Objectives:
- Describe the impact of technology on communication.
- Describe the impact of technology on the environment, both positive and negative.
- Make predictions about the use of technology in the future.
Scene 1 — Engage
Student Activity
Students read an introduction that contrasts communication 100 years ago with today and previews how technology affects communication and the environment. They then list all the ways technology affects their own lives in a table, and post on a class wall about how they think technology influences the daily life of someone from another culture who lives far away.
Teacher Moves
Present the lesson overview and objectives. Lead a discussion of students’ technology lists, highlighting common effects and inviting additions. Facilitate conversation comparing how people in different cultures might use technology in similar ways, emphasizing which aspects of technology are most global.
Scene 2 — Explore 1
Student Activity
Students read about how technology has improved communication in different areas using How Technology Has Improved Communication, then use a graphic organizer to take notes on its effects in business, education, international relationships, and key considerations and warnings. Afterward, they respond on a class wall describing a time they experienced “information overload” and how they might prevent it in the future.
Teacher Moves
Support students as they read and complete the organizer, prompting them to connect examples to real-world communication. Highlight insightful wall responses and guide a discussion about strategies to avoid information overload, drawing on ideas and guidance from the Digital Responsibility website to frame healthy technology use.
Scene 3 — Explore 2
Student Activity
Students read Top 10 Emerging Environmental Technologies to learn about technologies that may improve the environment, then post on a group wall explaining which technology they think is most important and why. They review classmates’ posts and respond to at least one peer who chose a different technology, explaining their reasoning or asking questions.
Teacher Moves
Encourage students to justify their choices with evidence from the article and to engage respectfully with differing opinions. If time allows, invite students to orally argue for their chosen technology, prompting them to compare potential environmental impacts and trade-offs.
Scene 4 — Explain
Student Activity
Students read How Technology Can Harm the Environment to learn about negative environmental impacts such as carbon emissions and toxic technotrash, and record notes in a graphic organizer. They then post on a group wall explaining what individual people can do to reduce these environmental harms.
Teacher Moves
Guide students in identifying key harms and organizing their notes in the graphic organizer. Select and share strong wall responses, and lead a class discussion to compile concrete actions young people can take, possibly creating a shared document or poster listing ways to lessen technology’s environmental impact.
Scene 5 — Elaborate
Student Activity
Students imagine life 100 years in the future and describe a typical day for someone their age, explaining how technology will affect daily life. They may write in nonfiction or fictional format and can include drawings of predicted technologies. After posting, they review classmates’ work and respond to at least two posts with questions or positive comments.
Teacher Moves
Invite students to apply what they have learned about technology’s positive and negative impacts as they make future predictions. Encourage creative yet plausible scenarios and foster peer interaction by prompting students to read and respond thoughtfully to one another’s posts.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.