Science Exploration : Technology Through Time

Teacher Name: Ms. Abbott

Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY
Content

Topic
Investigation

4
At least 3 examples of
chosen activity are
shown for past and
present with dates for
each. One image is
created for the future
of chosen activity with
a description
explaining how the
activity is done in the
image. Example
Activity: Having a
Conversation- Past:
Picture of face-to-face
conversation between
two cavemen, picture
of a letter from the
1700s, picture of the
first telephone in
1800s.
Independently
identified an activity
which was interesting
to the student and
which could be
investigated.

3
3 examples are
provided for past
and present, but
there are no captions
giving the date and a
description of the
activity. Future
image caption is
also incomplete.

2
1
Less than 3
Past or present is
examples are
left out
provided for past
completely, future
and present, 1
contains little or
example of future is no effort.
incomplete and
contains little effort.

Identified, with
adult help, a
technology-using
activity which was
interesting to the
student and which
could be
investigated.

Identified, with
adult help, a
technology-using
activity which
could be
investigated.

Identified a
technology-using
activity that could
not be
investigated or
one that did not
merit
investigation.

Display

Each element in the

Each element had a
display had a function function and clearly
and clearly served to served to illustrate
illustrate some aspect some aspect of the
of the
technology/activity.
technology/activity. All Most items, 7,
items, 7, images or
images or artifacts
artifacts, etc. were
etc. were neatly and
neatly and correctly
correctly
captioned/explained. captioned/explained.

Conclusion/
Summary

Student provided a
detailed conclusion
clearly based on the
data and related to
previous research
findings and the
activity/technology.

Student provided a
somewhat detailed
conclusion clearly
based on the data
and related to the
research findings
and the
activity/technology.

Each element had a

function and clearly
served to illustrate
some aspect of the
technology/activity.
Most items, 7,
images or artifacts
etc. were neatly and
correctly
captioned/explained
.
Student provided a
conclusion with
some reference to
the data and the
research findings
and the
activity/technology.

The display
seemed
incomplete or
chaotic with no
clear plan. Many
images or artifacts
etc were missing
or incorrect.

No conclusion
was apparent OR
important details
were overlooked.

More Information:

Past: Find three different artifacts (pictures, physical representations, etc.) from different periods of
time before the year 1950 and provide a caption that includes
WHAT is the technology you are showing- e.g. this is an image of the first telephone
WHERE you got the information- e.g. the URL if using an image from the computer
WHEN the technology was being used- e.g. a date (if provided). These should be well-spaced out over
the years- don't just pick 3 artifacts from the 1900s.
WHY the image/technology relates to your activity- e.g. it is a picture of two people talking, which
relates to my activity of communication because it was the first form of communication.
HOW the technology is used- e.g. To communicate with someone far away in the 1700s, one wrote a
message on a piece of paper and sent it to be mailed. The mail would then be carried across land and
sea by messengers on horseback, by carriage, and/or by boat until it arrived at its destination. (Not all
HOWs will be this long and detailed. Some may be very obvious already, and thus require little
explanation)

Present: Find three different artifacts (pictures, physical representations, etc.) from different periods
of time after the year 1950 and provide a caption that includes
WHAT is the technology you are showing- e.g. this is an image of current cellphones
WHERE you got the information- e.g. the URL if using an image from the computer
WHEN the technology was being used- e.g. a date (if provided). These should be well-spaced out over
the years- don't just pick 3 artifacts from the late 1900s.
WHY the image/technology relates to your activity- e.g. it is a picture of two people texting, which
relates to my activity of communication because it is one of the most popular forms of communication
currently.
HOW the technology is used- e.g. Video-chatting allows two people to communicate from almost

anywhere in the world, and is used by setting up a program on the computer with a webcam and
speakers that allows each person to see and hear the other. (Not all HOWs will be this long and
detailed. Some may be very obvious already, and thus require little explanation)

Future:

Create an artifact (pictures, physical representations, etc.) from a future period of time after
the year 2015 and provide a caption that includes
WHAT is the technology you are showing- e.g. this is an image of bubble-chatting
NOTE: Be creative with your picture. Not everyone may be skilled at drawing, but everyone CAN
draw in their own way. I want to see your best effort put into this picture, even if you have a little
trouble with it. Everyone MUST draw their own. No excuses. And trust me, you CAN do this.
WHERE you got the information- e.g. the URL if using an idea from the computer- NOTE: This is
your opportunity to use your own imagination and envision the future. Do NOT simply copy an idea
you see online- this will cause you to lose points. I want to see what YOU think the future will look
like.
WHEN the technology may be used- e.g. a date (you can guess what year you think this technology
might show up- maybe you will be closer than you think!).
WHY the image/technology relates to your activity- e.g. it is a picture of two people bubble-chatting,
which relates to my activity of communication because it is a new way for people to communicate
without phones like we do now.
HOW the technology might be used- e.g. Bubble-chatting allows two people to communicate from
almost anywhere in the world, and is used by speaking into a computerized bubble which records your
voice and is sent through air waves to another person, appearing in another bubble. If the bubble pops,
then your voice recording will play to whoever is near it. Special frequencies in the air can be used to
help the bubbles transmit. Two people have to be on the same frequency to be able to communicate
with each other via bubble-chat. (This HOW should be long enough to give me a good idea of what
your technology is. The example provided could be much longer, depending on how much I know
about airwaves or how much I can speculate about them, because all technology is based on former
technology. This means that, to properly create your own invention/technology, you have to have some
understanding of what we know currently. To finish my HOW, I should find out more about airwaves to
make my idea more viable and realistic.)