Objective: To develop and an awareness of inventions and an appreciation for their contributions to our lives

Materials: Transparency Numbers 1-4
Overhead Projector

Procedures

Part One

1. Ask the question; "What do you think is the difference between an invention and a discovery?"

Information:
An invention can be making a new machine, doing something in a different way, using a device for a different use other than what is was intended or improving something that already has been invented. A discovery is the act of gaining new knowledge or insight into something.
 
2. Ask the questions, "How is an invention and a discovery similar"?

 

Information:
Many discoveries cannot be made unless new machines are invented or put to a new use. For example, insulin could not have been discovered unless a centrifuge was invented years before. An invention is often preceded by a discovery or they can happen at the sametime, as occurred when goodyear discovered that the addition of rubber to sulfur resulted in a flexible material able to withstand cold temperatures. This discovery resulted in an invention (and patent) called the vulcanization of rubber. The vulcanization of rubber resulted in many uses, including tires on a weelbarrow--automobiles had not yet been invented.
 
 

3. Ask the stundents this questions. "Would you agreee that inventions are discoveries, not all discoveries are inventions?"

 

Part II.

1. Describe an inventor. Ask your students to write a brief description of what they think an inventor would be like. Things like their sex, age, physical characteristics and behavioral characteristics. Have each student present their description to the group. After their presentations, show them(Transparency # 1) a toy truck invented and patented by 5 year old Robert Patch in 1963.

 
2. Discuss Transparency #. 2. a wrist beeper invented by 11 year old Damond Dampier. Discuss Transparency No. 3. a bear proof suit invented by troy Hurtubise. discuss Transparency No.4. an edible pet food spoon invented by 6 year old Suzanna Goodwin.

 
3. The professional inventor. Ask student to name someone who they know as a well known inventor and what did they invent.

 
4. give them a creativity test to take home and return for the next class

Thomas Edison. Edison held 1093 patents. more than any other individual in history. He was a professional inventor and established a professional laboratory of technicians, scientists and machinists who made inventions.

Alexander Graham Bell. Most famous for his invention of the telephone.

Stephanic Kwolek She invented Kevlar, a synthetic fiber 5 times stronger than steel, is used in a variety of bojects today, e.g., buller-proof-vests, ship anchors, boat hulls, and professional fotball flakvests. Dr. Kwolek invented Kevlar when she was a chemist at DuPont researching Strong synthetic fibers.

Throughtout history people have created inventions. Some inventors, like Thomas Edison, created inventions in laboratories and were professional inventiors. Many inventors, however, were ordinary people, such as carpenters, teachers, salespeople, and students, who had an idea they believed would interest or help others.
 

Debriefing

1. There is a connection between inventing and discovering.
2. Most inventions are the result of a problem in some ones life.
3. Most inventors are not well known, professional scientists but average people living and owrking like most people.
4. Leave them with this quote from Albert Einstein "The formulation of the problem is ofter more important than solution, which may merely be a matter of mathematical or experimental skills. Ask students to respond to this quote the next class."