Lesson Plan
Tech: Friend or Foe?
Students will be able to identify and discuss the various ways technology impacts their daily lives and society, analyzing both the positive and negative aspects.
Understanding technology's influence is crucial for navigating the modern world responsibly. This lesson helps students develop critical thinking skills about the tools they use every day.
Audience
9th Grade Students
Time
55 minutes
Approach
Through guided discussion and reflection, students will explore technology's impact.
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
- Review the Lesson Plan: Tech: Friend or Foe? and all linked materials.
- Ensure projector/smartboard is functional for the Slide Deck: Tech - Friend or Foe?.
- Print out any materials if a digital display is not available.
- Consider any personal anecdotes or current events related to technology to share with students.
Step 1
Introduction & Warm-Up
5 minutes
- Begin by greeting students and introducing the day's topic: technology.
- Present the Warm Up: Tech Check-in on the screen or distribute copies.
- Ask students to quickly jot down their answers or share with a partner.
- Briefly discuss a few responses as a whole class.
Step 2
Exploring Technology's Impact (Slide Deck & Discussion)
10 minutes
- Transition to the Slide Deck: Tech - Friend or Foe?.
- Go through each slide, facilitating discussion using the prompts provided in the Discussion Prompts: The Tech Talk and the teacher notes.
- Encourage students to share their experiences and perspectives on the benefits and challenges of technology.
- Emphasize critical thinking about how technology shapes their lives and the world around them.
Step 3
Small Group Activity: Tech Impact Scenarios
5 minutes
- Divide students into small groups.
- Distribute or display the Tech Impact Scenario Activity.
- Instruct groups to discuss the provided scenarios, focusing on both positive and negative impacts.
- Briefly bring the class back together to share one or two key takeaways from the scenarios.
Step 4
Activity: Tech Headline Hot Takes
5 minutes
- Transition to the Tech Headline Hot Takes.
- Have students work in pairs to discuss the headlines and their implications.
- Briefly share a few
Step 5
Debate Activity: AI: Friend or Foe?
15 minutes
- Introduce the AI: Friend or Foe? The Great Debate activity.
- Divide the class into two teams: one arguing that AI is helpful, the other that AI is harmful.
- Guide students through preparation, opening statements, and rebuttals as outlined in the activity.
- Facilitate a brief class discussion after the debate, allowing students to reflect on the arguments presented.
Step 6
Assessment: AI: Helpful or Harmful or Both?
10 minutes
- Distribute the AI: Helpful or Harmful or Both?.
- Instruct students to complete the test individually, focusing on their understanding of AI's impacts and digital citizenship.
- Collect tests upon completion.
Step 7
Cool Down
5 minutes
- Distribute or display the Cool Down: One Word Wonders.
- Ask students to complete the cool-down individually.
- Collect responses as an exit ticket or briefly discuss a few aloud to wrap up the lesson.
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Slide Deck
Tech: Friend or Foe?
Exploring the impact of technology on our lives. Friend? Foe? Somewhere in between?
Welcome students to the discussion on technology. Introduce the provocative title to spark curiosity. Ask them to think for a moment about whether they consider technology more of a friend or a foe in their own lives.
What is Technology?
From smartphones to the wheel, technology surrounds us. But what is it, really?
Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry.
Ask students to define technology in their own words. Guide them to think beyond just phones and computers to things like electricity, transportation, medicine, etc. Emphasize that technology is anything created by humans to solve a problem or make life easier.
The Good: Our Digital Companions
Technology offers incredible benefits:
- Connection: Stay in touch with friends and family, meet new people.
- Learning: Access information, online courses, educational tools.
- Convenience: Shopping, banking, navigation, entertainment at your fingertips.
- Innovation: Medical breakthroughs, space exploration, problem-solving.
Facilitate a discussion about the positive aspects of technology. Prompt students with questions like: 'How does technology help you learn?', 'How does it help you connect with others?', 'What are some medical advancements thanks to technology?'
The Bad: Digital Dilemmas
But there are challenges to consider:
- Distraction: Notifications, endless scrolling, difficulty focusing.
- Privacy Concerns: Data collection, online tracking, personal information at risk.
- Mental Health: Social comparison, cyberbullying, addiction.
- Misinformation: Spreading of false information, difficulty discerning truth.
- Digital Divide: Not everyone has equal access to technology.
Now, shift the focus to the challenges. Encourage students to think critically. Ask: 'When has technology caused a problem for you or someone you know?', 'What are some risks of spending too much time online?', 'How can technology affect our privacy?'
