Inventions Unit Study
What would our lives be like without inventors and their inventions? Even the wheel had to be invented! Use this unit study to explore the inventor in you and have fun doing it.
1. Brainstorm a list of at least 10 inventions you would like to see be created.
2. Take two objects and list all of their uses. Then, visualize the two objects combined as one. What new uses could this object have?
3. Spend a week listing problems that need to be solved in your environment … home, school setting, play area, living space, etc. Be a detective and brainstorm a lot of solutions. Record and date your ideas in a journal. Next, focus on one of your problems and the list of solution you have written out for that problem. Has this problem been addressed already, and how? Do you have a better solution? Will this be something other people will want to use?
4. Create an invention. In a journal, make a detailed sketch of the invention. Label all the parts. Go on to develop a three-dimensional model of your invention. Give your invention a catchy name.
5. Find out about the patenting process. What does it mean when a patent is pending? What are trademarks? What are trade secrets? Where do you look up patents?
6. Develop an advertising campaign for your invention.
7. Explain how changes in technology have altered at least two inventions in terms of function or design.
8. Investigate the role of research and development in creating a new product.
9. Read about inventors in at least two different books.
10. Investigate courses that you could take to help you with a career direction in inventing.
11. Think about the kinds of careers that may relate to inventing: patent attorney, product designer, graphic artist, chemist, engineer, etc. Select two that interest you and find out more about them.
12. Create a toy of a young child. It can be educational or may just appeal to their sense of fun. Be sure to consider safety issues for young children. Try it out, under close supervision, with the age group you made it for. Was it the hit you thought it would be? How could you change it to make it better?
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