Welcome to 6th Grade Technology Education! Concepts and Vocabulary

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.

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

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.)

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

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

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

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. Examples include… Materials Processing Equipment (table saws, drills, industrial ovens, and other factory equipment) Processed foods Clothing Furniture

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.

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

Our Focus in Grade 6 Technology Education This year we will be focusing on topics from three of the 6 types of Technology The Information Technology we will learn the most about is Mechanical Drawing The Biotechnology we will learn the most about is Hydroponics The Energy and Power Technology we will learn the most about is Electricity Production

Mechanical Drawing Definition: A scale drawing of an object, created using drawing tools, from which someone can tell the dimensions of the object. Tools used to draw these by hand: Ruler, graph paper, pencil Tools used to draw these on the computer: CADD software (Computer Aided Design and Drafting)

Hydroponics Hydroponics is any technology used to grow plants without the use of soil There are 6 different types of hydroponic gardens that we will learn about later this quarter. Here is a picture of one very simple hydroponic garden; do you know what it is?

Energy and Electricity Production The Energy and Power topic we will cover is how electricity is produced by power plants There are 5 major types of power plant we use to generate electricity… Fossil Fuel Powered Electrical Generators Wind Powered Electrical Generators Hydroelectric Generator Geothermal Electrical Generators Nuclear Powered Electrical Generators