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  1. What is a Computer?
  2. Executing a Plan
  3. Practicing Flexibility
  4. Completing a System

  1. Buttons & Breadboards
  2. Basic Inputs & Outputs
  3. Polarity & Audio Output
  4. Parallel Circuits

  1. Intro to Computational Thinking
  2. Loops & Sequences
  3. Events
  4. Programming with Lights & Sounds
  5. Completing Additional PiperCode Projects

  1. Extend in Storymode
  2. Design a Bot & Make Music
  3. Redesign a Stoplight
  4. Engineering Design with Piper

  1. Take Apart and Reflection
  2. Computers in Everyday Life
  3. The Environmental Impact of Computers
  4. Final Design Challenge

  1. What is Color?
  2. How Do We See Color?
  3. How Does the Color Sensor Detect Color?
  4. RGB in Computing

  1. The Water Cycle
  2. What is Temperature?
  3. What Are the States of Matter?
  4. Phase Changes

  1. Motion Introduction
  2. How Do Waves Help Us Understand Patterns?
  3. Creating Devices That Use Data
  4. Graphing Motion

  1. What is Energy?
  2. The Energy Behind Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

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Phase 5

Lesson 5.3

Phase 5: Lesson 5.3

The Environmental Impact of Computers


45 - 60 mins

Grades 3 - 8
INTRODUCTION
In this lesson, students will reflect on how the parts of a computing system are related to the environment. Students will explore the life cycle of a computer and investigate the impact computers have on the environment.

  Print Educator Guide   Lesson Slides    Assessments    Support
GETTING STARTED Lesson Materials Learning Objectives Lesson Preperation
5E INSTRUCTIONS Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate
Phase Resources Career Connections Graphic Organizer Term Glossary Standards Alignment
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GETTING STARTED

Lesson Materials


Piper Computer Kit

Learning Objectives

Students learned of the different components that make up computers. In this lesson, they will learn of the impact computers have on the environment.
Students will:
  1. Students will be able to identify the environmental impacts of making computers.
  2. Students will be able to identify the environmental impacts of using computers.
  3. Students will be able to identify the benefits of different energy sources.
  4. Students will be able to define the proper way to dispose of a computer.

Lesson Preperation

  • Suggested student-to-kit ratio is 2:1 up to 3:1. Assign students into groups of 2 or 3.
  • Share the Graphic Organizer with students.
  • Project or share slides with students.
PIPER 5E INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

Engage

Introduction (10-20 minutes)

Present this essential question to students: How does using a computer affect the environment?

Have students work in groups to answer the following questions using their Piper Computer Kits:
  • According to the inventory on our Blueprint, how many parts make up a computer?
  • Where do you think these parts come from?
  • When we tested our computers, the last step was plugging into the battery. Where does that electricity come from?
  • What do we know about where we get electricity from?

Explore

Main Activity (30-40 minutes) Tell students that before we can understand the impact computers have on the environment, we must first understand where they come. Then we can understand what powers them and how they can be reused or recycled. They will focus on the following as they conduct research in a Jigsaw format:
  • Production of computer parts.
  • Where our electricity comes from.
  • Recycling the parts of a computer.

Students will research the following topics and write down notes in their Graphic Organizer:
  • Mining
  • Manufacturing
  • Packaging
  • Shipping
  • Usage
  • Recycling
If students needs assistance in their research, you can provide them with the following reading resource: Life Cycle of a Computer

Explain

Environmental Impact (5-10 Minutes)

How would you describe the impact that one computer has on the environment?

Use slides 4-10 to discuss the life cycle of a computer.

Elaborate

Computer Costs (5 Minutes)

Cost is also a consideration when making a computer. Research the cost of creating one computer.

Ask the students the following:
  • How do you think the price of a computer determines which ones people will buy?
  • How do you think price relates to the environmental impact?

Evaluate

Closing/Reflection Activity (10-15 Minutes) How has learning about the environmental impacts of using computers affected the way you look at technology in your everyday life?
PHASE RESOURCES

Career Connections

Economist: Salary $115,730/yr
Pilot: Salary $219,140/yr
Healthcare Professional: Salary $224,640/yr
Database Architect: Salary $134,700/yr

Graphic Organizer

Phase 5 DOWNLOAD

Term Glossary


Recycling The process of taking used materials or products and turning them into new ones instead of throwing them away.

Manufacturing The process of making products in large quantities using machines, tools, and workers. It’s how products are built and prepared for people to use.

Environment The natural world around us, including the air, water, land, plants, and animals.

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Standards Alignment


We are excited to be aligned with the following standards.


Concepts Standards

Computing Systems: Devices

CA 3-5.CS.1 Describe how computing devices connect to other components to form a system. (P7.2)

Computing Systems: Hardware & Software

CA 3-5.CS.2 Demonstrate how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks. (P4.4)

6-8.CS.2 Design a project that combines hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. (P5.1)

Computing Systems: Troubleshooting

3-5.CS.3 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies. (P6.2)

6-8.CS.3 Systematically apply troubleshooting strategies to identify and resolve hardware and software problems in computing systems. (P6.2

Algorithms & Programming:

Program Development

3-5.AP.18 Perform different roles when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of program development.

6-8.AP.15 Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs. (P1.1, P2.3)

6-8.AP.18 Distribute tasks and maintain a project timeline when collaboratively developing computational artifacts. (P2.2, P5.1)

6-8.AP.19 Document programs in order to make them easier to use, read, test, and debug. (P7.2)

Practices

P1. Fostering an Inclusive Computing Culture

P2. Collaborating Around Computing

P4. Developing and Using Abstractions

P5. Creating Computational Artifacts

P6. Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts


Concept Standard

Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.

(4-PS3-4)

Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information.

(4-PS4-3)

Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Connection to the Nature of Science: Science knowledge is based upon logical and conceptual connections between evidence and explanations.

(MS-PS4-1)

Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem (Performance Expectation).;

3–5-ETS1-2

Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. (P.E.3.4.7)

3–5-ETS1-3.

Optimizing the Design Solution; Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem, given the criteria and the constraints.

MS-ETS1.C.



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