Students identify contributions made by Texans to science and technology. Students learn about three Texas leaders in the field of medicine: Michael DeBakey, Denton Cooley, and Benjy Brooks. Then they work in groups to conduct research on famous Texas scientists and inventors. Finally, they analyze how innovation builds interdependence between Texas and the world.
Students view an image and brief text highlighting Texas-based innovations such as the first handheld calculator and major medical and technological breakthroughs. They read an overview of the experience and the objectives, then respond to a word cloud prompt by listing scientific discoveries or technological innovations they have used since waking up that day.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the experience by explaining that students will investigate Texas leaders in science and technology and how their work affects Texas and the wider world. Review the lesson objectives and connect them to students’ everyday use of technology. After students submit word cloud responses, highlight the variety of technologies mentioned and emphasize that they are living in a time of rapid scientific and technological change before moving on.
Students are introduced to Texas medical pioneers Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley and take notes in a graphic organizer comparing key information about each doctor and their contributions to heart surgery and Houston’s medical reputation. They then read about Dr. Benjy Brooks, the first woman pediatric surgeon in Texas, and post to a discussion wall explaining how she was a pioneer in her field.
Teacher MovesGuide students as they read about DeBakey and Cooley, prompting them to capture important details and contributions in the graphic organizer. After students learn about Benjy Brooks and respond on the wall, draw out ideas about how she broke barriers and advanced pediatric surgery, noting her role in making Texas a medical leader. Then organize students into small groups for the remainder of the lesson and assign each group one innovator to research: Howard Hughes Sr., Walter Cunningham, Michael Dell, or Lucille Bishop Smith.
In small groups, students research their assigned Texas innovator in science or technology, focusing on the person’s major accomplishments and connection to Texas. They create a report that includes an image and key information, then post it to a shared discussion wall or link to a presentation created with an online tool. Students read the reports from other groups to learn about additional Texas innovators.
Teacher MovesClarify expectations for the group research and report, including required components and appropriate use of online tools. Circulate to support groups in locating valid sources, organizing information, and clearly explaining how each innovator is connected to Texas. After reports are posted, prompt students to review other groups’ work and, if time allows, facilitate a brief whole-class discussion comparing the innovators’ fields and contributions.
Within their small groups, students divide and read one assigned article each—either Tech and Health: Innovative Devices Aren’t Science Fiction, 20 Things We Wouldn't Have Without Space Travel, Innovative Water Technologies, or Rice and IBM explore Watson-powered robot designed to aid elderly and caregivers—to explore how scientific and technological innovations improve quality of life beyond their place of origin. They share summaries with their group, then discuss how Texas’s innovations, population growth, transportation hubs, and university research connect the state to national and global communities. A group note taker posts a summary response to a discussion wall explaining how technological innovation creates interdependency between Texas, the United States, and the world.
Teacher MovesAssign or help students divide the articles so each group member has a different text, and remind them to explain key ideas clearly to their peers. After students share and discuss, prompt them to connect the article content to the provided information about Texas’s population, airports, and university research. Encourage them to think about flows of people, ideas, and technology when composing their group response on interdependence. Review posted summaries, highlighting examples that show how scientists, students, and innovations link Texas with the broader world.
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