Objective:

Students will compare and contrast daily life before and after the introduction of a particular computing technology, such as smartphones. They will retell and dramatize a story set in two different time periods, highlighting the effects of technology on the characters’ lives and how it changes their decisions and actions.

Materials Needed:

• Props representing older and newer technologies (e.g., a rotary phone and a smartphone)

• Pre-written stories or fairy tales for dramatization

• Chart paper for comparing story elements

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Begin by discussing with students how technology has evolved, asking questions like, "What was life like before smartphones?" 

  • Introduce a story or myth set in the past and ask students to think about how it might change if the characters had modern technology like smartphones.

• Group Activity: 

  • Divide the students into small groups. 

  • Each group will receive the same story to act out twice—once in a setting without smartphones and once in a setting where smartphones are introduced. 

  • Encourage students to think about how the presence of smartphones might impact communication, decisions, and interactions in the story.

• Comparison: 

  • After the dramatizations, students will come together to discuss the positive and negative aspects of smartphones in the lives of the characters. 

  • They will create a T-chart on chart paper to compare the differences between the two time periods.

• Reflection and Discussion: 

  • Lead a class discussion where students share their thoughts on how computing technologies like smartphones have changed daily life, communication, and social interactions.

Equity and Access:

Provide students with pre-written story scripts and various props to make the dramatization accessible for all learning styles. Allow students to collaborate and support each other in roles, such as director or actor.

Real-World Application:

Discuss how the introduction of computing technologies, like smartphones, impacts their own lives and communication with friends and family. Emphasize how these tools have changed the way we solve problems, access information, and connect with others.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify the changes technology brings to daily life and problem-solving within a story.

• Communicating About Computing: Students orally discuss how technology affects the story’s characters and share their comparisons.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS for ELA-Literacy RL.2.2

• CA CCSS for ELA-Literacy RL.2.9

• CA CS K-2.IC.18

Objective:

Students will use Scratch Jr. or another coding platform to create two animated versions of a story: one set in the past without smartphones and one in the present where smartphones are used. Through coding and storytelling, they will explore the effects of technology on daily life.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets or computers with Scratch Jr. installed

• Pre-selected stories or fairy tales for animation

• Paper for planning storyboards

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Begin with a discussion on how technology, particularly smartphones, has changed the way people communicate and solve problems. 

  • Explain that students will use Scratch Jr. to animate two versions of the same story—one set in a world without smartphones and one where smartphones are available to the characters.

• Planning Storyboards: 

  • In pairs, students will create storyboards that outline the events of each version of the story. 

  • They will break down how characters interact with or without smartphones, using a sequence of steps that they will later translate into their animation.

• Creating and Coding: 

  • Students will use Scratch Jr. to create two animations: one showing the events of the story without smartphones and one showing how the story changes when smartphones are introduced. 

  • They can use coding blocks to animate actions like a character searching for information on a smartphone or calling for help.

• Testing and Refining: 

  • Students will test their animations to ensure that the story elements flow properly and the effects of smartphones on the characters' actions are clearly represented. 

  • They will make any necessary adjustments to the code and storyboard.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Each pair will present their animations to the class, explaining how the story changed with the introduction of smartphones. 

  • The class will discuss the benefits and challenges that technology brings to the characters’ lives.

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-made templates or simplified storyboards in Scratch Jr. for students who need extra support with the coding process. Pair students with varying levels of coding experience to ensure collaboration and peer support.

Real-World Application:

Students will reflect on how smartphones have transformed communication and problem-solving in real life. This includes the ability to access information instantly, communicate across distances, and manage daily tasks more efficiently, comparing this with life without smartphones.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students create animations that explore how stories change with the presence of technology.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify how the use of smartphones changes problem-solving in their story’s world.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS for ELA-Literacy RL.2.2

• CA CCSS for ELA-Literacy RL.2.9

• CA CS K-2.IC.18