Welcome to 8 th Grade Technology Education!

1. Welcome to 8th Grade Technology Education! Review of Concepts and Vocabulary

2. Defining “Technology” • Technology is the use of knowledge and resources to meet a human need/want or to solve a problem. • Essentially: every man made object counts as a technology. We used our brains and the stuff we had available to create an object for a purpose.

3. Organizing Technologies • We can organize technologies into groups based on the MAIN job they are meant to do. • Biotechnologies • Construction Technologies • Energy and Power Technologies • Information Technologies • Manufacturing Technologies • Transportation Technologies

4. Biotechnologies Biotechnologies are used mainly in ways that directly affect the health of a living organism. Examples include… • Vaccines (to prevent diseases) • Medicine (to treat diseases) • Medical research technologies (Cancer studies etc) • Prosthetics (Fake arms/legs etc.) • Agriculture (Healthier crops and animals etc.)

5. Construction Technologies • Construction technologies are mainly used to build large objects “on location”, which means that the item is built where it is needed, and it stays there. The objects themselves are also included in this category. Examples include… • Construction equipment (bulldozers, cranes, asphalt spreaders, etc) • Buildings • Roads/Sidewalks • Bridges

6. Energy and Power Technologies • Energy and Power technologies are used primarily to power other items. Examples include… • Electrical Generators • Power Plants (Nuclear, Coal, Hydroelectric, Wind, Geothermal) • Batteries • Fuel Cells

7. Information Technologies: • Information technologies are used mainly to transmit, receive, or save information. Examples include… • Telephone / Cellular Phones • Computer Software (computer programs) • Computer Hardware (hard drive, sound systems, etc) • Internet / Computer networks • Television / Radio • Books, magazines, and other printed media

8. Manufacturing Technologies • Manufacturing technologies are mainly used to build items that will be sold to a customer and be sent to that location, and the items themselves (unless that item has a more obvious technological purpose; then they go into that specific category). Examples include… • Materials Processing Equipment (table saws, drills, industrial ovens, and other factory equipment) • Processed foods (chicken nuggets = no technological purpose) • Clothing (no technological purpose) • Furniture (no technological purpose)

9. Manufacturing: Additional Info • If you can buy it in a store, and it isn’t something that grows, it probably counts as a manufactured item. • Nearly every technology in all of the other categories is probably manufactured; but they are sorted by their main job.

10. Transportation Technologies • Transportation technologies are used to take items or people from one location to another. Examples include… • Cars • Boats • Planes • Trains • Trucks

11. Resources and Technology • The definition of Technology states that we use resources. Those resources we need are divided into seven categories. • If any one of these seven items is missing, we cannot continue to advance technology (invent new things) and in some cases if one or more of the resources are missing we might not be able to keep making things we’ve already invented. • Machines/Tools • Information • People • Raw Materials • Energy Sources • Money 7. Time

12. A machine has moving parts or electronics Power tools (electric screwdrivers, drills, saws, etc), computers, calculators A tool has no moving parts, and usually is held in the hand Hammer, screwdriver, pencil, pen, etc. Machines and ToolsDevices used to accomplish a task…

13. Printed Media (books, magazines, newspapers, research papers, etc.) Internet Interviews Original Research (Someone goes out and does the research for the first time; usually they will then write a paper or a book) Personal Knowledge Information ResourcesWhere do find information when we need it?

14. PeopleWho needs the technology?Who develops the technology? • Workers • Inventors • Scientists • Teachers • Students • Any person can be a resource to someone else; we all know things and can do things. We are the ones who are creating / using technologies.

15. Raw Materialsraw = in it’s natural form, before being processed or changed • Wood • Metal ores • Minerals (example: salt) • Textiles (example: wool) • Water • All the basic materials that we turn into other items (example: wood lumber house)

16. Energy ResourcesWhat we use to generate electricity or power • Fossil Fuel (coal, oil, natural gas) • Wind • Water (hydroelectric) • Geothermal (“earth heat”) • Nuclear • Batteries / Fuel Cells • The electricity generated is used to power the machines we need, etc.

17. MoneyHow we pay for all the other resources • Nothing is truly free; in order to create or improve a technology we need the first 5 resources discussed today. And in order to have those resources, someone pays for them. • Machines and tools cost money to buy and operate • Information resources must be purchased • People require a salary to work • Raw materials cost money to purchase • Energy sources are bought by the power company, who in turn charge us to use the electricity.

18. Time is required to accomplish anything involving the first 6 resources. If you don’t have time you cannot work with a technology, improve an existing technology, or create new technologies. Time is used… …buy/maintain/operate machines …to acquire information …to train people …to gather and work with raw materials …to generate electricity …to earn money TimeWhat do we spend time on, in order to create or advance a technology?