Article
University of Houston

University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 326: Colonial Women Inventors

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides information on two Colonial women inventors. This is a transcript of an accompanying radio broadcast.
eBook
PBS

Pbs Kids: Martha Speaks: Super Inventions

For Students K - 1st
In this interactive story, learn how animal abilities have inspired inventions over the years.
Article
Text Project

Text Project: Fyi for Kids: Young Inventors: Chester Greenwood [Pdf]

For Students 1st - 3rd
This magazine article explains how Chester Greenwood invented ear warmers when he was 15 years old.
Lesson Plan
US National Archives

Nara: Teaching With Documents: Telephone and Light Patent Drawings

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan about Alexander Graham Bell's patent for the telephone and Thomas Edison's patent for the electric lamp. Contains good background information and historically pertinent documents. It also discusses the role corporations...
Handout
University of Virginia

University of Virginia: Jefferson as an Inventor

For Students 9th - 10th
This section of a larger site on Thomas Jefferson discusses his involvement in the development of the patent system. Here, read about Jefferson's committment to science and his role as an inventor.
Handout
University of California

University of California: Otis Boykin: Inventor

For Students 9th - 10th
Otis Boykin (1920-1982 CE) is attributed with developing twenty-six electronic inventions, including devices for guided missiles, IBM computers and a control unit for an artificial heart stimulator.
Website
Other

Leonardo Da Vinci the Man & the Inventor

For Students 9th - 10th
An award winning site containing fantastic information on Leonardo as a man, an artist, and an inventor. You will find detailed analysis of his paintings, a section containing his drawings, articles on his life, designs for many machines...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Super Glue Was Invented: Moments of Vision 8

For Students 9th - 10th
Today, super glue is a nearly indispensable household item - but its incredibly sticky nature almost caused it to be abandoned in the development phase - twice. Jessica Oreck shares the wartime origins of this sticky substance. [1:53]
Interactive
Other

Up to Ten: The History of Inventions

For Students 3rd - 5th
Place the inventions on the interactive timeline in chronological order to advance to the next level.
Handout
Other

Black Inventor Online Museum: Andrew Beard

For Students 9th - 10th
A short biography of Andrew Beard, whose invention improved the safety of railroads in the 19th century.
Handout
University of California

University of California: Lloyd Augustus Hall: Chemist and Inventor

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief summary of Hall's inventions and contributions to science.
Lesson Plan
Council for Economic Education

Econ Ed Link: Inventors and Innovators Improve on the Original

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This lesson plan focuses on discussion of inventions, brainstorming new products or improvements, and identifying the protection, production, and marketing processes.
Website
PBS

Pbs: Tesla, Master of Lighting

For Students 9th - 10th
Inventor Nikola Tesla is the subject of this extensive PBS site. In addition to information on Tesla's life and work, the site offers insight into the ways in which society and invention affect each other.
Handout
PBS

Pbs: Who Made America?: Innovators: Elisha Otis

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of the man who invented the elevator.
Lesson Plan
National Geographic

National Geographic: American Genius: Perseverance

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students investigate the importance of failure to the process of innovation by investigating several items that were invented by accident. They share one "failure to success" story by creating a 3-panel comic strip poster, and then write...
Article
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Helen Murray Free

For Students 3rd - 8th
Biography of Helen Free, detailing her life as a chemist and inventor who developed many products for consumer use, including a convenient at-home glocose level test.
Handout
Other

Black Inventor Online Museum: William Purvis

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Read about the African-American inventor, William Purvis, who improved the fountain pen. Included is a list of his other inventions.
Website
Great Idea Finder

The Great Idea Finder: Invention of the Zipper

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from The Great Idea Finder tells how Whitcomb Judson came up with the idea of the zipper. His employee, Gideon Sundback, made it a success.
Handout
Other

Lemelson Center's Invention at Play: Surgical Robot Inventor

For Students 9th - 10th
Read a biography of Akhil Madhani, the inventor of the surgical robot, and about his teleoperated surgical instruments.
Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Invention of the Week: George Eastman

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of George Eastman, who revolutionized photography with his innovations in film and photograph development. From the MIT School of Engineering.
Handout
Alberta Online Encyclopedia

Alberta Online Encyclopedia: Alberta Inventors and Inventions: George Clynch

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the biography of George Clynch and learn about his 'Laser Digitizer System' that is designed to build socket pieces on custom prosthetics.
Handout
Alberta Online Encyclopedia

Alberta Online Encyclopedia: Alberta Inventors and Inventions: Bernie Stene and Lional Desmarais

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about Bernie Stene and Lional Desmarais's "Rail Mount Plowing System", a method to lay thousands of kilometres of the cable without disrupting railway traffic.
Handout
Alberta Online Encyclopedia

Alberta Online Encyclopedia: Alberta Inventors and Inventions: Grant Skinner

For Students 9th - 10th
Canada's top Macromedia Flash Developer, Grant Skinner, is highlighted on this site by the Heritage Community Foundation.
Handout
Alberta Online Encyclopedia

Alberta Online Encyclopedia: Alberta Inventors and Inventions: Jack Stothart and Howard Fredeen

For Students 9th - 10th
What is the only breed of farm livestock to originate in Canada? Learn about Jack Stothart and Howard Fredeen and their development of the Lacombe swine.

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