National Inventor's Month

Inventor's Month

Have you ever invented something new? National Inventor's Month celebrates the great inventors and inventions of our time. We all know Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, but you may be interested to learn that Dean Kamen invented the Segway Human Transporter in December 2001. Students in grades 9-12 can calculate and graph the cost savings of using a Segway versus an automobile in 'Segway' to the Future.

Discover the impact inventions have on society by learning about Technology: Past, Present and Future with students in grades 3-5. Did you know that students of all ages are using technology in the classroom, including kindergarten? Make sure to visit the Verizon Thinkfinity Community and join the discussion about how educational technologies are used in today’s classroom.

Activities Lesson
Plans Interactives

ACTIVITIES

Invention at Play Family Activities Guide
Smithsonian's History Explorer
K - 4 | Activity | Lesson | Worksheet
Did you know that play is an essential ingredient in a child's intellectual and creative development?

The Grooviest of Fabrics
Science NetLinks
6 - 12 | Audio | Lesson
In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about the invention, manufacture, and development of polyester.

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LESSON PLANS

Invention at Play Homepage
Smithsonian’s History Explorer
K - 12 | Activity | Lesson | Primary Source
Explore the playful side of invention and the inventive side of play in "Invention at Play", an online exhibition.

Spark!Lab Inventor's Notebook
Smithsonian’s History Explorer
K - 12 | Activity | Lesson
Inventors use lab notebooks to write down their ideas, record their observations, and document the results of their tests and experiments.

Eureka!
EconEdLink
K - 2 | Lesson
In this lesson, from EconEdLink, students look at how inventions such as plastic have changed our lives and how they are changing the future of living.

Great American Inventors: Using Nonfiction to Learn About Technology Inventions
ReadWriteThink
3 - 5 | Lesson
In this ReadWriteThink lesson, students read, gather and present information about the lives of American inventors.

Thomas Edison's Inventions in the 1900s and Today: From "New" to You!
EDSITEment
3 - 5 | Lesson | Unit
This four-lesson unit, from EDSITEment, aims to help students understand Edison's influence on life and technology, both around 1900 and today.

Technology and Inequality
Science NetLinks
3 - 5 | Lesson
In this lesson from Science NetLinks, students study briefly the history, evolution, and social benefits of the automobile.

An Entreduction
EconEdLink
3 - 5 | Lesson
This EconEdLink lesson illustrates the differences between inventions and innovations.

The Invention of the Electric Guitar
Smithsonian’s History Explorer
4 - 12 | Interactive | Activity | Lesson | Primary Source
The electric guitar may be the most important and popular instrument of the last half-century in American music.

Soap
Science NetLinks
6 - 12 | Audio | Lesson
In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about the origins and chemistry of soap.

Lighting a Revolution
Smithsonian’s History Explorer
5 - 12 | Activity | Lesson | Primary Source
In this online resource from the Smithsonian students will explore the process of invention and compare Thomas Edison's well-known work on the electric light bulb.

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Inventor's Month

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AFFILIATES