Technology and the Diversity of Limits

Have students work on their own to do the following tasks. Once they have completed the questions, you may wish for students to discuss them with their teams or in a class discussion.

1. Turn to The Process of Technology Design graphic that you put in your technology notebook during the Explore activity.

   1. With a different-colored pen or pencil, write down one or more Xs to indicate which stage or stages you were doing during the last two activities. You should use a color that you have not yet used on this graphic.
   2. Write “Elaborate” and “Evaluate” next to the Xs.
   3. Explain in writing why you chose the stages you did.

   In the Elaborate activity, students evaluated the solution as they tested and ranked the different cereals. In the Evaluate activity, they shared the results of the solution by writing an article about the cereals’ test results. It is important for students to realize that even though someone else designed these solutions, they are still practicing part of the process of technology design. As you discuss this question with your students, be sure to point out that they used one graphic to look at different products—cereals and paper towels. In this chapter, they learn what types of activities occur at each stage of the process. They should realize that as engineers work, they use the entire process to design a single technology. By the end of the module, they will have an opportunity to work through the entire process as they design one technology. It is important for them to realize that engineers do not choose certain parts of the process when they design new solutions.

2. Think of an activity you do at school. If you had a chance to test any product related to that activity and write an article about it, what kind of product would you test? Why?

   Students’ answers will vary. Accept any reasonable answer. Research has shown that connecting concepts to students’ lives helps motivate them. This question should stimulate students to consider what they would like to test in order to link the activities they have been doing to something they would enjoy.

3. How will you use the information you learned in this chapter to help you make decisions about the products you buy?

   Like the previous question, this question should increase student motivation by helping them link what they have learned to their own lives. Students will likely say that they know how to test products or how to read tables in Consumer Reports to help them buy products.

4. It was stated in the introduction to this Evaluate activity that you would practice communicating your ideas in writing. Why do you think this is an important skill to practice?

   Some students may feel that this is not an important skill. Encourage them to give a reason. They may suggest that this skill lets them share their thoughts, improve their writing, or make sure that others know what they have done in the investigations.