TeachersFirst's Inventors and Inventions Resources
Invent and Innovate! This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers, parents, and students learn about inventors and inventions. Use these resources for science or social studies lessons and activities about innovation and invention, in observance of National Inventors' Day (celebrated on February 11, Thomas Edison's birthday), or at any time during the school year. Whether you are simply learning about the history of invention or planning a schoolwide Invention Convention, these resources will provide inspiration and project possibilities.
Explore all of TeachersFirst's resources tagged inventors and inventions for more ideas.
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Little Inventors - Little Inventors
Grades
K to 8
Little Inventors is a free website that offers STEM activities for students. Little Inventors allows children to develop and showcase their creativity and problem-solving skills and...more
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Little Inventors is a free website that offers STEM activities for students. Little Inventors allows children to develop and showcase their creativity and problem-solving skills and build their confidence, curiosity, and resilience to become caring citizens of our planet. Challenges include Climate Champion, Ocean Challenge, World of Pollution, Pioneers Inventor log, and Food Waste. Inside the challenges, you will receive challenge cards, visuals, planning pages, curriculum fit, and PowerPoint explaining Little Inventors; note that challenges have deadlines.
tag(s): inventors and inventions (82), STEM (306)
In the Classroom
Have your students participate in the challenges or the open challenge. Students can run an after-school Little Inventors club, which gives teachers/adults information on how to organize the club. Finally, students can share their Little Inventors activities/ideas at a schoolwide showcase.Robert H. Hines Young Inventors Program - University of New Hampshire
Grades
K to 8The Young Inventors' Program (YIP) from the University of New Hampshire's Leitzel Center offers an engaging resource for educators to encourage creativity, problem-solving, and STEM...more
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The Young Inventors' Program (YIP) from the University of New Hampshire's Leitzel Center offers an engaging resource for educators to encourage creativity, problem-solving, and STEM skills in students. The program supports teachers in implementing invention education, providing a curriculum that guides students through the invention process from idea generation to prototyping. YIP offers lesson plans, instructional videos, and access to regional invention conventions where students can showcase their creations. The site emphasizes hands-on learning and innovation, making it a valuable tool for teachers aiming to foster inventiveness in their classrooms. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): inventors and inventions (82), STEM (306)
In the Classroom
Provide students with materials to prototype and test their inventions. After designing their invention, students can build and test it, iterating based on test results. A free resource such as Prototype Zone reviewed here can be used to plan their invention. Students can research famous inventors and their inventions and then present the story behind the invention. Organize an in-class Invention Fair where students present their original inventions. This activity fosters public speaking, presentation skills, and creativity.Young Ben Franklin - Gen-Z Media
Grades
4 to 12Young Ben Franklin is a ten-episode podcast that introduces listeners to 13-year-old Ben Franklin as a spirited young boy living in colonial Boston. Ben and his friends solve mysteries...more
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Young Ben Franklin is a ten-episode podcast that introduces listeners to 13-year-old Ben Franklin as a spirited young boy living in colonial Boston. Ben and his friends solve mysteries and conduct investigations in each episode as he develops his leadership skills. Visit the section for educators to find a listening guide, explore and choice boards, and video explanations of how to use the accompanying materials in any classroom. Also included is a PDF document that shares the correlation of the materials to reading, speaking, listening, and writing standards.
tag(s): colonial america (95), constitution (99), declaration of independence (16), franklin (12), inventors and inventions (82), podcasts (114)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many free materials available on this site to engage students when learning about Benjamin Franklin, American History, or inventors. Adapt the choice and explore boards to fit your student's interests and abilities. For example, replace the timeline on the choice board with one created using MyLens, reviewed here. If time isn't available to complete the entire listening guide, copy individual slides to use as part of a listening or writing center. As a culminating activity, extend learning by asking students to use the podcast as a model for researching and learning about other famous Americans. Have them share their learning as part of a multimedia presentation created using Canva Docs, reviewed here or by creating a comic strip presentation using Canva's Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Take a Virtual Field Trip - Google Arts and Culture
Grades
3 to 12Where do you want to go, and what would you like to learn? The choice is yours at this virtual field trip offering from Google Arts and Culture. Start by ...more
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Where do you want to go, and what would you like to learn? The choice is yours at this virtual field trip offering from Google Arts and Culture. Start by selecting a subject, exploring all tours, or selecting a country to visit. Other options encourage you to search for answers to life's many questions, see iconic sites, or visit nature. Each field trip is easy to follow; scroll through the site for the information and images.
