Part
II: Individual Work
Step
I: Turning on your inventiveness
Successful
inventions are ones that make improvements to existing products, solve problems
or meet a specific need. As the old
saying goes “Necessity is the mother of invention”. Your job is to decide on an invention you can create.
Make a list of improvements that would help your community, school or
home. If you are having trouble,
ask around. Parents, teachers and
friends are bound to be looking for solutions to everyday problems. Use the Invention
Interview Worksheet to record your findings.
Once you have a list of five or six problems, you will need to put on
your creative thinking caps and come up with a solution for one of your
problems. Remember, inventions are
almost never entirely new.
The
following Websites will help to get those creative juices flowing.
**Remember-to
get back to this site just hit the back button on your computers' menu.
- Rube
Goldberg Site
http://www.rubegoldberg.com/
Check out this site about the famous cartoonist who drew all sorts of crazy
inventions to solve simple problems. Learn about Rube Goldberg, see his
drawings, and even enter a machine contest. While viewing this site,
formulate an opinion about Rube Goldberg and his inventions.
Do you think they are important to society?
Why or Why not?
- Inventors
Museum http://www.inventorsmuseum.com
Ever wonder who invented the Frisbee? Interested
in finding out who is responsible for you being able to see at night?
How is it that you can be accessing this information right now? Find out the answers to all these questions and more in
the Inventors museum. How would your life change if these inventors had not
created their inventions?
- Invention
Timeline http://cbc4kids.ca/general/the-lab/history-of-invention/
Check out this great timeline of inventions created in history.
Maybe one will help spark your creativity.
Can you think of an invention not mentioned that is equally important
or even more important? Send in
your suggestion.
- Inventure
Place http://
www.invent.org/
Check out this wonderful museum with information about inventors and
their inventions. It is
sure to get your creative juices flowing!
If inventing is where you want your future to take you, than check
out the camp locations nearest you.
- African-American
Inventors http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~rlandrum/index1.html
This Website provides you with inventors and inventions created by
African-Americans.
- Girls
Make Great Inventors Too! http://www.girltech.com/Invention/IN_menu_frame.html
Check out this great site that lists fabulous inventions created by women
around the world. Anyone can be
an inventor. They simply need
the drive and perseverance to do it.
