NY State Curriculum Notes   

Science and technology

1. Information age/Computer Revolution /Internet

2. Impact of satellites

3. Green Revolution

4. Space exploration

5. Literacy and education

6. Medical breakthroughs—disease control/life expectancy/genetics

7. Epidemics—AIDS

8. Nuclear proliferation

• What is the relationship between scientific/ technological development and ethics?

• What is the impact of the Green Revolution on population and poverty?

• What would Thomas Malthus have thought about the impacts of science and technology on life spans and health?

Suggested Documents: USGS, NASA, and National Geographic Web sites (www.nationalgeographic.com); World Bank, World Development Report,1992

TEACHER’S NOTE: Students should have the opportunity to compare and contrast the nuclear threat at the end of World War II with that threat at the end of the 20th century.

• What nations can be described as nuclear powers?

• What nations have an undeclared nuclear capacity?

• What nations are suspected of having secret nuclear weapons?

• What role does nationalism play in nuclear proliferation?

• What threat does nuclear proliferation pose for world peace?

• What impact has the collapse of communism had on nuclear proliferation?

Space Exploration

• John F. Kennedy: The Space Challenge, Sept 13, 1962 
• Courtney G. Brooks. James M. Grimwood and Loyd S. Swenson, Jr.: Chariots for Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft  
• The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology  
• The Apollo 11 Mission  

Computers

• John W. Mauchly and the Development of the ENIAC Computer The ENIAC computer, the first large-scale general-purpose electronic computer, was built in 1946. This is a comprehensive illustrated exhibition.

The Internet

• World Wide Web History Project On the history of the world wide web.
• Internet Censorship  
• Evan Morris: The Book Lover's Guide to the Internet  
• Dinty W. Moore: The Emperor's Virtual Clothes The Naked Truth About Internet Culture