Aimee StoutFall 2009

Education 373

Spread the News

• Science Standard 1– The Nature of Science and Technology

• Incidcator4.1.8 – Recognize and explain that any invention may lead to other

inventions.• Taken from– http://dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/

StandardSearch.aspx• Link to activity– http://www.indianastandardsresources.org/files/sci/

sci_4_1_8.pdf

Standards

• Invention- A new device, method, or process developed from study and experimentation.

• Printing Press- A machine that transfers lettering or images by contact with various forms of inked surface onto paper or similar material fed into it in various ways.

• Telegraph- apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire .

Definitions

• The purpose of this activity is for students recognize and explain that any invention may lead to other inventions. Students need to the definitions and what each original invention is.

BackgroundInformation

• For all questions write answers on the board:– In what ways do we get the news?– What about people 200 years ago?– What about 800 years ago?

Communication

• Discuss with students how the invention of the newspaper led to other inventions making communication better and faster.

• Have students in groups of four. • Give each group a research topic slip, a piece of

construction paper, and markers.• Allow students to use multiple resources.• Have students write their information on the construction

paper.• Once information is complete, have students work

together to place their results into a timeline- in chronological order.

• Have groups present their information to the rest of the class.

Activity

• For the computer, television, telegraph, radio and printing press answer the following questions:– 1. When was it first invented?– 2. Who invented it?– 3. Did anyone make any improvements to this

invention?• A. If so, who and when?• B. What kind of improvements were made?

Research Topics

• Think of one invention that has made people’s lives easier. Do you think this invention has been improved since its original creation?

• When you looked through different research materials, did they all list the same person as being the inventor? If not, why do you think this happened?

Discussion Questions

• Printing Press1. First invented in 1st century China: first

“newspaper”2. 1450, Johannes Guttenberg, Germany: first

printing press with movable wood blocks3a. 1455, Guttenberg3b. metal blocks• Telegraph1. 17922. Claude Chappe3a. 1835, Samuel Morse3b. electric currents used; Morse code used• Radio1. 1870s; 18742. James Clerk Maxwell; Guglielmo Marconi,

Italy- Marconi’s Wireless Telegraph3a. Lee DeForest; Edwin Armstrong3b. Audion tube - improved audio signals’

amplification

Answer KeyAnswers may vary

• Television1. 19232. Vladimir Zworykin, United States, while working for Westinghouse3a. 1925 - John Baird; 1927 - Philo Farnsworth; 1953 - Peter Goldmark, United States,while working for CBS3b. true television pictures of objects; “dissector tube” allowed for all-electronic TV;first color TV• Computer1. 1830s2. Charles Babbage3a. 1940s - John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert; 1950s - Grace Hopper3b. invention of ENIAC (first general-purpose digital computer);FLOW-MATIC+ allowed computer programs to be written in English

• Challenge students to make their own inventions. Have each student draw and describe his/her invention and explain what problem it would solve.

Extension

• Activity and Extension http://www.indianastandardsresources.org/files/sci/sci_4_1_8.pdf

• Definitions -http://www.freedictionary.com• Pictures- from clipart

Resources