To see our brand new invention ed collection page, click here.

What is invention education?

Someone — likely a team of people — invented nearly all of the things we use on a daily basis: tablets and TVs, cars and stoplights, apps and video games, sneakers and sports equipment, etc. All of these products were part of the invention process.

Invention education is a project-based approach to solving problems in students' own communities and beyond. It doesn't have to be a big saving the world endeavor (though it certainly could be). The invention could make a difference to members of your family, school or community.

Invention ed often involves brainstorming new ideas that could solve a problem, sketching out your ideas, involving others who are directly affected by the problem, working in a team, building a basic prototype and sharing your invention. You may only get to one of these parts—it's still inventing!

While your invention may even be patentable one day, the main goal is to think creatively and critically and yes, to have fun! In other words, the journey along the way is just as important as the final product.

New to invention?

Join PBS News Hour Classroom's Invention Educator Network where teachers from various subjects and grade levels come together to discuss all things invention & innovation. Sign up here.

We'll send just one email a month full of good stuff: lesson ideas, news and events, teacher and student invention stories and inventor profiles and Invention Teacher Network Zooms with real inventors, including teacher and student inventors. Write education@newshour.org for more information.

Invention Curriculum

PBS News Hour Classroom has developed a series of introductory lessons to get your students started working through the invention process.

Lessons in the series include problem identification, seeing yourself as an inventor, what an inventor does, pitching your invention and patenting your invention.

If you would like to give your students a fun glimpse of what invention is about, play these Kahoots on our "Power of Invention" page.

Specific lessons connected to current events, like space exploration, medicine and climate change can be found below or on our Invention Education Collection.