Technology

Technology

Subject Outline

Technology courses will first give the student an appreciation of how technology impacts our lives from individual and local to international and global scales; that we canít live in todayís world without it and therefore must know how to use and manage it wisely. Second, technology instruction will teach the student critical thinking and problem solving skills by using the design cycle individually as well as in team settings to creatively produce solutions to needs and problems. Throughout technology instruction, proper use of computer-age tools will be emphasized.

Technology courses at all levels will ensure that students are exposed to and address through their projects the three branches of technology: information, materials and systems.

Aims and Objectives
Aims Participation in MYP technology should enable students to : develop an appreciation of the significance of technology for life, society and the environment (Az Standards: 2TP1, 2TP2, 2TP3 and 2TD1) use knowledge, skills and techniques to create products/solutions of appropriate quality develop problem solving, critical and creative thinking skills through the application of the design cycle (Investigate. Az Standards 5TP1, 5TP2, 5TP3: Plan. Az Standards 1TP1, 1TP2; Create. Evaluate. develop respect for othersí viewpoints and appreciate alternative solutions to problems (Az Standards 2TP1, 2TP2, 2TP3, 2TD1) use and apply ICT effectively as a means to access, process and communicate information, and to solve problems (Az Standards 5TP1, 5TP2, 5TP3, 4TP1, 4TP2, 4TP3, 4TD1, 1TP1, 1TP2, 3TE1, 3TP3 and 3TP4). Objectives Investigate Students identify the problem to be solved. At the end of the course they should be able to: evaluate the importance of the problem for life, society and the environment outline the design brief Students develop the design brief. At the end of the course they should be able to: formulate and discuss appropriate questions that guide the investigation identify and acknowledge a range of appropriate sources of information collect, analyze, select, organize and evaluate information evaluate the sources of information. Students formulate a design specification. At the end of the course, they should be able to: list the specific requirements that must be met by the product/solution design tests to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification. Students design the product/solution. At the end of the course they should be able to: generate several feasible designs that meet the design specification evaluate the designs against the design specification select one design and justify its choice. Plan Students plan the product/solution. At the end of the course, they should be able to: construct a plan to create the product/solution that has a series of logical steps construct a plan to create the product/solution that makes effective use of resources and time evaluate the plan and justify and modifications to the design. Create Students use appropriate techniques and equipment. At the end of the course: use a range of appropriate techniques and equipment competently ensure a safe working environment for themselves and others. Students follow the plan. At the end of the course, they should be able to: follow the plan to produce the product/solution evaluate the plan and justify any changes to the plan (when necessary). Students create the product/solution. At the end of the course, they should be able to: create a product/solution of appropriate quality. Evaluate Students evaluate the product/solution. At the end of the course, they should be able to: carry out tests to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification evaluate the success of the product/solution in an objective manner based on testing, their own views and the views of the intended user evaluate the impact of the product/solution on individuals and on society explain how the product/solution could be improved. Students evaluate their use of the design cycle. At the end of the course, they should: evaluate their performance at each stage of the design cycle suggest ways in which their performance could be improved. This objective goes beyond technology and refers to encouraging attitudes and dispositions that will contribute to studentsí development as caring and responsible individuals and members of society.During the course, students should: carry out units of work in technology using materials and techniques safely and responsibly work effectively as members of a team, collaborating, acknowledging and supporting the views of others provide evidence of personal engagement with the subject (motivation, independence, general positive attitude) when working in technology
Course Outline
Level I	Level II	Level III	Level IV	Level V
-Technology and World: Current events. -Typing Skills -Word processing: Documents and embedded objects -Spreadsheet: Data entry, functions, - graphing -Introduction to Design Cycle -Power point presentations -Photo processing	-Technology and World: Current events -The Design Cycle -Software skills and applications -Systems -Communications -Energy and power -Production: Materials, processes -Consequences: Environment	-The Design Cycle -Technology and World: Current events -Software skills and applications -Raw materials -Energy sources -Manufacturing processes -Waste streams, recycling and the environment	--The Design Cycle -Technology and World: Current events. -Electricity and magnetism -Sound and digits -Inside the big box: Parts of a computer -Input and Output: How data goes in and out -Storing information: Memory, hard drives and compression. -Light, the universe and TV	-The Design Cycle -Variation exists- deal with it -Programming A-Sequential instruction sets -Programming B-A game in a high level language -Programming C-System Dynamics
Assessment Criteria
Investigate -Students are expected to identify the problem, develop a design brief and formulate a design specification.	Design -Students are expected to generate several feasible designs that meet the design specification and to evaluate -Students are expected to select one design, justify their choice and evaluate this in detail.	Plan -Students are expected to construct a plan to create their chosen product/solution -Students are expected to evaluate the plan and justify modifications	Create -Students must document with photographs or video and a dated record the process of making their product/solution	Evaluate -Students are expected to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification and explain how it could be improved at each stage of the design cycle

