|
INVENTIONS PROJECT
Every time you figure out a new way of doing something or change something to fit your needs, you become an inventor!! An inventor is someone who thinks of new ideas to make life easier or better through the use of an invention. Inventions can be a "new way of doing things" (process), or Inventions can be the "result of an accident" (serendipitous), or Inventions can be a "new way of making something" (innovation).
For nine weeks, from the week of September 11th, to the week of November 7th, we will be working together to discuss inventions and create inventions. Participating KIDLINKers will work in teams, using the "Creative Problem Solving Method", to try to discover a solution to a problem, or a way to make life easier or better. Guest speakers from the area of research and development will come join us on the KIDLINK IRC to discuss the invention process in the real world, and we will have a patent attorney speak to us about the patent/copyright/trademark process. The time line for our project follows:
Pre-project:
Students send in Responses to the 4 questions, teachers or students register for the KIDLINK IRC
Week 1 (week of September 11th):
Classes discuss inventors/inventions in their area
Week 2 (week of September 18th):
Classes interview friends and family for "problems" and brainstorm a list to be sent to KIDPROJ.
Week 3 (week of September 25th):
Students choose a problem to work on. Laurie Williams will match students interested in the same problem and set up teams.
Week 4 (week of October 2nd):
Teams brainstorm ideas for a solution. (Guest speaker #1)
Week 5 (week of October 9th):
Teams shorten their solutions list and evaluate the possible solutions to choose the best solution for the problem. (Guest speaker #2)
Week 6 (week of October 16th):
Teams discuss the form that their model will take. (Guest speaker #3)
Week 7 (week of October 23rd):
Teams create a model of their solution and give their solution a name. (Guest speaker #4)
Week 8 (week of October 30):
Teams complete "inventor's logs" and develop a hard copy edition of their logs for their teachers. They can trade pictures of their models via snail mail or in GIF format. (Guest speaker-Mark D. Simpson, Attorney at Law)
Week 9 (week of November 6th):
Teams send an invention summary to KIDPROJ. We join on the KIDLINK IRC to discuss the process and inventions.
Post-project:
The final summaries and GIF's will be added to the KIDLINK Web site. Some inventions may become part of an invention competition in some places.
Join us as we create innovations and processes that may change the way we live! Who knows...we may have another Edison here in one of our classes!!!
Inventions Project Moderator: Laurie Williams
Information Contact: Patti Weeg, Title 1 Computer Teacher, Delmar El. School, Delmar, Maryland, USA. Home Page: http://www.intercom.net/local/weeg
KIDPROJ WWW Contact: Grant Dougall, Educational Consultant: Technologies, Saskatoon Board of Education, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CANADA. Web Site: http://198.169.140.21/
Go to the KIDLINK Home Page
Return to KIDPROJ
Projects PageKIDS-97, the KIDLINK name and associated logo are service marks of the KIDLINK Society.
Created September 8, 1996
