Home Connection*
Highlights of Unit 3: Modern Technology
Dear Family,
In this unit,
students will learn about technology. They will consider concepts relating to
how technology has benefited people and consider criticisms about how it has
changed our relationships to one another. Students will read a variety of texts
and listen to and view media as they discuss the Essential Question for the
unit.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
As a class, in small groups,
and independently, students will work to answer the question How
is modern technology helpful and harmful to society? Give your student
the opportunity to continue the discussion at home.
TALK IT OVER WITH YOUR STUDENT
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• What are some
of the ways you could answer the question How is modern technology helpful and harmful to
society?
• What do these
selections say about our relationship to technology? How can we learn to find
a healthy balance with modern technology?
• Why do you
think stories about technology are so popular in the media and in books and
film?
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UNIT 3 SELECTION TITLES, AUTHORS, GENRES
Whole-Class Learning
“Feathered Friend”
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Arthur
C. Clarke
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short story
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“Teens and Technology Share a Future”
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Stefan
Etienne
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blog post
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“The Black Hole of Technology”
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Leena
Khan
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blog post
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“The Internet of Things”
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IBM
Social Media
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media: video
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SMALL-GROUP Learning
“The Fun They Had”
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Isaac Asimov
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short story
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“Is Our Gain Also Our
Loss?”
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Cailin Loesch
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blog post
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“Bored . . . and
Brilliant? A Challenge to Disconnect From Your Phone”
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NPR
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media: podcast
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INDEPENDENT Learning
Your student will choose (at least) one of the
following to read independently. You may want to read it as well, so that you
can discuss it together.
“7-Year-Old Girl Gets New Hand From 3-D Printer”
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John Rogers
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news article
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“Screen Time Can Mess With the
Body’s ‘Clock’“
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Andrew Bridges
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news article
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“All Watched Over by Machines of
Loving Grace”
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Richard Brautigan
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poetry
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“Sonnet, without Salmon”
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Sherman Alexie
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poetry
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“Teen Researchers Defend Media
Multitasking”
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Sumathi Reddy
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news article
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TALK IT OVER WITH YOUR STUDENT
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• How did you
choose which selection to read?
• What is the
most interesting aspect of modern technology that you learned from your
reading?
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PERFORMANCE TASKS AND PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT
Your student will need to answer
the question Do we rely on technology too much? He
or she will write an argumentative essay and then give an oral presentation, drawing
on knowledge gained from the selections in this unit, as well as from the
Performance Tasks he or she completed.
Whole-Class
Learning Performance Task
After completing the Whole-Class section of the unit,
your student will learn how to put together an argument. He or she will write an
argument in the form of an editorial answering the question Do
electronic devices and online access really improve our lives?
Small-Group
Learning Performance Task
After completing the
Small-Group section of the unit, your student will work with his or her group
to plan and present a multimedia presentation addressing the question Do the benefits of technology outweigh its disadvantages?
End-of-Unit
Performance-Based Assessment
At the end of the unit, your student will pull together
his or her learning by completing a Performance-Based Assessment addressing the
question Do
we rely on technology too much? In response to that question, he or
she will write an argumentative essay, then give an oral presentation.
Activities and assignments in Unit 3 will help your student
meet the following Common Core State Standards
for reading literature and informational texts, writing, and speaking
and listening. Here are some key standards students will work toward mastering in
this unit.
Reading
• Cite textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
• Determine the
meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
• Analyze how a
particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall
structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
• Determine an
author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in
the text.
Writing
• Write arguments
to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
• Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant
evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the
topic or text.
*Source: Pearson Realize Publication |
• Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on
several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
Speaking and Listening
• Present claims
and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions,
facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye
contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
• Include
multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual
displays in presentations to clarify information.
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Thank you for your continuing support!
Parents, please note that I've asked your student if they would have you initial their planner that they shared this family unit with you.
Parents, please note that I've asked your student if they would have you initial their planner that they shared this family unit with you.
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