Grand Canyon School District #4
Curriculum Guide 2006/2007
Technology Course Outline 2006/2007

Name of Course: Technology Level 1

Teachers and Contact Information: Brad Houston; Brad@grandcanyonschool.org

Course Description:

Technology 6 is a hands-on course in computer use and computer literacy. Students will begin by learning keyboarding skills, then progress through Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents. Proper use of the Browser will follow. They will learn how to organize, manage and backup their files; how to properly start, shutdown and put the computer into standby modes. Throughout the year, computer security will be emphasized. Current technology events will be read and discussed to put the computer into an international society context. Because this is a hands-on course, the primary AOI used to focus instruction is homo faber. Because technology has a large interaction with both environment and society, these will be our secondary AOIs. Student progress will be assessed largely through hands on skill demonstrations. Projects structured with the framework of the technology design cycle will be used to reinforce the computer skills. These will be assessed via application of the MYP Technology Assessment Rubric.

Topics:

Technology and World:

ATLs: Note taking, graphic organizers and summarization of key points will be stressed.
AOIs Health and Social, Environment.

Technology's impact on society across many cultures will be examined through review of current events. This unit, which runs throughout the year, ties the computing tool skills the students are acquiring to the worldwide revolution in technology. The rapid change in technology impacts every culture on every continent. Computing technology will be put in a multi-cultural context by review of current events each week.

Typing skills

ATLs: Consistent practice will be reinforced,
AOI: Homo faber.

The students will learn to create text using the computer tool.

Word processing: Documents and Embedded objects

ATLs: Effective communication through formatting of documents and integration of text and pictures.
AOI: Homo faber

The students learn to create easy to read documents using the computer tool.

Spreadsheet: Data entry, Functions, Graphing

ATLs: Organizing data; making patterns visible
AOI: Homo faber

The student will learn spreadsheet use and functions. They will analyse and create order out of messy data.

Introduction to the Design Cycle

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills, reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

The students will learn the design cycle and the design cycle grading rubric through the creating a project in a 3-6 person team, and writing a design report using their newly acquired computing tool skills.

Power point presentations
ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; presentation
AOIs: Environment, Homo faber

Students will create a powerpoint presentation on a topic concerning technology and the environment. The presentation will be presented to the class.

Interaction with the internet
ATLs: Finding, organizing and summarizing high quality sources
AOIs: Health and Society

Safe computing strategies will be emphasized throughout this unit as the students learn to effectively use the World Wide Web for research.

Teaching Strategies and Assessment

Students will learn computing through a hands-on approach to the computer. They will first understand how to correctly use the features of a computer program and will then investigate, design, plan, create and evaluate a product using that program. The unit will conclude with the student writing a design report. The project and report will be assessed using MYP technology assessment rubrics covering:

Investigate: How well the student can find, assess and summarize information

Design: Present several alternative designs meeting the need; justify one.
Plan: Layout logical steps to complete the task; comprehend time and materials
Create: Execute the plan, using safe construction practices
Evaluate: Reflect on the product or solution's success and your own performance
Attitude: Personal engagement, respect for others, and safe practices

Movies, lecture, and other materials will be employed as appropriate to augment the lessons.

Resources:

Microsoft programs Word(tm), Excel(tm), Powerpoint(tm) and Explore(tm) are the basis for this course.
Typing will be taught using Southwestern's Microtype 3.0.
Current events in technology are typically pulled from the Wall Street Journal, the Arizona Republic, Science News, or the MIT Technology Journal.