tag(s): adaptations (16), africa (170), amazon (11), animals (293), archeology (30), architecture (84), aviation (41), california (17), central america (26), chemicals (39), climate change (100), colors (63), coral (11), dinosaurs (43), earth (183), earthquakes (47), ecosystems (83), endangered species (27), evolution (88), first ladies (4), flight (34), fossils (41), france (40), insects (67), inventors and inventions (82), italy (30), machines (17), magnetism (35), martin luther king (46), medieval (33), mexico (46), migration (45), molecules (43), moon (72), peru (5), presidents (136), railroads (15), rainforests (18), respiration (11), romans (52), shakespeare (99), south africa (13), van gogh (8), virtual field trips (132), volcanoes (55), women (152), world war 1 (77)
In the Classroom
Be sure to take advantage of the guide included on this site on how to take a virtual field trip. In addition, the guide offers suggestions and lesson plans for making the most of virtual field trips. Use any of the included field trips as an engaging introduction to many different topics. For example, several different field trips take viewers under the oceans and use these excrsions to introduce a unit on ocean animals, climate change, or oceans worldwide. Use Figjam, reviewed here for students to share notes, questions, and information learned throughout the activity. Instead of assigning a typical research project, ask students to create a virtual field trip using Google My Maps, reviewed here. Learn the basics of creating with Google My Maps by viewing the archive of a November 2021 OK2Ask virtual workshop, reviewed here.BlackPast - BlackPast.org
Grades
6 to 12BlackPast is an incredibly robust resource for learning about Black history around the world. Begin your search by locating information classified by African American History or Global...more
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BlackPast is an incredibly robust resource for learning about Black history around the world. Begin your search by locating information classified by African American History or Global African History. Within each of those topics are several categories: people, places, speeches, newspapers, and much more. Another category includes the Main Features page with multimedia, timelines, historic landmarks, and a mentoring page. The Special Topics section focuses on specifics such as COVID-19, Negro League Baseball, and racial violence.
tag(s): african american (119), biographies (95), branches of government (65), civil rights (217), inventors and inventions (82), journalism (74), racism (81), sports (84), STEM (306)
In the Classroom
BlackPast is a must-have for any social studies classroom. Bookmark this resource to use when learning about Black history, African-American biographies, important events, and more. Consider creating a Padlet, reviewed here, to save different articles from BlackPast for students to easily access specific information. Use the shelf option to divide your Padlet into sections by date, topic, or events. Padlet also has a timeline feature when creating biographies or highlighting important dates within a specific time. Ask students to create blogs using Edublogs, reviewed here, to share information learned from this site. As students prepare to "show what they know," modify their technology use by asking them to use Sway, reviewed here, as a presentation tool and include images, videos, and student writing to share their learning.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
MIT Full STEAM Ahead - MIT
Grades
3 to 12Find free, high-quality STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) resources for all grade levels at this fantastic site! Each week educators from MIT provide thematic...more
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Find free, high-quality STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) resources for all grade levels at this fantastic site! Each week educators from MIT provide thematic grade-level learning "packages" that include video, activities, and challenges in various topics. Content includes inventions, outer space, and music and sounds, among other topics. Many subjects also include activities that don't require Internet access. Additional links provide a curated list of learning games that promote 21st Century skills. All content is created for teaching in online or in-person situations.
tag(s): design (79), diseases (66), earth (183), engineering (137), game based learning (207), inventors and inventions (82), makerspace (40), sounds (43), space (220), STEM (306)
In the Classroom
As students participate in the activities and lessons shared on this site, utilize the many features of Google Documents or Microsoft Word to gather information, and collaborate with peers. Use spreadsheet tools to record findings and create graphs to evaluate the results of experiments. Engage students in the learning process by adding questions and comments to the videos in the learning packages using edpuzzle, reviewed here. Ask students to use Sway, reviewed here, to share the products of their learning activities. Add text, images, videos, and more to create multimedia presentations. Use the learning packages to find activities and resources to incorporate into your current learning units. Be sure to check out the interactives (games) that focus on problem-solving and collaboration skills.
