Teachers




	Within this role-playing perspective, they will select an invention that meets the criteria of making European life more productive, prosperous, healthy or comfortable. Each team will create a presentation to defend their choice of invention as the one with the most potential for importance in European society. Furthermore, student teams will make predictions on the importance of their invention, as it evolves, in their own lives in the next 50 years. *Student Worksheets* The following worksheets are in a Word.doc format. Inventions List.doc Simple Machines Worksheet.doc Inventions Research Worksheet.doc Technology Spies World Map.doc *Timeline of Activities* The timeline is based on class period of approximately 50 minutes. Session 1 - Classroom Activity Tapping prior knowledge: Initiate a discussion on the hardships of life in Europe between 1300 and 1600. Ask students to suggest inventions (historic and/or contemporary) that could have made life more productive, prosperous, health or comfortable. Put forth the idea that these inventions did exist in cultures which were more technologically advanced than western Europe in the 1500's. Ask students to suggest possible cultures which could have had advanced technology in the 1500's. Introduce Technology Spies as a role-playing unit based on competitive teams. Read and discuss the three roles and the duties for each. It is the teacher's choice to assign students into teams of three or allow for self-choice. The educational needs of special needs students such as resource, full-inclusion, disabled and ELL students should be considered in the formation of teams of three. Session 2 - Computer Lab Your Mission Training: Have students go to this website and read the first pages; Introduction, Task and Process. Instruct students to go to the Your Mission Training page and visit the websites to learn about simple machines. Students will use the Simple Machines Worksheet.doc to record their information. Depending on the number of students and available computers, this session may require two class periods to complete the assignment. Session 3 - Classroom Activity Drawing Compound Machines: Prepare for this drawing activity by collecting various examples of compound machines. Household items such as rotary eggbeaters, handheld rotary drills, rainbird sprinkler heads, handheld can openers, and screw-style wine bottle openers. A bicycle is a great and readily available example of several compound machine principles. The drawing activity should include a detailed drawing of the compound machine with each different simple machine principle labeled. Optional Extended Learning Activity Visit the Simple Machines Lessons website to see the different do-it-yourself simple machines that students can make to learn the principles firsthand. These activities use common classroom and household items. Session 4- Classroom Activity Random Selection of inventions: Make copies of the Inventions List.doc and then cut strips which include one invention per strip. Have student teams randomly draw six or more strips of paper. Students will record their randomly selected inventions on the Inventions Research Worksheet. Within each team, have students divide up the inventions so that each person is responsible for researching for two or more inventions. Session 5 - Classroom Activity Internet Search Strategies: Using questioning strategies, have students suggest categories which might yield information about their inventions. Guide the discussion towards alternative words, Boolean search parameters and specific search engines. Session 6 - 8 Computer Lab *Students will use their Inventions Research Worksheet, as they research their two or more inventions.* Each student will also complete a Technology Spies World Map, showing the invention location and possible route it took to be introduced into Europe. Depending on the number of students and available computers, this session may require two class periods to complete the assignment. Session 9 Classroom Activity Students will collaborate in their teams to share research information and decide which of the inventions meets the criteria of making life more productive, prosperous, healthy or comfortable in Europe of the 1500's. The selected invention will be the focus of the multi-media presentation. Sessions 10 - 15 Classroom Activity or Computer Lab Students will start the process of storyboarding and creating their multi-media presentation. This session is a good opportunity to discuss exactly what must be included in the presentation. The roles and duties of Artist, Merchant and Magician should be reviewed. Some teams may find that having chosen their one invention, they need to do additional in-depth research. Other teams may be ready to start creating their presentation using a variety of software such as word processing, Timeliner, graphics editors, web editors and PowerPoint. It is assumed that students are familiar with simple website construction and powerpoint software. Sessions 16 - 20 Classroom Activity or Computer Lab Presentations and Evaluation: Student teams present their multi-media presentation to the class and Monarch (the teacher). The Monarch uses the evaluation rubric to assess each presentation.