My students are currently reading various short stories. One of them is Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains."
Before we read it, I have my students brainstorm the benefits of technology. Next, I prompt them to come up with an invention (that has not been invented yet) that would make their lives easier. I let them work in groups, then share their inventions on a post-it note. (One of my artistic students drew the lightbulb since my drawing skills are lacking.) They usually come up with some creative responses. Here's one of my favorites:
After reading the story we discuss many of downfalls of technology. Since I teach at a 1:1 school, we see/experience a lot of these pitfalls on a daily basis; although, most students would agree: no matter how frustrating technology can be, they wouldn't want to live without it.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
• If you read this story with your students, you must listen to Leonard Nimoy's rendition on You Tube. It is fantastic.
• For additional ideas, I wrote a post about Sara Teasdale's poem, "There Will Come Soft Rains" on my other blog in connection to Earth Day.
