2 Million Yrs of Technological Advancement: Class 4
Provided by: Ages of Globalization|Published on: September 12, 2025
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Biology, History, Engineering
Authors: Ages of Globalization, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- The first six classes in the Ages of Globalization program provide a foundation for understanding human history, the drivers of global change, the effects of globalization on the planet, and the goals of sustainability, peace, and empathy.
- In this fourth class, students will analyze technological advances throughout the ages and make predictions for how future patterns of innovation and diffusion will help or harm civilizations.
- Through lectures, readings, and in-class activities, students will understand how technological advances continue to reshape life globally.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The Chapter 6 video about the Digital Age of technological advancement is especially engaging to watch, as the lecturer is even more enthusiastic as he discusses things he has personally experienced, as well as notable figures that made a big difference in his field.
Prerequisites
- The Chapter 4 Video is no longer available.
- Students should have a general understanding of major events and revolutions throughout history.
- The Capstone Project activity asks students to return to a Sustainable Development Goal they have chosen in a previous class. Students will have researched SDGs in the introductory lesson.
Differentiation & Implementation
- As students watch the lectures, they can note the examples of technological change and list the impacts they have had globally.
- After watching and reading about the introduction of artificial intelligence, teachers can provide students with this article. Noting the lecturer's point that AI has been and will be woven into our daily lives, teachers can ask students to draw parallels between this technological advancement and the industrial revolution and the discovery of fossil fuels.
- For the community engagement activity, students may not have the reading stamina for the full IPCC report linked in the activity, however the summary is amore digestible size.
- AP World History classes can integrate this resource into a number of units in the course, with connections for AP Human Geography classes as well.
The history of technological advancement is tracked and then linked to solutions for modern problems, notably climate change. Vocabulary is clearly defined, and numerous external resources are linked, including the IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report. The only issue found was a single broken link to a timeline. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
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