Lesson plan of Impacts of Science

Objectives (5-7 minutes)

1. Understand the concept of Science and Technology: Students should be able to define and differentiate the concepts of Science and Technology, understanding how these two fields relate and contribute to the development of society.

2. Identify the impacts of Science and Technology on daily life: Students should be able to identify and describe specific examples of how Science and Technology influence and impact their daily lives and society in general.

3. Develop critical thinking about the impacts of Science and Technology: Students should be able to critically assess the impacts of Science and Technology, considering their advantages and disadvantages, and reflect on how they may shape the future.

Secondary Objectives:

• Promote autonomous research and study: Encourage students to search for more information outside the content shown in class, deepening their understanding of the impacts of Science and Technology.

• Stimulate active participation and classroom discussion: Foster a collaborative learning environment, where students can share their ideas, opinions, and findings, enriching the overall learning experience.

Introduction (10-15 minutes)

1. Review relevant content (2-3 minutes): The teacher begins the class by reviewing the fundamental concepts of Science and Technology, such as the definition of Science, the scientific method, and the evolution of technology over time. This will prepare the students for the main topic of the class: The Impacts of Science and Technology.

2. Problem situations (5-7 minutes): Next, the teacher introduces two problem situations to illustrate the importance and impacts of Science and Technology. For example:

   • Situation 1: Imagine that you lived during a time when electricity didn’t exist. How would the absence of this technology affect your daily life?
   • Situation 2: In a world where medicine did not exist, what would the average life expectancy be? How would this affect society?

   These situations should be presented to pique the students’ curiosity and critical thinking, setting the stage for the introduction of the topic.

3. Context and relevance of the topic (2-3 minutes): The teacher should explain the importance of comprehending the impacts of Science and Technology on the world we live in. Examples can be given of significant scientific and technological advances that have had a major impact on society, such as the invention of electricity, the discovery of antibiotics, or the development of the Internet.

4. Capturing students’ attention (1-2 minutes): The teacher can share a few interesting facts or stories related to the topic to capture the students’ attention, for instance:

   • Interesting fact 1: Did you know that, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, investment in research and development correlates with economic growth?
   • Interesting fact 2: 3D printing technology is already being developed for the creation of human organs! What do you think the impact could be on medicine in the future?

   These facts should arouse the students’ curiosity and prepare them for the development of the lesson's content.

Development (20-25 minutes)

1. "Futuristic Society" Activity (10-12 minutes): Students will be organized into groups of up to 5 individuals. Each group will be given a hypothetical scenario in which they must imagine how society would look like if a particular scientific or technological advance had not occurred. The teacher will prepare these scenarios in advance. The scenarios could be, for example, not having discovered electricity, never inventing antibiotics, or never creating the Internet. The objective is for the students to reflect on how the absence of these advancements would impact several aspects of life, including health, communication, transportation, entertainment, etc. Each group will discuss their scenario and prepare a short presentation to share their ideas with the class.

   • Step 1: Organize the students into groups and hand out the scenarios.
   • Step 2: The students will read the scenarios and discuss among themselves how the lack of the proposed advancement would impact society.
   • Step 3: Each group prepares a short presentation (3 minutes max) sharing their insights with the rest of the class.
   • Step 4: Following all the presentations, facilitate a brief class discussion summarizing the presented ideas.

2. "Newspaper of the Future" Activity (10-12 minutes): The students, still in groups, are asked to imagine they are journalists from the future and write a newspaper article about a recent scientific or technological advancement and its impact on society. The teacher can either give a list of topics for scientific and technological advancements (such as artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine, renewable energy, etc.), or let the learners pick freely. The articles must present an introduction to the advance, a description of how it works, and an analysis of its positive and negative impacts on society. The articles will then be presented to and discussed in class.

   • Step 1: The students, still in groups, choose a scientific or technological advancement to focus on.
   • Step 2: Each group discusses and researches their chosen advancement, preparing to write their article.
   • Step 3: Students write their articles, following the suggested structure.
   • Step 4: Following the completion of the articles, lead a class discussion about the impacts described and the opinions of the students.

3. "Debate on the Ethics of Science and Technology" Activity (5-7 minutes): The teacher will conclude the Development step with a classroom discussion on the ethics of science and technology, asking the students to reflect not only on the practical impacts of scientific and technological advancements but their ethical impacts. Questions can be suggested to guide the debate such as: "How far should science and technology go in the quest for progress?" or "How do we ensure that advancements are used to improve society rather than harm it?"

