Objective: 

Students will analyze the development of agricultural techniques in ancient Egypt and compare them to modern technological advancements, identifying both the benefits and tradeoffs associated with each.

Materials Needed:

• Chart paper and markers

• Printed examples of ancient Egyptian agricultural innovations

• Articles or images illustrating modern tech industry growth (e.g., Silicon Valley)

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Introduce the concept of tradeoffs in technology by discussing how ancient Egypt's agricultural innovations, such as irrigation canals, led to economic surplus and the growth of cities. 

  • Ask students to think about the benefits and challenges of these innovations.

• Group Activity: 

  • Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group a modern innovation (e.g., social media, automation, renewable energy). 

  • Students will compare the tradeoffs of their assigned modern technology with ancient Egyptian agricultural practices.

• Poster Creation: 

  • Each group creates a poster that highlights both the advantages and disadvantages of the technological innovation they studied, relating it back to ancient Egyptian practices.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Groups present their posters to the class. 

  • Lead a discussion that draws parallels between ancient and modern innovations, focusing on how both types of innovation can have significant cultural, economic, and environmental impacts.

Equity and Access:

Provide students with sentence starters and vocabulary guides for discussing tradeoffs.

Real-World Application:

Connect the activity to current discussions about the tech industry’s impact on society, such as the environmental costs of data centers or automation affecting jobs.

CS Practice(s):

• Collaborating around Computing: Students work together to analyze and discuss the impacts of technologies.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify problems that arise from technological innovations, both ancient and modern.

Standard(s):

• CA HSS 6.2.2

• CA CS 6-8.IC.20

Objective: 

Students will analyze and compare the economic impacts of technological innovations in ancient Egypt and modern Silicon Valley, creating digital newspapers that illustrate how these advancements shaped their respective economies.

Materials Needed:

• Computers or tablets with access to word processing software (Google Docs, Microsoft Word)

• Research materials (articles, videos) on ancient Egyptian agriculture and modern Silicon Valley technology

• Templates for digital newspaper formatting (optional)

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Students explore how technology has historically driven economic growth. 

  • Examples include ancient Egypt, where the irrigation systems increased agricultural productivity, and modern Silicon Valley's role in the tech economy.

• Group Assignment: 

  • Divide the class into two groups—one representing ancient Egypt and the other representing modern Silicon Valley. 

  • Each group will create a digital newspaper that highlights the technological innovations of their era and the economic impacts of these advancements.

• Collaborative Writing: 

  • Within each group, assign different sections of the newspaper. For example, articles could focus on topics such as agriculture, trade, job creation, and global connections. 

  • Encourage students to discuss the tradeoffs of these innovations, such as resource depletion in Egypt or automation’s impact on jobs in Silicon Valley.

• Formatting the Newspaper: 

  • Students compile their articles into a digital newspaper format using word processing tools. They can include headlines, images, and formatting to make their final product visually engaging.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Each group presents their newspaper to the class. 

  • Discuss the similarities and differences between the economic impacts of technology in ancient Egypt and modern Silicon Valley, focusing on the benefits and tradeoffs of technological change.

Equity and Access:

Provide article templates and sentence starters for students who may need extra support with writing. Ensure that each student has access to a device for research and writing.

Real-World Application:

Connect the lesson to current debates about the tech industry’s impact on the economy, such as automation replacing jobs, outsourcing, and the rise of data-driven industries in the global economy.

CS Practice(s):

• Collaborating around Computing: Students work together to create a digital newspaper, sharing responsibilities and combining their research and writing.

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students use digital tools to design and produce a final newspaper that reflects their understanding of economic impacts.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students analyze the economic challenges posed by technological advancements in different eras and consider the tradeoffs involved.

Standard(s):

• CA HSS 6.2.2

• CA CS 6-8.IC.20