Grand Canyon School District #4
Curriculum Guide 2006/2007 Technology
Course Outline 2006/2007

Name of Course: Technology Level 2

Teachers and Contact Information: Brad Houston; Brad@grandcanyonschool.org

Course Description:

Technology 7 is a course designed to give students a broad overview of technology in today's world. Students will begin with a review of the design cycle and grading rubric. Design projects by student teams will explore the technologies introduced in the lessons. These projects will be assessed using the MYP design cycle rubric. Throughout the course, computing skills and tools will be used and reinforced. Approaches to learning will be emphasized in every unit to give students the knowledge tools required for life-long exploration of ideas. The societal and cultural implications of technology will be examined throughout the year by discussing current events in technology unfolding across the globe.

Because this is a hands-on course, the primary AOI used to focus instruction is homo faber. Because technology has a large interaction with both environment and society, these will be our secondary AOIs. Projects structured with the framework of the technology design cycle will be used to reinforce the technologies studied. Design reports will be written to culminate many of the units. The projects and reports will be assessed via application of the MYP Technology Assessment Rubric.

Topics:

Technology and World:

ATLs: Note taking, graphic organizers and summarization of key points
AOIs Health and Social, Environment.

Technology's impact on society across many cultures will be examined through review of current events. This unit, which runs throughout the year, ties the technology basics the students are acquiring to the worldwide revolution in technology. The rapid change in technology impacts every culture on every continent. Technology will be put in a multi-cultural context by study of current events each week

The Design Cycle

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

The students will learn the design cycle and the design cycle grading rubric through creating a project in a 3-6 person team; writing a design report; scoring their design report; and rewriting their design report.

Systems

ATLs: Organization, presentation, communication
AOIs: Homo faber

Students will learn about how systems interact; will construct a system; and will write a design report on their creation.

Communications

ATLs: Communication; presentation; social and group work skills
AOIs: Homo faber

Student teams will research, create and present a slide presentation on one modern method of communication

Energy and Power

ATLs: Information literacy, organization, planning work
AOIs: Homo faber

After learning the basic technologies of energy and power, students will research and create a device powered by a renewable energy source.

Production (homo faber):
ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills, reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

Consequences of manufacturing

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills, reflection
AOIs: Environment

Students will examine the impact of various manufacturing practices on the environment and teach each other what they have learned.

Teaching Strategies and Assessment:

Students will learn about technology through hands on production and problem solving using the design cycle, including production of design reports. Appropriate use of computing tools, including keyboarding, document layout, presentations, and data analysis, will be reinforced during the completion of these projects.

Technology will be put in a multi-cultural context by review of current events, worldwide, each week. Movies, lecture, and other materials will be employed as appropriate to augment the lessons. Approaches to learning will be emphasized all year in order to give the students knowledge tools they can use throughout their education.

Each unit will introduce a topic using lecture, discussion and Socratic review. Students will then will then investigate, design, plan, create and evaluate a product illustrating that technology. The unit will conclude with the student writing a design report. The project and report will be assessed using MYP technology assessment rubrics covering:

Design: Present several alternative designs meeting the need; justify one.
Plan: Layout logical steps to complete the task; comprehend time and materials
Create: Execute the plan, using safe construction practices
Evaluate: Reflect on the product or solution's success and your own performance
Attitude: Personal engagement, respect for others, and safe practices

Resources:

Textbook Living with Technology 2nd edition; Glencoe.
Current events in technology are typically pulled from the Wall Street Journal, the Arizona Republic, Science News, or the MIT Technology Journal.

Grand Canyon School District #4
Curriculum Guide 2006/2007
Technology
Course Outline 2006/2007

Name of Course: Technology Level 3

Teachers and Contact Information: Brad Houston; Brad@grandcanyonschool.org

Course Description:

Technology 8 is a course studying manufacturing technology, related technologies and the myriad international and societal interactions of manufacturing. Students will begin with a review of the design cycle and grading rubric. Design projects by student teams exercising homo faber will explore the inputs, transformations, outputs, benefits and unintended effects of making the things that make up society. Because technology interacts heavily with environment and with society, these become our secondary areas of interaction. These projects will be assessed using the MYP technology rubric. Throughout the course, computing skills and tools will be used and reinforced. MYP approaches to learning will be emphasized to give students the knowledge tools required for life-long exploration of ideas. The societal and cultural implications of technology will be examined throughout the year by discussing current events in technology unfolding across the globe.

