• read about and identify patterns in the invention process.
• discuss and write about information learned from research.
• compile a list of problems, choose one, write a problem statement, and compile a list of at least three solutions to the chosen problem.
• select one solution and conduct background research about the problem and the potential invention.

• A variety of articles, books, audio/video resources, and Internet sites for research. A List of Suggested Resources is provided.
• Additional reference sources, including local and national newspapers and magazines featuring student winners of invention competitions
• Checklist of Requirements
• Information on the scientific method
• (Optional) Guest speakers, including local inventors, patent attorneys, engineers, speech writers, and marketers
• The Invention Process handout
• Elements of Effective Speeches handout
• Monthly calendar sheets
• Progress Report Handout #1
• Project Rubric-Long Version
• Project Rubric-Short Version
• Disclosure Statement
• Folders or binders for work accumulated through the unit
• Exploring Innovation, from the Lemelson Foundation

• Emphasize to students early in the year and again at the beginning of the unit that this will be a culminating project that will require them to demonstrate the science, literacy, and time-management skills that they have learned and will be learning all year. It is very important to assure students that it is possible to receive full credit for both the invention and the speech even if the invention is not entirely successful. The emphasis in the unit is on the use of scientific method (the process is more important than getting a favorable test result) and communication.
  
  
• Prepare a Checklist of Requirements for the unit. Include with it a list of imaginary scenarios that students might select for the speeches they will be making later in the unit. These might include a booth at an “Invention Convention,” a presentation to a patent attorney, a presentation to representatives of a major manufacturer that is considering licensing the product or buying the patent, an infomercial, a shopping network sales pitch, or a Research and Development report. The last option is especially valuable to students whose invention does not work as well as the student had hoped. In this scenario, instead of convincing the audience to use/buy the product, the speaker must make a recommendation for further research or abandonment of the project.
  
  
• Test Exploring Innovation, from the Lemelson Foundation on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tool and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.
  
  

1. Introduce the unit and explain the scope of the project. Distribute the Checklist of Requirements, and encourage students to pay close attention to sample presentations that they will see in science class.
2. Discuss inventions as solutions to everyday problems.
3. Read a short article about an everyday invention and discuss the invention process as a class. (The List of Suggested Resources contains many print and nonprint articles.)
4. As a homework assignment, have students read and respond to two articles they choose from a large selection of articles about inventions and inventors. They may provide summaries, answer a list of questions, or practice note-taking skills. (The specific activity may change to fit the needs of students in terms of skills, standards, and curriculum requirements.)

1. In small groups, students discuss interesting facts about the inventions, the inventors, and the invention process about which they read.
2. Have them work together on The Invention Process handout.

1. Have students get back together in their groups to complete briefly any discussion from the previous session.
2. Then ask each group to plan a method to share what they learned about inventors and inventions with the class. Ideas may include a skit such as a talk show where their inventors are interviewed, a presentation of patterns seen across inventions, or simply a list of interesting facts. (The type of sharing may be determined by curricular emphasis and by the amount of class time available for presentations.)
3. Groups then share their learning with the whole class. Presentations can range from 5–10 minutes each.

1. Complete presentations if necessary and summarize the learning:
   • Inventors work to solve perceived problems.
   • They often use models and seek help.
   • They almost always make adjustments and improvements.
   • They use many kinds of resources.
   • Many inventors are ordinary people, even kids.
2. Encourage students to be on the lookout for problems that they can solve with an invention of their own. They will be asked to list problems in science class.

1. A natural segue from English to science would be to remind the students that the unit will focus on experimentation and communication, and that the end product in science class will be the production of an invention. Briefly discuss the connection as a class.
2. Then, share the interactive Exploring Innovation, from the Lemelson Foundation, which explores American inventions beginning with Samuel Morse and Alexander Graham Bell. Alternately, show a videotape such as Invent it! or have a list of bookmarked Web sites that focus on student inventors. Use the balance of the period to discuss student inventions. Possible discussion questions could be
   • How old is an inventor?
   • Do you have to have sophisticated equipment to invent?
   • Does an invention need to be complicated?
3. For homework, have students write down a list of twenty problems that they think could be solved with an invention.

1. In groups have the students compare their lists of problems needing inventions. They should then come up with what they think are the top five.
2. Have each group present their top-five ideas to the class. Students may add ones to their lists that they find interesting.
3. For homework, students should select a problem they would like to try to solve and draft a clear statement of the problem.

1. Discuss some of the statements as a whole class, allowing for immediate peer and teacher feedback.
2. Give students a chance to revise their statements.
3. Hand out and discuss the Project Rubric-Long Version. Students can use this from the start of the project as a self-management and organizational tool.
4. For homework, have the students write a formal statement of the problem they will attempt to solve.

1. Hold individual and small-group conferences with the students to monitor their success in defining a suitable problem.
2. As the conferences continue, have each student discuss his or her invention in small groups. Then have the group discuss pros and cons of the possible invention. Groups should have copies of the scoring rubric to determine if the possible invention will permit the student to meet all of the requirements. Possible discussion questions could be
   • Do you think that you can actually build this?
   • Is this invention at an appropriate level?
   • If this invention is built successfully, will it solve the stated “problem”?
   • How will you test your invention?
   • What data will you collect?
3. Each student completes a Disclosure Statement. This is the equivalent of the “Intent to Invent” stage of the patent process, so it must be fully developed and clearly explained.

• Project Rubric-Long Version
• Project Rubric-Short Version

NCTE/IRA Standards

1 - Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

4 - Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

5 - Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

6 - Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.

7 - Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

8 - Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

12 - Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).