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kidcyber - Shirley Sydenham and Ron Thomas
Grades
K to 6kidcyber contains a collection of text resources targeted explicitly to K-6 students for research and inquiry into science content. View collections of material under eight different...more
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kidcyber contains a collection of text resources targeted explicitly to K-6 students for research and inquiry into science content. View collections of material under eight different content headings. In addition to age-appropriate text, this site also includes images and some ebooks. The diverse range of topics includes sports, technology and inventions, space, and more. The site was created in Australia, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English.
tag(s): aircraft (17), animals (293), australia (29), dictionaries (48), earth (183), inventors and inventions (82), nutrition (139), planets (113), space (220), sports (84), stars (71)
In the Classroom
Include this resource with other content when teaching science concepts. Include a link to specific sections of the site for use as non-fiction reading content. Instead of having students draw a poster to share information about animals or plants, enhance learning by asking them to annotate an image using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Extend your students' knowledge by setting up a Global Virtual Classroom, reviewed here with a classroom in a different part of the world to compare and contrast your environments.Smithsonian Learning Lab - The Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access
Grades
4 to 12Discover, create, and share digital resources from the Smithsonian Museum, the National Zoo, and nine major research centers with this visually appealing site. Use the search feature...more
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Discover, create, and share digital resources from the Smithsonian Museum, the National Zoo, and nine major research centers with this visually appealing site. Use the search feature to find digital resources including photos, recordings, videos, and text. Sign up to create your own collections, including those found on the site and your own resources. Also, click Discover and use the search bar to find topics already on the site your class is studying like dinosaurs, explorers, black history, volcanoes, etc. Add annotations and develop quizzes. Easily share your creations or curated collections using social networking links provided. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): animals (293), architecture (84), art history (106), aviation (41), black history (135), civil war (140), dinosaurs (43), explorers (64), images (263), inventors and inventions (82), Learning Management Systems (20), oceans (149), scientists (71), shakespeare (99), Teacher Utilities (203), volcanoes (55)
In the Classroom
The Smithsonian Learning Lab is a must-add to your list of classroom bookmarks! Search for collections and information throughout the year on all topics. Add a link to classroom computers for the entire site or specific collections. Be sure to take advantage of the many features of this site to create customized collections, then have students add additional resources. Have students create quizzes for review of topics. Enhance student learning by challenging them to create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.USPTO - United States Patent and Trademark Office - United States Patent and Trademark Office
Grades
3 to 12Visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to help kids of all ages learn about trademarks and patents, and the importance of intellectual property creation and protection....more
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Visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to help kids of all ages learn about trademarks and patents, and the importance of intellectual property creation and protection. USPTO features "collectible" cards of inventor profiles, activities at different levels - including videos about the paticulars of patents, trademarks, and more. In another video section are videos with age appropriate appeal, and titles like Driverless Cars, Bionic Limbs, Biofuels, Electronic Tattoos, and more. The invention and design focus of most of the activities makes for perfect STEM and "maker space" lessons. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): crafts (74), digital citizenship (90), inventors and inventions (82), sound (72), sports (84), STEM (306), video (267)
In the Classroom
Whether an elementary, middle, or high school teacher you'll find ideas for building model rockets and more. Use an interactive whiteboard or projector and start by viewing the video on the home page titled Extraordinary Innovations. Or, in your blended or flipped class have students watch the video at home and enhance their learning by using playposit, to take notes, make comments, or ask questions to document what they learned from the video. Be sure to have a small or whole group discussion about what they learned from the video using their notes & comments the next day! At the end of your lesson or unit on patents and trademarks, transform learning by challenging students to create a timeline for the invention of the snowboard, or motorcycles, or another topic of interest. Why not modify classroom technology and make this an interactive timeline with music, photos, videos, and more using Timeline JS.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Highbrow - Artem Zavyalov & Jane Limanskaya
Grades
7 to 12Learn something new each day with Highbrow's unique course delivery system. Sign up for a course, then receive an email each day with a five to ten-minute lesson. Each course ...more
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Learn something new each day with Highbrow's unique course delivery system. Sign up for a course, then receive an email each day with a five to ten-minute lesson. Each course is completed in ten days making learning quick and easy! Choose from many different course options in subjects such as art, literature, languages, history, tech and coding, photography, and several others. Highbrow only allows one course per user at a time to encourage complete focus on each topic. If you don't see what you like, choose the Create Course option and create your own learning experience using your expertise!
