mastered the use of fire.
Ex. Stones used to
grind corn.
Pairs / Share
On your think paper, write down ways
people used stone to help in their daily
tasks.
Share with your partner.
On your graphic organizer illustrate an
example of the Stone Age.
Bronze Age – About 3500 to 1000 B.C.
Plants grown from
seed.
Yarn spun and fabric
woven.
Soft metals were
hammered, heated
and molded.
Irrigation systems
were developed.
Carts with wheels
appeared.
Pairs / Share
On your think paper, write down ways
people used metals to help in their daily
tasks.
Share with your partner.
On your graphic organizer illustrate an
example of the Bronze Age.
Iron Age – 1000 to 500 B.C.
With better furnaces
smelt iron was
developed.
Iron-tipped plows
Building techniques
changed
Boats became
oceangoing vessels.
Road systems
appeared.
Pairs / Share
On your think paper, write down ways the
Iron Age improved life.
Share with your partner.
On your graphic organizer illustrate an
example of the Iron Age.
Industrial Age – 1750 to early
1900’s
New machines and
sources of power
were developed.
Countries changed
from rural to urban.
Textile industry was
born.
New transportation
and communication.
Labor Unions were
born.
Pairs / Share
On your think paper, write down ways the
the Industrial Age changed life.
Share with your partner.
On your graphic organizer illustrate an
example of the Industrial Age.
Information Age – early 1900’s to
early 1990’s
Plastics were developed
Computer developed in
1944.
Transistors invented
in1947.
Manufacturing changed
Travel increased
Information access and
exchange became
quicker and easier
Pairs / Share
On your think paper, write down ways the
Information Age changed life.
Share with your partner.
On your graphic organizer illustrate an
example of the Information Age.
Communication Age
Instant, mobile communication
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Handhelds
PDA’s, Blackberries
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Cellphones replacing landlines
Text messaging
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Videophones
Internet communication
Blogging
Instant messaging
Internet phones
Pairs / Share
On your think paper, write down ways the
Communication Age changed life.
Share with your partner.
On your graphic organizer illustrate an
example of the Communication Age.
Exponential Growth
Changes coming faster and faster
Ideas combined and change increases
Ex. If you were given one penny on your
birthday and the amount doubled every
day by the third day you would have four
cents.
Activity
With a partner figure out how much you
would have at the end of one month if you
were given one penny and it doubled
every day.
Answer: Over $5 million or $5,368,709.12
to be exact.
Technology’s Rate of Change
Moore’s Law
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The observation made in 1965 by Gordon Moore, cofounder of Intel, that the number of transistors per
square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every
year since the integrated circuit was invented.
Moore predicted that this trend would continue for the
foreseeable future. In subsequent years, the pace
slowed down a bit, but data density has doubled
approximately every 18 months.
Round Table
Discuss in round table the impact Moore’s
Law has on us today.
Be ready to share.
Activities
Optional small group activity: Technology
Then, Now and Future worksheet.
Using the Venn diagram handout, select
one tool of the past and compare it to a
tool of the present used for a similar task.
Write a paragraph explaining how this
technology has increased our capacity.
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Ex: Hand sewing / Sewing Machine