Topics:

Technology and World:

ATLs: Note taking, graphic organizers and summarization of key points
AOIs Health and Social, Environment.

The Design Cycle

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber, Environment

Students will investigate, design, plan and create a presentation on an important raw material. They will evaluate their work in a design report.

Energy Sources and Sinks

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

Students will investigate, design, plan and create a presentation on a source of energy. They will evaluate their work in a design report.

Manufacturing Processes

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

Students will investigate, design, plan and create a model of a manufacturing process. They will evaluate their work in a design report.

Waste Streams, Recycling and the Environment

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; reflection
AOIs: Environment

Students will investigate, design, plan and create an individual report on a source of energy. They will evaluate their work in a design report.

Manufacturing and Society

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Health and Social

Students will investigate, design, plan and create an individual work on how manufacturing has changed society and project that learning into an envisioned future. They will evaluate their work in a design report.

Teaching Strategies and Assessment:

Students will learn about technology through hands-on production and problem solving using the design cycle. This will include the production of design reports. Appropriate use of computing tools, including keyboarding, document layout, presentations, and data analysis, will be reinforced during the completion of these projects.

Technology will be put in a multi-cultural context by review of current events each week. Movies, lecture, and other materials will be employed as appropriate to augment the lessons. Approaches to learning will be emphasized all year in order to give the students knowledge tools they can use throughout their education.

Each unit will introduce a topic using lecture, discussion and Socratic review. Students will then will then investigate, design, plan, create and evaluate a product illustrating that technology. Most units will conclude with the student writing a design report. The project and report will be assessed using MYP technology assessment rubrics covering:

Investigate: How well the student can find, assess and summarize information

Plan: Layout logical steps to complete the task; comprehend time and materials
Create: Execute the plan, using safe construction practices
Evaluate: Reflect on the product or solution's success and your own performance
Attitude: Personal engagement, respect for others, and safe practices

Resources:

The World Wide Web. Current events in technology are typically pulled from the Wall Street Journal, the Arizona Republic, Science News, or the MIT Technology Journal.

Grand Canyon School District #4
Curriculum Guide 2006/2007
Technology
Course Outline 2006/2007

Name of Course: Technology Level 4

Teachers and Contact Information: Brad Houston; Brad@grandcanyonschool.org

Course Description:

Technology 9 is a one-semester course studying the technologies involved in computing. The basis for this is a solid understanding of electricity and magnetism. Once this is established students will learn how computers use 1s and 0s to manage our daily existence. The societal impacts of computers in their many forms and in many countries will be examined through an ongoing review of current events in technology. Students should leave this course with a basic understanding of what goes on both inside their PC and across the world-wide network. Throughout the course, computing skills and tools will be used and reinforced. MYP approaches to learning will be emphasized to give students the knowledge tools required for life-long exploration of ideas. The societal and cultural implications of technology will be examined throughout the year by discussing current events in technology unfolding across the globe. Assessment will accomplished using both the MYP technology design project rubric and the summative assessment exams from the textbook. This is a hands-on course exploring electricity, magnetism, and computer hardware. It also examines the computer's role in society. Our primary AOIs are thus homo faber and health/social.

Topics:

Technology and World:

ATLs: Note taking, graphic organizers and summarization of key points
AOIs Health and Social, Environment.

The Design Cycle

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

The students will review the design cycle and the design cycle grading rubric through creating a project in a 2-6 person team; writing a design report; scoring their design report; and rewriting their design report.

Electricity and Magnetism

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving;
AOIs: Homo faber

Students will work through the text, exercises, reviews and exams to learn about magetism, electricity, and how the two interact. There will be at least two projects requiring creation of a product using the design cycle and evaluation in a design report in this unit.

Sound and Digits

ATLs: Compare and contrast; analogy
AOIs: Homo faber

The differences and similarities between analog and digital representations of information will be explored in this unit. The transistor will be introduced as an on/off switch that communicates binary information.

Inside the big box: Parts of a computer

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

This unit will include lessons on

Input and Output; How data goes in and out
Storing information: Memory, Hard Drives, Compression

Light, the Universe and TV: How display screens work

Students will disassemble a computer and understand how the pieces work together. They will keep a log of their activity and conclude with a design report summarizing their learning.