tag(s): 20th century (62), architecture (84), authors (108), business (53), differentiation (85), endangered species (27), equations (119), financial literacy (95), greeks (46), human body (91), inventors and inventions (82), logic (161), medicine (57), mental math (19), numbers (121), photography (131), poetry (196), psychology (65), short stories (18), surrealism (2), weather (161), women (152)
In the Classroom
Highbrow is perfect for differentiated learning. Allow students to choose their own topic and sign up for a course. When complete, choose another topic and start a new course. Modify classroom technology by having students create commercials for finished courses using Powtoon, reviewed here, and share them using a tool such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Challenge students to create a course after a unit of study as a final assessment. Be sure to include this site on your class webpage for students to access both in and outside of class for personal use.Da Vinci - The Genius - The Museum of Science
Grades
6 to 12Explore an Inventor's Workshop through the eyes of Leonardo da Vinci. Click Menu in the upper right corner to choose different areas of this site like the Inventor, the Scientist, ...more
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Explore an Inventor's Workshop through the eyes of Leonardo da Vinci. Click Menu in the upper right corner to choose different areas of this site like the Inventor, the Scientist, the Artist, and more. Discover elements of machines, gadget anatomy, linear perspective, and the golden ratio. Also included on the site are activities for having students sketch and build their own inventions. Other portions of this resource take viewers deeper into the world of Leonardo by providing perspective on Renaissance times, exploring his special way of writing, and discovering Leonardo's activities in different Italian cities.
tag(s): artists (88), inventors and inventions (82), italy (30), leonardo davinci (3), renaissance (38)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use on your interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Explore the different portions together during your studies of the Renaissance, inventors, or artists such as Leonardo da Vinci. Share a link to this site on your class webpage for students to explore at home, or to use in your blended class activities. Add a link on classroom computers for use during computer centers. Have students replace paper and pen notes and take digital notes about what they are learnng using a tool like SimpleNote, reviewed here. Enhance students' learning by using Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about Leonardo da Vinci or other Renaissance artists. Extend student learning by challenging individuals and small groups to take one of the concepts they learned from Leonardo and apply it to something from today's world. Use a bulletin board tool like Lino, reviewed here, to record and save student ideas. With Lino you can create stickies with images, commenting, videos, and more. After individuals and small groups have devoloped their art, invention, etc., have them present their learning and their invention, art, etc. to peers using one of these multimedia tools: Click the tool name to access the review: Genially, Microsoft PowerPoint Online, Animatron, Renderforest, and Canva Inforgraphic Maker.Story of the Web - Jack Schofield
Grades
5 to 12Celebrate 25+ years of the World Wide Web with this retrospective in interactive form. Scroll through to read about the first ideas and learn about the explosive growth and important...more
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Celebrate 25+ years of the World Wide Web with this retrospective in interactive form. Scroll through to read about the first ideas and learn about the explosive growth and important events throughout the years. Choose auto-play to watch the timeline unfold or scroll at your own pace. As you progress through the story, watch for links to web stories. Viewers of the site share their personal memories each step along the way. Hover your mouse over the right side of your screen to link to the entire report in PDF format.
tag(s): computers (109), internet safety (114), inventors and inventions (82)
In the Classroom
Story of the Web is perfect for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector in a unit on technology and invention or in a computer literacy class. Share this site with students who have grown up on the Internet to provide an understanding of how quickly technology has developed. Compare it to the development of a human being over 25+ years! Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Venngage, reviewed here. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, comparing communication 25+ years ago to 2018.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Community Science Workshop Network - Community Initiatives
Grades
K to 12Bring science to life with this free community of Science Workshop ideas. The site may not look exciting, but the activities bring real hands-on learning to science. Browse a few ...more
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Bring science to life with this free community of Science Workshop ideas. The site may not look exciting, but the activities bring real hands-on learning to science. Browse a few activities to get the idea. After registering, click on the CSW Projects and Activities tab. Search the activities by project type (e.g. projectiles, music, woodshop) or by STEM content. Workshop ideas are either video or downloaded instructions with images. Most use simple, inexpensive materials.
