Standards Correlations

R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.7, W.3, SL.1, L.4, L.6

Learning Objective

Students will read and compare two texts about inventions that changed how we communicate: the World Wide Web and the printing press.

Key Skills

compare and contrast, text features, vocabulary, cause and effect, key details, critical thinking, drawing conclusions, narrative writing

Complexity Factors

Purpose: The first text explores the birth of the World Wide Web and its impact on information sharing. The second describes the invention and effects of the printing press.

 

Structure: The texts follow a chronological structure and are written from the third-person point of view.

 

Language: The language is clear and accessible.

 

Knowledge Demands: No prior knowledge is required.

Levels

Lexile: 600L-700L 

Guided Reading Level: T 

DRA Level: 50

Lesson Plan: The Internet Age/ The Print Revolution

Essential Questions

  • How can a single invention affect the course of history? 
  • How does increased access to information change society? 

Literature Connection

  • Nonfiction: 50 Things You Should Know About Inventions by Clive Gifford
  • Graphic nonfiction: Heroes of Discovery by Pete Katz

1. Preparing to Read 

Preview Text Features (15 minutes)

Guide students to locate the article in their magazines or at Action Online. Then preview the text features by asking the following questions:

  • Read both articles’ titles and study the illustrations included in each. What does each illustration show? How many of the items in each illustration can you identify? Answers will vary. Students may be able to identify many of the logos and icons in the first illustration (e.g., Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, etc.). In the second illustration, encourage students to predict what the wooden machine might have been used for. (It’s a printing press; it was used for printing text.) Note the individual blocks of letters and the person at the center of the image.
  • Find the image of the inventor mentioned in each article. What are the inventors’ names? (Hint: Use the arrows pointing from the text to the images to help you.) In the first article, the inventor is Tim Berners-Lee. In the second, the inventor is Johannes Gutenberg.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Point out the vocabulary box. Read the terms (overwhelmed, misinformation, painstaking, tedious, literacy) aloud and discuss their definitions.
  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow. 

Make a Plan for Reading

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

  • Set a purpose for reading by telling students that the articles give information about two inventions that changed the way we access information.
  • Tell students that after they read, they’ll compare and contrast information from the two articles to better understand how these inventions are different and what makes them revolutionary.

2. Reading and Unpacking the Text

Read the articles. (Higher- and lower-Lexile versions are available on the Story page at Action Online. Click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud.) Then discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (20 minutes)

  • How was the invention of the printing press different from the invention of the World Wide Web? How did each technology change how we share information? (compare and contrast) The invention of the printing press made books more available, which allowed more people to learn to read and share knowledge. The Web transformed information sharing more recently, allowing instant communication between people and access to even more information.
  • How did the printing press contribute to the spread of ideas and knowledge during the Renaissance period in Europe? (cause and effect) The printing press played a major role in the Renaissance period by making books more affordable and easier to produce. This made the sharing of knowledge easier, causing an explosion of new ideas, artwork, and scientific discoveries.
  • What are Tim Berners-Lee’s concerns about the internet today? (key details) Berners-Lee is concerned about big companies like Google having too much power and the spread of fake news and misinformation. He wants the internet to remain a free and public space for everyone. 

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  • In the article about the internet, the author uses the term “information overload.” What does this term mean? Do you think there is such a thing as too much information? (critical thinking) The term “information overload” refers to the huge amount of information available to us, which can make it difficult for us to process it all or determine what is true and what is not. (Answers to the second question may vary. Students may say there’s no such thing as too much information, and that people just need to develop the skills to decide which information is worth their attention. Others might say that huge amounts of information are likely to contain some useless content that wastes people’s time, and that the government should place limits on what content is made available to everyone.)
  • What if neither the printing press nor the internet had been invented? How do you think your daily life would be different? How would you find information, share knowledge, and communicate with others? (drawing conclusions) Answers will vary. Students may say that without the printing press or the internet, we might have fewer books, and learning could be slower. If the internet didn’t exist, we couldn’t talk to friends from far away or find information very quickly. We might have to write letters or use the phone more often to communicate. Some might say life would be pleasantly simple; others might say it would be inconvenient.

3. Skill Building and Writing

Learn Anywhere Activity

An enrichment activity to extend the learning journey at home or in the classroom

Project the task below on your whiteboard or share it with students in your LMS.

Research Another Invention

After reading the articles about the World Wide Web and the printing press, look at our slideshow “Other Inventions That Changed the World.” Then think of an invention that makes your life better.  Do some research to learn about this item. Try to find the answers to the following questions:

  • Who invented this item?
  • When was the item invented?
  • How did the invention change people’s lives?
  • How has the item changed since it was first invented?
  • Are there any problems with the item? If so, what?

In a paragraph or two, write the answers to the questions. When you’re done, you can share what you’ve learned with your class. It’s a great way for you and your classmates to learn more about the items that help you in your daily lives.

Language-Acquisition Springboard

Discuss the meaning of the prefix mis- to boost comprehension.

After reading the article, direct students’ attention back to the word misinformation in the vocabulary box. Ask them to cover the word’s first three letters with a finger. What word is left visible? (information)

Tell students that a prefix is a word or a group of letters that is added to the beginning of a word to change the word’s meaning. Let them know that the prefix mis- means that something has been done badly or wrong. When the prefix is added to the word information, it becomes misinformation: wrong information. Show these other examples of words that start with mis- and ask students to state their meanings:

  • misbehaving (behaving badly)
  • miscount (to count wrong)
  • misfortune (bad fortune/bad luck)
  • misprint (to print wrong)
  • misspell (to spell wrong)
  • mistreat (to treat badly)
  • misunderstand (to fail to understand)

To reinforce comprehension, have students come up with examples of each word. For instance, an example of misbehaving might be throwing food during lunch. An example of misfortune might be going out in your best clothing and falling into a mud puddle. Encourage students to get creative and have fun!

Looking for more ELL support? Download our full lesson plan and scroll to p. 5 to find questions that will help your ELLs respond to the text at the level that’s right for them.

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