Activities

1. Define technology.

2. Write a paragraph to explain how a given technology has made the world a better or worse place. Give two examples to support your opinion.

3. Most children start watching TV before they go to school and as they grow older they spend more and more time watching it. Some organizations feel children should be limited to two hours or less a day because television interferes with activities such as being physically active, reading, doing homework, playing with friends, and spending time with family. Do you think watching television is bad? Support your opinion with at least two positive or negative effects.
   
   
4. A doctor suggests that a patient who has a strong family history of cancer undergo genetic testing to determine if she is a carrier of the cancer gene. She advises her patient that there are potential benefits and disadvantages, which can arise as a result of the testing. Give two examples of positive and negative impacts of genetic testing.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Technology is the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to practical problems.

2. Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:

• Cars and Trucks
  • Positive – Easy transportation for people, moves food and goods quickly across the country, convenience
  • Negative - Air pollution, depletion of natural resources (fossil fuels), global warming, traffic accidents and fatalities
• Genetic Engineering
  • Positive – Disease prevention, new drugs, better seeds which grow better foods, disease resistant plants, “growing” new organs for transplants
  • Negative – Messing with Mother Nature, speeding up Natural Selection, not certain of effect GMO foods will have on humans

3. Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:

• Positive effects
  • Public TV helps children with learning (e.g. Sesame Street), channels like the History Channel and Animal Planet also have educational shows, news keeps students up-to-date on current events, inexpensive form of entertainment, parents know where their kids are if they are home watching TV
• Negative effects
  • Too much TV is can lead to obesity, television violence increases aggressive and behavior in children, stereotyping also increases

4. Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:

• Potential benefits
  • If identified as a carrier patient can receive regular medical check-ups and tests to monitor health; may also choose to undergo preventative surgery which could lead to a decreased chance of the disease developing; make life choices that they would otherwise be unable to make
  • If not a carrier less anxious and stressed and lead a better quality of life; does not have to worry about passing gene onto children
• Negative benefits
  • Increase in level of stress and anxiety (When will I get cancer?); reduced quality of life because of fear; worry that gene was passed onto children; stress could affect family relations; difficulty in obtaining insurance.