1. What technology did you use over the break? Did you use more technology while on vacation or was your use down.
2. Quick Write: What if all of the gizmos and gadgets in the world were going to be taken away except for one. What one technological invention would you keep. What is most important to you? (Yes, electricity will still work. You will still be able to drive a car. However, everything else will cease to operate. ) You have 10 minutes to explain what you would keep and why you would keep the gadget. What makes it worth keeping? Describe the "new" world.
3. What do the "experts" say about technology in our time?
Has technology impacted human ability to think? (In class activity/handout)
Do you think better with or without technology? Discussion - what are the pros and cons of life with technology?
4. . Reading and Viewing:
Getting ready: List all of the technology that is in your home today. (1 minute)
Sharing and class discussion to follow.
Poem by Sarah Teisdale
"There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;
Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
if mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone."
Will nature care if humanity ceases to exist?
Listen to and follow along as we learn about predictions from the 1950s. Make a list of all of the items that were predicted by Ray Bradbury that exist and are used today. Discussion to follow. Yes, you may write on the paper copy. It is yours to keep.
"There Will Come Soft Rains"
5. This is where we are headed. By Friday, you will have the draft of this paper completed and ready for a peer editing activity. The final paper is due on Monday, March 25. Get ready to write!
Technology – Friend or Foe?
For this essay, you are writing to convince the opposition.
Consider the dangers and advantages of technology. For this essay, you must pick a side. Think of this essay as a
debate on paper. You must know what the opposition thinks, but you do not
support that point of view.
I.
Introduction –
a.
Identify the specific technology you will be
discussing – cell phone, computer, automobile, dishwasher, microwave, GPS, video
games, television, apps, photography etc.
b.
Capture the attention of the audience in the
normal way with startling statistics, an interesting anecdote, a quotation from
an expert, lines from a song or poem, a thought provoking question, etc. In
short, make sure that what you say makes the reader want to know more.
c.
In addition, state your thesis – make your point
of view clear!
d.
Use claims, reasons, and evidence to build your
case
II.
The body of the paper will do several things –
a.
Convince the reader that they either need or do
not need the technology.
b.
Provide a brief history of the specific
technology you plan to discuss. What was life like before its invention? When
was it invented? How has it evolved? What is its story?
c.
Provide clear evidence to support your point of
view. You must have proof from at least four of the following:
i.
At least three experts/sources. You may use the
articles studied in class and articles that specifically relate to your chosen
technology.
ii.
A current news source such as a newspaper or
magazine article or news cast.
iii.
An interview with at least one person who uses
the technology.
iv.
A personal anecdote.
v.
Lines from literature – poem, short story, or
novel.
vi.
A work of
art.
vii.
Strong statistics from an expert source.
The body of the paper will be
several paragraphs in length.
III.
Conclusion –
Wrap it up for the readers. Leave them with a call to action to either
give up or get the gadget you are supporting. Be sure they know why they need
or do not need one. Consider:
a.
Convenience
b.
Cost
c.
Safety
d.
Environmental impact
e.
Impact on society/ethics
General formatting guidelines: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/24/
Sample essay: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/13/
Works Cited guidelines: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/05/
In-text citations: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/
What technology will you select? What are the possibilities? TODAY - pick one for your research project.
Here is homework activity #1!
Research the history of your chosen item. See B above. Answer the questions in paragraph form. Research and cite at least two sources. Post the historical information in CANVAS along with the correctly MLA formatted Works Cited entries.
Provide a brief history of the specific technology you plan to discuss. What was life like before its invention? When was it invented? How has it evolved? What is its story?
Homework Activity #2
Locate two additional articles related to the pros or cons of technology. At least one of the articles must relate to your chosen gizmo or gadget.
Summarize each article in paragraph form or create a list of 10 points for each article. In short, prove that you read and understood the article.
Then write a paragraph and explain how the information you read relates to your topic. What information will you be able to use in your essay?
Do include a properly formatted Works Cited entry for each article.
Post your work in Canvas. (30 points)
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