S T A N D A R D
G R A D E S
K-2
F
rom the earliest grades, students willbe exposed to various products and systems, and they will be given opportunities to use them correctly and to learn what happens when they are used improperly. For example, students could learn how to use a clock to tell time, how to use a telephone correctly, and how to use basic hand tools properly. Thestudents should be encouraged to investigate each item, perhaps by taking it apart or by comparing it to similar items to discover how it works, its use, and its purpose. Young students are interested in everything they see around them and are asking ques- tions about how things work, why things are a certain way, and how things came about. Students should be encouraged to find answers to their questions using various tools available to them. Children should be encouraged to follow directions — a type of communication that offers guidance on how to use a tool or product correctly. Directions can be written, verbal, or step-by-step illustrations.
Employing products and systems often requires students to use common tools, such as staplers, screwdrivers, rulers, scissors, and clamps. Although many students will have used tools before, they may not know how to use them correctly. Through formal and informal learning activities and guided discussions, students will learn the best and safest way to use tools.
Symbols are also important in the
communication process. Students should recognize that symbols are all around them, from logos representing their favorite sports teams to warning signs on roads. These symbols communicate information and directions in an efficient manner, and they
allow children to “get the message” without using a lot of words.
As part of learning how to use and maintain technological products and systems, students in Grades K-2 should be able to
A. Discover how things work. This can be done by carefully taking something apart (while making a sketch of how the parts fit together) and then putting it back together. The ability to observe, analyze, and document is vital to successfully accomplish this task.
B. Use hand tools correctly and safely and name them correctly. Tools have always provided a means for humans to extend their capabilities. Simple tools such as scissors, needles and thread, staplers, hammers, and rulers are examples of devices that everyone needs to know how to use.
C. Recognize and use everyday symbols.
Symbols are used as a means of communication in the technological world. Examples include road signs, symbols for disabled people, and icons on a computer screen.
B
uilding upon knowledge fromGrades K-2, students will learn more about how to use products and systems and what should be done if they are not working properly. Reading and following instructions from a users’ manual is an important first step in assembling and using products and systems correctly. Students must learn to follow step-by-step directions. Teaching this ability will require asignificant period of time with many exposures to directions that are both well and poorly done. Students will need to learn the appropriate questions to ask when directions are not available or are not clear. At this level, students will practice taking a product or system apart and reassembling it in order to learn how things fit together and work. The knowledge gained in such exercises will help them when they use and troubleshoot other products and systems. For example, students could take a toy car apart to see how the gears and the steering system work. They can then apply their new knowledge to investigate why a toy car does not roll or change directions properly. Given many opportunities to use tools, students should become proficient in selecting the best one for a given task. Students must also be taught to keep safety foremost in their minds when they are using tools. Tools that help students access, organize, and evaluate information should receive special attention. Such tools should include newer resources like computers, CD-ROMS, or the Internet, in addition to the more traditional print sources.
In addition, students should understand and be able to use various symbols in different settings. These symbols could include signs
in the community and icons on computers. In classroom activities, students may be challenged to create new symbols that could be used in the home, school, or community to begin to understand the need for symbols and how they aid in communicating key ideas quickly.
As part of learning how to use and maintain technological products and systems, students in Grades 3-5 should be able to
D. Follow step-by-step directions to assemble a product. These directions could come from a paper or booklet that describes how to put something together or how to solve a problem.
E. Select and safely use tools, products, and systems for specific tasks.Tools should be selected based on their function (what they are designed to do), ease of use, and availability.
F. Use computers to access and
organize information.This could be done with software on the computer (for example, an encyclopedia on a CD), as well as on the Internet.
G. Use common symbols, such as numbers and words, to
communicate key ideas. Most of these symbols are found in everyday life, such as the alphabet, numbers, punctuation marks, or commercial logos.
G R A D E S
3-5
Use and Maintain Products and Systems
12 S T A N D A R D
V I G N E T T E
This vignette deals with an assembly line operation to find out how pens can be disassembled then reassembled in an efficient manner. Also, more intricate items can be brought into the classroom for students to take apart and put back together. This process teaches how parts fit together and how they work. This vignette
highlights some elements of the Grades 3-5 STL
standards that provide connections to Standards 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 19.]
Using a lesson from Mission 21: Launching Technology Across the Curriculum Series, Ms. W decided to introduce technology to her third graders. Primary objectives of this lesson were to “increase students’ sequencing skills and broaden her students’ concepts of what technology is by exploring its influence in commonly used [items]” (Dunlop, Croft, & Brusic, 1992, p. 9). Ms. W used a design brief from the series titled “Take It Apart.” She divided her students into teams and asked them to disassemble retractable ballpoint ink pens.
The students took the pens apart, sketched the components, and labeled each one. This method of documentation helped the students later when they developed their presentations. Members of the teams formed an assembly line to take the pens apart, reassemble them, and discuss how they worked. They used their sketches as a guide in putting the pens back together. After the pen exercise, the students brought in additional items to explore, most of which were more complex than the ink pen. However, having had the opportunity to explore with the ink pen, the students made the transition with ease. All of them took apart their items, drew the parts, labeled them, and documented how to put the objects back together. They then shared their learning through demonstrations by explaining about the various parts. The students were challenged with their activities, and most wanted to know if they could take something else apart and reassemble it. This type of student-centered activity creates understanding within students and encourages group effort. (Dunlop, Croft, & Brusic, 1992, p. 10).