Science and Tech Trek Activity 6:
Design Gone Wild

Activity Objective: Girls explore how technology affects their daily lives.

Toward Leadership Outcomes:

Through this activity, girls will:

  • Seek challenges—Girls develop positive attitudes toward learning, seek opportunities for expanding their knowledge and skills, set challenging goals for themselves, and take appropriate risks. (Discover)
  • Become resourceful problem solvers—Girls can use their knowledge and skills to set up and implement creative and effective "action plans," locate tools and resources they need, and know when, where, and how to enlist help from others. (Take Action)

Experience Overview:

  • 2 min. Introduction (Talking Points)
  • 45 min. Design Gone Wild
  • 5-10 min. Reflection/Discussion

Supplies Needed:

  • Pens or pencils (enough for each girl)
  • Colored pencils or markers (optional)

Prepare Ahead:

  • Read over the entire activity before meeting with girls.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

» Introduction (Talking Points) (2 minutes)

  • Say something like: "We have thought a lot about design, engineering, and innovation in our group meetings. We have considered how things have changed, how things have become better, and what types of things and designs we would like to improve on. Since we know that design and technology are always changing, today we will think about what things might look like in the future. And we will use our imaginations in the process."

» Design Gone Wild (45 minutes)

  • Separate the girls into pairs or small groups.
  • Distribute paper and pens or pencils.
  • Ask each pair or group to think of three objects that people use, such as cell phones, automobiles, kitchen appliances, or computers, and to imagine what those objects would be or look like in 10 years and in 50 years. Encourage girls to draw pictures of the objects, with lots of details. Tell girls they will have about 20 minutes for this activity.
  • Each pair or small group presents one idea (or if time allows, all three ideas) to the rest of the group.

» Reflection/Discussion (5-10 minutes)

Ask girls:

  • "Does life always get better when technology advances?"
  • "What are the positive effects of the advancement of technology?"
  • "What are the negative effects?"