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Presentation.

Spark the Inventive Spirit!

* Engineering Design Tasks

Spark the Inventive Spirit!

The Design ProcessResources:

•Time to Invent• Discover Engineering• PBS Kids Design Squad

Work to build an environment where kids safe feel failing and making mistakes. Encourage collaboration and risk-taking.

Invention Intention?

Start with a Problem in Mind!

Activities

• Whatizzit?• Problem Collecting• Shark Tank• Research IDEO Creative Consulting

Other Ideas• Research famous inventions and find out their backgrounds.• Research accidental inventions.• Research kid inventors.• Research a commonly used item (such as the telephone) and create a timeline showing its changes through history.• Rank common inventions of importance and debate their merit.• Design Rube Goldberg machines.• Explore humorous inventions.

Picture Book Inspirations•The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires• Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beatty• Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beatty• Stuck by Oliver Jeffers• Not a Box by Antoinette Portis• Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis• Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg• A Little Bit of Oomph! by Barney Saltzberg• Anything is Possible by Giulia Belloni• Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy• Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor by Emily Arnold McCully• The Dumpster Diver by Janet S. Wong• The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krull• Imaginative Inventions: The Who, What, Where, When, and Why of Roller Skates, Potato Chips, Marbles, and Pie by Charise Mericle Harper

Project Timeline

November 2013:• Introduce Project. Allow 1-2 weeks for students to be problem collectors. Make contact with parents.• Share problem ideas and brainstorm potential solutions. Complete engineering tasks in class to promote inventive spirit.• Conference with students to help select a workable idea (“Does my idea have PROMISE?”).

December 2013:• Students conduct Background Research for similar products. • Students build inventions with parent mentors/coaches. Inventions due to school by mid-January, along with list of needed materials and procedures for how to build.

Project TimelineJanuary-Early February 2014 (Completing the Logbook):• Students describe their invention and how to use it.• Students describe why their invention is original.• Students sketch an illustration of their prototype after reviewing examples of technical drawings.

INVENTIONS MUST BE COMPLETE BEFORE NEXT PHASE.

• Students explain their Design Decisions (why they built their product the way they did).• Students learn about surveys, what types of questions are included on surveys, and how to create their own surveys.• Students have 5 potential users test their product and complete a survey for feedback.• Students analyze their data and make conclusions about their product based on feedback.• Teacher begins planning Invention Convention Event (Choose date, location, time, secure judges, order awards, etc.)

Project TimelineMid-Late February (Finalizing the Presentation):• Students type information from their logbook for the display.• Students think about how to sell or market their product to judges and potential customers.•Students create a logo for their product.• Students design an eye-catching display for their product.• Teachers host a Saturday work day for students to complete display boards.• Students plan a 1-minute “pitch” to present their product to the judges.• On Convention Day, students dress professionally and present their projects.

Student Feedback

Average Rating (out of 5): 3.8

Student Feedback

• “I enjoyed the building process because I got to learn how to use wires.”~4th grader• “I mostly enjoyed building The Shoe Cuff, and making my bill board. I liked these things because I got to be creative!”~4th grader• “It stretches your brain. It challenged me to think a different way.”~4th grader• “I enjoyed the feeling of being finished with the project. I felt like I had accomplished something.”~5th grader• “Building my invention. It was fun to build and be like “Oh that didn't work. Let’s try something else.” I enjoyed that.”~5th grader

What did you enjoy most about this project?

Student Feedback

• “I think we should have a digital logbook.” ~5th grader• “Table of contents in the log book, because it will help us navigate the log book easier. And instead of a log book, why not make the log book online, where instead of having to write it out to type, it is already typed, and can also be viewed by classmates.”~5th grader• “You could take breaks between the process just so it isn't so stressful, and 'timed’.”~5th grader• “If we had partners it would be way more enjoyable and it would be a lot more easy.”~4th grader

What suggestions do you have that could make this project easier in the future?

Student Feedback

• “I'm proud of my project because my cat, Oreo, loves The Comfy Cage.”~4th grader• “I think I did a good job thinking of different solutions when things went wrong.”~4th grader• “The thing I am really proud of myself is creating my invention, all the typing I did alone, and of course the display board (My mom was so proud of me!)”~4th grader• “I thought I did great on the interview. I was really confident.”~4th grader• “I think I did a good job on the design of my product. I used very good materials and the materials are very cheap.”~5th grader• “Just the fact that I finished it, because when it was finished, it looked like my happiness meter would explode, because I just made a product of potential popularity.”~5th grader

What do you think you did really well while completing this project? What makes you proud of yourself?

Resource Links

• Presentation• Logbook• Whatizzit? (Class Activity)• Whatizzit? (Home Activity)• Judging Rubric

Contact Information

Kaycie Rogerskrogers@jackson.k12.ga.us

Aimee Vickersavickers@jackson.k12.ga.us

We’d love to see your students’ projects and ideas!