6th grade started tech in an unlikely location – the park! We began our learning together trying to define “technology”, providing examples, experiences and hypotheses about the elusive word.

Students paired together and received two technology objects. Their assignment: figure out how the objects were related. Observations ranged from physical (both a book and an mp3 player have words on them) to purpose-driven similarities (a screwdriver and a ruler are both tools used in building). We discussed the variety of technology uses…from productivity to communication to entertainment and more.

On our journey to and from the park, we pointed out examples of technology. The Thursday group discovered that most of what people consider tech is actually a combination of many technologies. For example, a parking meter dispenser includes a display screen, a printer, a solar panel, a CPU, buttons, plastic, metal composites and many other simple parts that make up the machine.