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LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Read opposing viewpoints and take a side; analyze the influence of technology; identify a healthy balance between online and offline connections
HEALTH ED STANDARD
Analyze the influence of technology on personal and family health. (NHES 2)
KEY VOCAB
one-dimensional, ephemeral, aspirational, garner, foster, isolate, substantive, advocacy, profound, introvert
Lesson Plan: Does Technology Make Us Lonely?
The majority of teens spend more than nine hours per day staring at screens. Are they making friends around the world— or blowing off IRL connections?
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
What is the influence of technology on my social health?
CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS
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CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
ADVOCACY IN ACTION
NHES 2, NHES 5
Regardless of where students stand on the issue, most will agree that more balance is needed between real-life socializing and screen time. Using the TECH BALANCE ADVOCACY handout, students will create posters, either digitally or by hand, that encourage their classmates to take the time to pause and look up from their screens.
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
NHES 2, NHES 4
Most people are so engrossed in their own phones that they often miss the amount of people staring at screens all around them. In this activity, students will use the SMART PHONE OBSERVATION sheet to go out into a public place and take notes about the behaviors and interactions they see. Then they’ll compare their findings with the class.
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