The Fifth Estate: Advances in Communication Throughout History - Historic Moments

This is a thriller with a very current topic. I liked it a lot and the opening scene is perfect for that recurrent conversation class about technology.

I. Talk to a partner:

1. Think about all the progress that has taken place in the history of communication. Can you come up wit a chronological order of the advancement of communication until current times?

Ex: First, human beings started to communicate through drawings in caves. Then, writing was invented, etc...

2. Match the means of communication and the year they were invented/established:

• Gutenberg invented the press, which made books much cheaper and allowed newspapers to be invented
• Writing was invented
• Invention of the alphabet in what is now Israel and Lebanon
• The Internet gained a public face
• The first fax machine was invented
• Telephones became common in peoples homes
• The Chinese invented printing with block
• The Chinese invented paper
• TV began in the USA
• Television was invented 
• The telegraph was invented in 1837. A cable was laid across the Channel so it became possible to send messages across the Atlantic.
• The first telephone exchange in Britain opened.
• Radio broadcasting began in Britain
• Smart phones were introduced
• The first mobile phone call in Britain was made

Ex: 3,300 BC - Writing was invented

1,600 BC - 

200 BC - 

500 AC - 

1400 AC - 

1837 - 

1843 - 

1879 - 

1922 - 

1925 - 

1941 - 

1970 - 

1985 - 

1989 - 

1996 - 

II. Work in   pairs:

1. Which of the inventions above do you consider the most important one? Why?

2. What will come after the Internet?

3. How do you see communication in 50 years form now?

4. Will people communicate less or more in the future?

III. Watch the movie segment and make a list of all the advancement in technology you managed to see in the segment.

http://www.localhistories.org/communications.html

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE FIFTH ESTATE

Answer key - Ex: 2:

3,300 BC - Writing was invented

1,600 BC - Invention of the alphabet in what is now Israel and Lebanon

200 BC - The Chinese invented paper

500 AC - The Chinese invented printing with block

1400 AC - Gutenberg invented the press, which made books much cheaper and allowed newspapers to be invented. 

1837 - The telegraph was invented in 1837. A cable was laid across the Channel so it became possible to send messages across the Atlantic.

1843 - the first fax machine was invented.

1879 - The first telephone exchange in Britain opened.

1922 - Radio broadcasting began in Britain

1925 - Television was invented 

1941 - TV began in the USA

1970 - telephones became common in peoples homes

1985 - The first mobile phone call in Britain was made

1989 - The network gained a public face

1996 - smart phones were introduced