Technology through time
Technology means the tools and machines that people make to solve problems. Each invention solved a problem. Long ago, to send news to a faraway friend, someone had to carry a letter, and that could take days or weeks. Then the telephone let people talk to each other at once, even from far away. Later, mobile phones and video calls let people talk and see each other from almost anywhere. For travel, people first walked or rode animals such as donkeys and camels. Later came trains, then cars, then aeroplanes, which can cross a country in a few hours. To put inventions in order, look for clues: Does it need electricity? Does it need an engine? Newer inventions often build on older ones. Every technology has advantages and disadvantages. A small car is cheap to run and easy to park, but it carries only a few people. A big van carries many people, but it uses more fuel and is harder to park.
| Technology | Problem | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| telephone | news by letter took days | people talk at once |
| train | walking is slow and far | many people travel quickly together |
| aeroplane | some places are very far | a long trip takes only hours |
| Small car | Big van | |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage | cheap to run, easy to park | carries many people |
| Disadvantage | carries few people | more fuel, hard to park |
Technology cards. Make four cards for ways of sending news (for example letter, telephone, mobile phone, video call) and four cards for ways of travelling. Mix up each set and put it in order from oldest to newest. Check with a grown-up or a book. For one card from each set, fill in a chart with the columns Technology, Problem and Solution. Invent one more technology of your own that could help people stay in touch. Finally pick two vehicles and write one advantage and one disadvantage for each.