5. Spark the Inventive
Spirit!The Design
Process
Resources:
•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.
6. Invention Intention?
Start with a Problem in Mind!
Activities
•Whatizzit?
• Problem Collecting
• Shark Tank
• Research IDEO Creative
Consulting
7. 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.
8. 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
9. 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.
10. Project Timeline
January-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
11. Project Timeline
Mid-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.
13. 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?
14. 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?
15. 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?