Teaching Strategies and Assessment:

Students will learn about electricity, magnetism and computer hardware through hands on production and problem solving using the design cycle, including production of design reports. Appropriate use of computing tools, including keyboarding, document layout, presentations, and data analysis, will be reinforced during the completion of these projects. Technology will be put in a multi-cultural context by review of current events each week. Movies, texts, lecture, and other materials will be employed as appropriate to augment the lessons. Approaches to learning will be emphasized all year in order to give the students knowledge tools they can use throughout their education.

Each unit will introduce a topic using lecture, text reading, discussion, and Socratic review. Students will then will then investigate, design, plan, create and evaluate a product illustrating that technology. Most units will conclude with the student writing a design report. The project and report will be assessed using MYP technology assessment rubrics covering:

Design: Present several alternative designs meeting the need; justify one.
Plan: Layout logical steps to complete the task; comprehend time and materials
Create: Execute the plan, using safe construction practices
Evaluate: Reflect on the product or solution's success and your own performance
Attitude: Personal engagement, respect for others, and safe practices

Resources:

Prentice Hall Science Explorer Series; Electricity and Magnetism Copyright 2007.
How Computers Work, 8th edition; Ron White; Que 2006.
Intel series on computer hardware: The Journey Inside, 2nd edition.
Current events in technology are typically pulled from the Wall Street Journal, the Arizona Republic, Science News, or the MIT Technology Journal. Computer lab using the Microsoft Office(tm) suite of programs.

Grand Canyon School District #4
Curriculum Guide 2006/2007
Technology
Course Outline 2006/2007 Name of Course: Technology Level 5

Teachers and Contact Information: Brad Houston; Brad@grandcanyonschool.org

Course Description:

Technology 10 is a one-semester course introducing the students to two things: 1) The basic statistics used in managing the tremendous amount of data our technology generates and 2) Computer programming. The worldwide, culture-crossing, societal impacts of computers in their many forms will be examined through an ongoing review of current events in technology. Students should leave this course with a basic understanding of what variation is and how we comprehend it in our world and with an introduction to programming in high level computer languages.

Throughout the course, computing skills and tools will be used and reinforced. MYP approaches to learning will be emphasized to give students the knowledge tools required for life-long exploration of ideas. The societal and cultural implications of technology will be examined throughout the year by discussing current events in technology unfolding across the globe.

Assessment will be performed using both summative exams and the MYP design project grading rubrics as appropriate. Because manipulating data and creating computer programs are hands-on activities, homo faber is our primary area of interaction. Because computing is changing society, health/social is our secondary area of interaction.

Topics:

Technology and World:

ATLs: Note taking, graphic organizers and summarization of key points
AOIs Health and Social, Environment.

The Design Cycle

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

The students will review the design cycle and the design cycle grading rubric in preparation for their personal project. They will create a project in a 3-6 person team; write a design report; apply the grading rubric; and rewrite their design report.

Variation exists - deal with it

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

Students will explore the nature of variation via hands-on exercises. They will produce graphs summarizing their learning and write design reports evaluating their learning.

Introduction to programming

ATLs: Information literacy; communication; organization; problem solving; group-work skills; reflection
AOIs: Homo faber

Students will begin to learn and apply programming fundamentals in this unit which includes lessons on

Programming A - Sequential Instruction Sets
Programming B - A game in a high level language
Programming C - Applying a higher language: System Dynamics

They will write a design report to summarize and evaluate their learning on designing and creating a computer program.

Teaching Strategies and Assessment:

Each unit will introduce a topic using lecture, discussion, practice, and Socratic review. Students will then will then investigate, design, plan, create and evaluate a product illustrating that technology. Most units will conclude with the student writing a design report. The project and report will be assessed using MYP technology assessment rubrics covering:

Design: Present several alternative designs meeting the need; justify one.
Plan: Layout logical steps to complete the task; comprehend time and materials
Create: Execute the plan, using safe construction practices
Evaluate: Reflect on the product or solution's success and your own performance
Attitude: Personal engagement, respect for others, and safe practices

Resources:

The World Wide Web.
A computer lab running the Microsoft Office(tm) suite of programs.
Game Maker, version 6.0.
Stella, Version 9.
Q Basic.
Current events in technology are typically pulled from the Wall Street Journal, the Arizona Republic, Science News, or the MIT Technology Journal.

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