tag(s): engineering (137), gravity (43), inventors and inventions (82), musical instruments (54), plants (147), sound (72), STEM (306)
In the Classroom
Use these activities to create contraptions for students to manipulate in class. As students use a manipulative, collect their questions about what they observe or wonder about the contraption's motion and characteristics. Students can research the science behind the object or motion. Use class discussion to create understanding about basic scientific principles. Be sure to include a link to this site on your classroom computer or website. Students can use these activities to teach concepts to other students in their class. Many of these activities make great demonstrations as an introduction to a science concept and for uncovering student misconceptions. Expand what you ask students to do by using creative writing, reading, creating Infographics, or learning correct ways to research and report findings about the subject matter. A suggested easy to use infographic creator is Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.GE Focus Forward - GE & Cinelan.com
Grades
6 to 12GE Focus Forward offers a series of 30 three-minute videos featuring stories about innovators. Directed by award-winning documentary film makers, the films range in topics from a "Journey...more
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GE Focus Forward offers a series of 30 three-minute videos featuring stories about innovators. Directed by award-winning documentary film makers, the films range in topics from a "Journey Under the Sea" to a look at the "Secrets of Trees." Hover over any film icon to view a short description of the topic. Click to begin. Share films using social networking buttons within the film. Copy the code (click the video you want, then, click the third symbol in the upper right corner to copy the code) to embed on any website or blog. Videos are hosted on Vimeo, which is accessible in most schools.
tag(s): environment (252), inventors and inventions (82), medicine (57), mental health (50), nutrition (139), oceans (149), robotics (26), solar energy (35), STEM (306), trees (18), video (267)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students explore this site independently or in small groups. There is one film about sanitation that refers to "poop," so you may want to avoid classroom giggles from less mature students by setting the tone for scientific viewing. Use as any part of a career unit, as a look at explorers and innovators, or when discussing character education. Be sure to include this site on your class web page for students to access both in and outside of class for further practice. Challenge students to choose a topic to further explore and create a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Infogram, Marq (formerly Lucidpress), Powtoon, and Vibby.CurriConnects Book List - Inventors and Inventions - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12Use this CurriConnects list to find books related to Inventions. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels...more
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Use this CurriConnects list to find books related to Inventions. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles''® to match with student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly.
tag(s): book lists (167), inventors and inventions (82), reading lists (77)
In the Classroom
Build student literacy skills, reinforce what students are learning about Inventions, and help students build the important reading strategy of connecting what they read to prior (classroom!) knowledge. Share this link on your class web page or wiki so students can select independent reading books to accompany your unit on Inventions. Don't forget to share the list with the school and local libraries so they can bring in some of the books on interlibrary loan. CurriConnects are a great help for teachers who have lost school library/media specialists due to budget cuts.Museum of Obsolete Objects - MoooJvM
Grades
6 to 12View this interactive video timeline to look at obsolete technologies from the past, including rotary hand mixers, cassette tapes, and other technologies. These short videos share "obsolete"...more
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View this interactive video timeline to look at obsolete technologies from the past, including rotary hand mixers, cassette tapes, and other technologies. These short videos share "obsolete" items from the 1860s to 2000s. (Note: if your school blocks YouTube, this site will not be accessible. Ask to have this specific url unblocked).