The Nuance: Finding Balance
It's not just good or bad; it's how we use it.
- Balance: Finding healthy limits for screen time and online engagement.
- Critical Thinking: Evaluating sources, questioning information, understanding algorithms.
- Digital Citizenship: Being responsible, respectful, and safe online.
- Mindfulness: Being aware of technology's impact on our well-being.
This slide is about nuance. It's not always black and white. Ask: 'How can we use technology responsibly?', 'What are some ways we can mitigate the negative effects of technology?', 'Is there a balance to be found?'
Tech: It's Up To You!
Technology is a powerful tool. How will you use it to shape your future and the world around you?
Be informed, be responsible, be mindful.
Conclude by reiterating the importance of thoughtful engagement with technology. Remind students that they have agency in how they interact with the digital world.
Warm Up
Warm Up: Tech Check-in
Take a moment to think about your typical day.
- What is one piece of technology you use most often?
- What is one benefit you get from using it?
- What is one challenge or downside you experience with it?
Discussion
Discussion Prompts: The Tech Talk
Use these questions to guide your discussion during the lesson.
The Good: Our Digital Companions
- How has technology made your daily life easier or more enjoyable?
- Can you think of a time technology helped you learn something new or connect with someone important?
- What are some ways technology is improving the world around us (e.g., medicine, environment, communication)?
The Bad: Digital Dilemmas
- When has technology been a distraction for you? How did it impact your focus or activities?
- What are your concerns about privacy when you use different apps or websites?
- How do you think social media or constant connectivity affects people's mental health?
The Nuance: Finding Balance
- What does "digital citizenship" mean to you? Why is it important?
- How can we be more critical of the information we find online?
- What strategies can you use to find a healthy balance with technology in your own life?
Overall Reflection
- Based on today's discussion, do you think technology is more of a friend or a foe? Why?
- What is one new thing you learned or thought about regarding technology today?
Cool Down
Cool Down: One Word Wonders
Think about our discussion on technology today.
In one word, describe how technology makes you feel or what it means to you after this lesson.
Then, briefly explain why you chose that word.
Activity
Tech Impact Scenario Activity
Instructions: Read the following scenarios. In small groups, discuss the potential positive and negative impacts of technology in each situation. Be prepared to share your group's thoughts with the class.
Scenario 1: The Social Butterfly App
A new social media app, "ConnectAll," is gaining popularity. It promises to connect you with friends, family, and new people globally, offering instant messaging, video calls, and personalized news feeds.
- Positive Impacts:
- Negative Impacts:
Scenario 2: AI Tutoring Program
Your school implements an AI-powered tutoring program that adapts to each student's learning style, provides instant feedback, and offers personalized practice problems for any subject.
- Positive Impacts:
- Negative Impacts:
Scenario 3: Smart Home Devices
Your family installs a new system of smart home devices that control lighting, temperature, security cameras, and even order groceries based on your family's habits, all managed from a central app.
- Positive Impacts:
- Negative Impacts:
Activity
Tech Headline Hot Takes
Instructions: Read the headlines below. In pairs, discuss the potential positive AND negative implications of each technological advancement. Be ready to share your "hot takes" with the class!
Headline 1: "Wearable Tech Now Predicts Flu Outbreaks 48 Hours in Advance"
- Hot Take:
Headline 2: "AI-Powered Cars Can Now Drive Without Any Human Oversight on Public Roads"
- Hot Take:
Headline 3: "Virtual Reality Classrooms Replace Textbooks, Offering Immersive Learning Experiences Globally"
- Hot Take:
Activity
AI: Friend or Foe? The Great Debate
Topic: Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) more helpful or harmful to society?
Instructions:
- Divide into two teams: One team will argue that "AI is generally more helpful" and the other will argue that "AI is generally more harmful."
- Preparation (5 minutes): Each team will have a few minutes to brainstorm and prepare their opening statements and anticipate points for rebuttal.
- Opening Statements (2 minutes per team, 4 minutes total):
- Team "Helpful AI" presents their opening argument (2 minutes).
- Team "Harmful AI" presents their opening argument (2 minutes).
- Rebuttals (3 minutes per team, 6 minutes total):
- Team "Helpful AI" rebuts the opposing team's points and reinforces their own (3 minutes).
- Team "Harmful AI" rebuts the opposing team's points and reinforces their own (3 minutes).
- Wrap-up & Reflection (Optional): Briefly discuss which arguments were most compelling or have students take an informal vote on their stance after hearing both sides.
Test
AI: Helpful or Harmful or Both?
Quiz
Tech: Friend or Foe? Quiz