PBS
Pbs Teachers: Inventions
Investigate past and present inventions, and use the tape player as an example to explore issues inventors must deal with, including patents, theft and technological obsolescence. Use the scientific method to choose, design and develop...
Other
African American Inventors Who've Changed Your Life (Pdf) [Pdf]
Integrated lesson plan focusing on the contributions that African American inventors have made to modern society. Includes rationale, day by day plan, links, and other information.
Other
Edison: His Life and Inventions: The Telephone, Motograph, and Microphone
This site offers the text of a book by Frank Dyer and Thomas Martin published in 1929 on the inventions of Thomas Edison. This particular page discusses Alexander Graham Bell's development of the telephone and the controversy over Thomas...
Other
Pioneers, Inc.: Black Scientists and Inventors
Find brief descriptions of the inventions of many African-American inventors in many fields in the 19th century.
Other
Patent Museum: Egg Beater: Willis Johnson 1884
A brief description to the patent filing and an excerpt from the patent request that Willis Johnson filed for his improvements in the egg beater. Included are drawings submitted with the patent request.
Other
New York Subway History: Beach Pneumatic Transit
Not all inventions turn out to be good ideas! Read about Alfred Ely Beach's idea to build a pneumatic tube under the streets of New York City for subway trains to use.
Enchanted Learning
Enchanted Learning: Inventors & Inventions 1801 1850
This site from Enchanted Learning presents several brief overviews of major early nineteenth century inventors and their inventions. The information is accessible by clicking on the corresponding link.
Library of Congress
Loc: A Historic Message
This site, which is provided for by the Library of Congress, gives information on the first telegraph invented and the first message ever transmitted.
New York Times
New York Times: Crossword Puzzle: Inventors
The New York Times Learning Network has developed interactive & printable crossword puzzles. The theme of this one is Inventors.
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum: Famous Americans: Alexander Graham Bell
Learn brief information from the National Postal Museum on Alexander Graham Bell, American inventor of the telephone, who was featured on the ten cent postage stamp.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Arc Lamp 1876
Fire lighted the night for many centuries. Then came Sir Humphry Davy and the birth of the arc lamp, an invention built upon in the years that followed by many.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Bubble Chamber 1952
To understand a bubble chamber, picture the long, white streak an airplane leaves in its wake. That's water vapor produced by condensation from the plane's hot exhaust. Until the water particles evaporate, you can follow the streak to...
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Audion 1906
Two years after Englishman John Ambrose Fleming invented a two-electrode vacuum tube, American inventor Lee De Forest one-upped him by developing a tube with three electrodes.
Other
Black Inventor Online Museum: William Purvis
Read about the African-American inventor, William Purvis, who improved the fountain pen. Included is a list of his other inventions.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Who Am I?
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is a review of famous inventors and people of the Second Industrial Revolution. Activotes questions are included. There is a citation for a United Streaming video clip at the end that could be...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Benjamin Franklin Timeline
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is a timeline of Benjamin Franklin's life. Each flipchart page highlights a high point in Franklin's life.
Library of Congress
Loc: The Birth of the Recording Industry
This site from the Library of Congress is a fine site for information on the birth of the recording industry. Emile Berliner's inventions and improvements related to recording technology are chronicled here. Of special interest are his...
BBC
Bbc Newsround: 'Most Waterproof Material' Invented at Mit
Brief article reports on the creation of the most waterproof material in existence.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Ancient China for Kids: Inventions and Technology
Kids learn about the inventions and technology of Ancient China to Europe such as paper, the compass, printing, and gunpowder on this site.
BBC
Bbc Newsround: Week of 5 5 14: Team Design Water Bottle You Can Eat
Learn about the recent invention of edible water bottles.
Curated OER
Macmillan/mc Graw Hill: The World, Vol. 1: Changing Ideas: Lesson 6 Quiz
Choose the correct answer for each of the five multiple choice questions to evaluate your comprehension of Great Britain's Industrial Revolution.
Siteseen
Siteseen: American Historama: Mc Cormick Reaper
Read interesting facts about Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the mechanical horse-drawn reaper 1n 1831.
Siteseen
Siteseen: American Historama: Elias Howe Sewing Machine
Detailed facts and fun information on Elias Howe who invented the world's first practical sewing machine in 1846.