tag(s): inventors and inventions (82)
In the Classroom
Use as a introductory video into science and technology. Identify the science understanding and concepts needed to change the technologies. Brainstorm other technologies that could be added to this list from the various decades. Brainstorm together using a tool such as Mindmeister. Challenge cooperative learning groups to investigate a specific decade and determine what was a new invention then but is no longer used today. Have students create slideshows using Slides. Display these on a blog or wiki for students to review and comment. Assign students to do a written or recorded interview of those who have used these old technologies to find out how life has changed before and after the technology.Do Try This at Home: Invention at Play - Smithsonian Museum of National History
Grades
K to 6The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation offers this site as a way to explore and learn how to play. The site includes opportunities for play that ...more
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The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation offers this site as a way to explore and learn how to play. The site includes opportunities for play that develops visual thinking, problem solving, exploration, and collaboration. You can also create your own doodles to help develop creative thinking and invention. Find a multitude of ideas for students to investigate and create from designing an all-terrain wheelchair, inventing a toy, to redesigning the shopping cart or creating a solared-powered invention. Scroll down the page to find "Story Tags." There is a link to Women inventor's stories, which ncludes the stories of some male intventors, too! Read about little known and well known inventors such as Stephanie Kwolek (Kevlar) and Alexander Bell (telephone). Each story includes background on the inventor and information on how their idea developed. Several videos are included demonstrating play activities and skills developed through play and the use of common toys.
tag(s): biographies (95), collaboration (94), creativity (87), design (79), inventors and inventions (82), problem solving (234)
In the Classroom
Create a link to the site on classroom computers for students to explore the games. Share the site with parents on your classroom website or blog as a resource for using play as a learning tool. Share the site at conferences or parent meetings as a resource for developing learning skills through play. Include the inventor biographies as a resource for students when researching inventors.Great Inventions, Great Inventors - edinformatics.com
Grades
4 to 12Find an extensive list of great inventions on this straightforward site. The "look" is simple, but the information useful. Click each invention to view a definition/description, information...more
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Find an extensive list of great inventions on this straightforward site. The "look" is simple, but the information useful. Click each invention to view a definition/description, information on its invention, the inventor, and other related information including links to other topics. Note that ads do appear on these pages. Caution students to avoid them.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): inventors and inventions (82)
In the Classroom
Find information for science and technology reports on this site. Allow students to view the dates of many of the inventions to determine what scientific principle was just known to push technological thinking. For younger students, create a timeline of inventions to enhance learning and determine the impact of science, economy, and society on inventions. Use a site such as Sutori, that can include images, text, and collaboration. Ask older students to choose an invention and research other forms of that model, alternatives before and after, and what we are using today. Discuss environmental impacts, how the invention changed society, and other impacts.The Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers - Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12The Library of Congress offers this collection of photographs, letters, and other documents related to the lives of aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright. Images and documents...more
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The Library of Congress offers this collection of photographs, letters, and other documents related to the lives of aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright. Images and documents in the archive provide primary sources on the history of flight. The archive is easy to navigate and a search will include a timeline of the brothers' lives, a family tree hyperlinked to relevant documents, and the expected photographs of Wilbur and Orville and their flying machines. Of special interest to many would be the story of the brothers' early failed enterprises, demonstrating that even famous inventors fail before finding success, as well as the many letters between the Wrights and other well known people of the time such as Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh.
tag(s): aviation (41), flight (34), inventors and inventions (82), wright brothers (16)
In the Classroom
Students doing research on the Wright brothers will find this site invaluable. Have students work in cooperative learning groups and research a specific topic found at this site. Exchange paper and pen notes by having students to take notes with an online tool like Simplenote, reviewed here. Have them share the info they learned with their small group. Tell students to be sure to save the URL to share their notes and questions. Simplenote allows you to access and update across all devices. Enhance learning by challenging students to modify their technology use and create a multimedia presentation using a tool such as Zeemaps, reviewed here. Zeemaps allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location (on a map) where the story takes place. Alternatively, students could use Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, to enhance their learning and transform technology use by creating an interactive poster for their presentation.The 50 Worst Inventions - Time Magazine
Grades
4 to 12We all know inventions that have changed and improved the world, but what are some of the worst ideas that just never worked out? Time Magazine offers their insight into ...more
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We all know inventions that have changed and improved the world, but what are some of the worst ideas that just never worked out? Time Magazine offers their insight into the 50 worst inventions. This slideshow takes the viewer through some ideas that never got off the ground or never found their way into America's heart - popup ads, Snuggie for dogs, pay toilets, NEW Coke, and more all hold a spot on the top 50. The slideshow can be viewed screen by screen, or the viewer can see the entire list. Have fun reading through this list of less than stellar improvements to modern life.
tag(s): inventors and inventions (82)