5-8

M5: Identify factors that have caused some countries to become leaders in science and technology.

Curriculum Organizing Questions	What countries are recognized as leaders in science and technology? What factors contributed to those countries' success?
Elaboration	Science, technology, and society are strongly intertwined. Examining some of these factors should make this more apparent to students.
Specific Ideas	Social and economic forces strongly influence which technologies will be developed and used. Which will prevail is affected by many factors, such as personal values, consumer acceptance, patent laws, the availability of risk capital, the federal budget, local and national regulations, media attention, economic competition, and tax incentives. Benchmarks 3C1 (9-12). Technological knowledge is not always as freely shared as scientific knowledge unrelated to technology. Some scientists and engineers are comfortable working in situations in which some secrecy is required, but others prefer not to do so. It is generally regarded as a matter of individual choice and ethics, not one of professional ethics. Benchmarks 3C2 (9-12). The rules that governments make affect a wide range of human affairs, from marriage and education to scientific research and commerce.Benchmarks 7E3. In many instances, manufacturing and other technological activities are performed at a site close to an energy source. Benchmarks 8C3. Different parts of the world have different amounts and kinds of energy resources to use an use them for different purposes. Benchmarks 8C6.
Developmental & Instructional Implications	Links strongly to social studies.
Examples

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