   • Step 1: The teacher presents the class with a debate topic and guiding questions.
   • Step 2: The students, still in groups, discuss the questions among themselves, preparing to present their arguments.
   • Step 3: Each group presents their arguments and hears from the other groups.
   • Step 4: The teacher moderates the debate, making sure all students have the chance to participate and that the discussion remains respectful and constructive.

Feedback (8-10 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (3-4 minutes): The teacher calls each group to present the solutions or conclusions reached during the activities "Futuristic Society" and "Newspaper of the Future". Each group has 3 minutes max to present their thoughts. The teacher encourages questions or comments from their classmates during the presentations, creating a classroom discussion.

   • Step 1: The teacher calls on the first group to present their ideas.
   • Step 2: Following their presentation, the teacher opens the floor to questions and comments from the classmates.
   • Step 3: The teacher mediates the discussion, guaranteeing all students have the chance to participate and that it remains respectful and constructive.
   • Step 4: Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each remaining group.

2. Connection to Theory (2-3 minutes): After the presentations are done, the teacher goes over the theoretical concepts approached at the beginning of the class, connecting them to the practical activities. The teacher can highlight, for example, how the ideas presented by the groups relate to the real impacts of Science and Technology on society, and how they illustrate the importance of critical thinking and ethical reflection on these areas.

   • Step 1: The teacher reviews the theoretical concepts approached.
   • Step 2: The teacher establishes the links with the practical activities, highlighting the knowledge acquired and reflections generated.

3. Individual Reflection (2-3 minutes): Finally, the teacher asks students to reflect individually about what they have learned throughout the class. The teacher can ask questions like: "What is the most important concept you have learned today?" and "What are some questions that you still have?" Students have a moment to think about these on their own, and the teacher can then call on a few volunteers to share their answers with the class.

   • Step 1: The teacher introduces the reflection questions.
   • Step 2: The students take one minute to reflect on their answers.
   • Step 3: The teacher calls on a couple volunteers to share their answers with the class.
   • Step 4: The teacher concludes the lesson, reinforcing the main points and the importance of the topic.

Conclusion (5-7 minutes)

1. Summary and Recap (2-3 minutes): The teacher starts the Conclusion step by summarizing the main points discussed in class, from defining Science and Technology to discussing their impacts on society, to the practical activities carried out and the conclusions reached by students. The purpose of the recap is to solidify the learning that has taken place to make sure the most important concepts have been internalized.

   • Step 1: The teacher revisits and reinforces the main concepts one by one.
   • Step 2: The teacher briefly mentions the activities done and the students’ conclusions, linking these with the theoretical concepts.

2. Connecting Theory, Practice, and Applications (1-2 minutes): The teacher goes on to explain to the class how the lesson has connected the theory, or the concepts of Science and Technology and their impacts, to practice, or the "Futuristic Society" and the "Newspaper of the Future" activities. It should be highlighted how the comprehension of these concepts allows the students to critically assess the impacts of Science and Technology and think about the current and future role they have in the real world.

   • Step 1: The teacher explains how the practical activities allowed the students to apply and deepen their theoretical knowledge.
   • Step 2: The teacher reinforces the importance of the connection between theory and practice for the complete understanding of a subject.

3. Supplementary Materials (1-2 minutes): The teacher suggests supplementary study material for students who want to deepen their knowledge on the subject, which can include books, articles, documentaries, websites, and any other relevant resources. The teacher can, for example, suggest that the learners research the latest scientific and technological advancements and their impact on society.

   • Step 1: The teacher briefly presents the suggested material and explains how they relate to the class topics.
   • Step 2: The teacher encourages students to explore these resources individually as part of their autonomous studies.

4. Relevance of the Topic in Everyday Life (1 minute): To end the lesson, the teacher emphasizes the significance of the class' topic in the students’ daily lives. It is worth highlighting how Science and Technology affect every single one of us, from the ways we talk to one another to the treatments we use to cure illnesses. Thus, becoming familiar with their impacts, as well as being capable of critically assessing them, is a crucial ability in the 21st century.

   • Step 1: The teacher sums up the importance of the lesson’s topic by linking it to the learners' daily lives.
   • Step 2: The teacher concludes the class with a final encouragement for the students to keep on investigating the topic and reflecting on their learning journey.