Use this lesson plan to discuss inventions that have changed your class's world and have impacted society. Middle schoolers investigate important inventions of their time and design an invention in a simulated business atmosphere. Modify...

Learn about George Washington Carver's important contributions to agriculture by studying the sweet potato. First graders read about the inventor's observations and prepare sweet potato slips for the class garden. Additionally, they...

Many historical innovations were created for the common good. Get your students ready for life as a critical thinker with this lesson which defines the differences between innovation and invention. They will conduct Internet research,...

Students examine the way various inventions have changed their lives. As a class, they create a timeline of the most important inventions during their lifetime and another timeline of how old they were when it was invented. ...

This inventions PowerPoint includes age-appropriate text and information about what an invention is, the planning process for developing inventions, and common factors of successful inventions.  Several short biographies with text...

Students explore innovators and inventions. In this technology lesson, students investigate the issues inventors face as they tackle new technology. Students design their own realistic needs-based invention.

Students consider the qualities that inventors possess and explore the history and uncertain future of U.S. innovation by reading and discussing the article "Are U.S. Innovators Losing Their Competitive Edge?"

Eighth graders research how science and technology have evolved by studying inventions. In this invention lesson, 8th graders discuss inventions and work in teams to create an innovation to present at the Invention Convention. Students...

A two-part lesson asks young scientists to research the contributions of African American scientists at Bell Laboratories. After presenting their findings, class members watch two demonstrations that introduce them to total internal...

Blow the minds of young scientists with this collection of inquiry-based investigations. Based on a series of eight videos, these "hands-on, minds-on" science lessons engage young learners in exploring a wide range of topics...

Students identify the innovations that have impacted their lives.  In this inventions lesson students write and present a speech on the greatest innovation of their generation.

Fifth graders learn the importance of a patent for a new invention. They use the internet to practice typing a classroom patent for a compound machine that their class invented. While on the website, 5th graders choose a month and...

Students explore the scientific enterprise and the contributions of diverse people. They explore some of the more practical applications of the scientific enterprise. Students describe how the cast cooler works, and discuss how inventor...

Students study inventions and how they have impacted us.  In this investigative lesson students study the history of two inventors then pretend that they are an inventor. 

Students explore a computer-aided design program. Students chart out roller coaster design, computer graphics and architecture. Students focus on understanding the connections between mathematics, science, technology and innovation.

Could your class identify an old-fashioned can opener? What about a rotary phone,...

Wrap up the unit in one final design. Pairs use their knowledge of aviation to design new flying machines and record how their designs take into consideration the forces that act upon airplanes. The pupils determine whether their designs...

Ask your class to consider a #2 Pencil to show how inventive thinking can be stimulated by making innovations to an everyday object. There is also an interesting extension included that refers to a book about the history of the pencil....

Students analyze the role and impact of technological innovation in the late 19th and early 20th century. They evaluate manuscripts, sound recordings, and motion pictures to construct historical meaning. Students observe the connections...

Students research the demands or limitations on Earth scientists. In groups, they design and build a model that would be useful to them in the lab or field. They share their model and their ideas behind it to the class and answer any...

Ideas take flight in an exciting activity exploring the Wright Brothers. Scholars view the Wright Brothers' patent for their flying machine and makes educated guesses as to the purpose of the document. Scholars discuss the purpose of...

High schoolers explore the different fields of bioengineering. They will create and interpret graphs from cancel cells data. They then calculate the amount of drugs found in blood and eliminated by the body over time.

Learners examine inventions of the past and present and explore how inventions inspire and lead to the development of other inventions.