Why are we having an Invention Convention?
Some of our greatest inventions and ideas have come from someone thinking about how to do something different or better than it's been done before. I want to encourage that kind of thinking in our 5th grade classroom!
Some of our greatest inventions and ideas have come from someone thinking about how to do something different or better than it's been done before. I want to encourage that kind of thinking in our 5th grade classroom!
The Invention Convention Process
- March 14 - April 8 (Task A) At school, work with Mr. Muth to choose an inventor, research the inventor, write a report, then submit your inventor report. The actual research, bibliography, and report will be completed at school with teacher support. Depending on the inventor you choose, you may need to find sources of information at home or community library.
- March 14 - 18 (Task B) At school and home, brainstorm problems you think of or observe in your journal.
- March 21 - 24 (Task C) At school and home, brainstorm solutions you think of for three of your most interesting problems in your journal.
- March 29 - April 1 (Task D) At school, choose the solution you are most interested in turning into an invention, then draw a diagram of that invention! Submit your invention's labeled diagram for approval.
- March 31 & April 1 - (Task E) At home, fill out your disclosure forms, then bring them to school for approval.
- April 4 - 8: (Task F) CREATE YOUR INVENTION AT HOME! Work on making your invention, changing and resubmitting diagrams and disclosure forms as needed along the way. You can get help from your parents, but the actual idea and most of the work should be your own. Remember: failures and redesigns are part of the invention process. It is totally to be expected that you will have to start over with your invention as you work to make it the way it needs to be. You may even find that you need to go back to your brainstorming lists and start over, selecting a new idea! Once you have your invention completed, think about your marketing plan -- how will you get people interested in purchasing your new invention?
- April 5 - 7: At school, work on your tri-folded poster display. You may want to bring special photos of someone using your invention or other graphics from home to add to your display.
- April 13 - (Task G) Bring your invention to school by 8:10 a.m.
- April 14 - Inventions and tri-folded posters will be on display at school for other students to see.
Inventor Scavenger Hunt
When you are done, click here and complete the scavenger hunt questions 1-8 on a separate sheet of paper.
Credit for the Invention Convention: http://www.leslienettling.com/NettlingInventionConvention.htm