For a Google version of this lesson plan, click here. (Note: you will need to make a copy of the document to edit it.)

Overview

In this lesson, students will learn about what it means to be an inventor and think creatively about improving something they are passionate about. First, students will watch a short video about a teen inventor who used creative thinking to improve the experience of others. Then students will draw connections between the young inventor and their own passions and interests.

Objectives

• Students will learn about inventive thinking and problem-solving.
• Students will identify personal interests that could lead to creative problem-solving that helps others.
• Students will practice the processes that lead people to creative inventions.

Subjects

Science, CTE, and humanities classes

Grade Levels

Grades 6-12

Estimated Time

One 50-minute class period

Supplemental Links

• Google doc version of the lesson
• Teacher presentation
• Warm-up handout
• Discussion questions handout
• Interview handout

Introduction

Did you ever see a cool new invention and think, “I wish I’d thought of that?” Great inventions can come from the simplest ideas, and a lot of the time those ideas come from ordinary people thinking hard about what they’re most passionate about.

Teacher preparation for the lesson:

• Adjust teacher presentation as needed to fit your classroom needs
• Materials to print (optional)
  • Warm-up classroom questions (1 classroom set) printed and posted around the classroom
  • Main activity student discussion questions (½ sheet per student)
  • Main activity student interview worksheet (1 sheet per student)

Essential question: How can your problem-solving skills help you be inventive in an area that you're passionate about?

Materials

• Adjust teacher presentation as needed to fit your classroom needs
• Internet connection for teacher presentation
• Post-its, notecards, or paper and pen
• One or two sets of warm-up questions printed and posted around the room
• Student discussion questions worksheet for video (½ sheet per student)
• Student interview worksheet for main activity (1 per student)
• (Optional) Have students bring in one photo, image or object that represents a cause or activity they care deeply about. It could be a hobby or interest, or represent a problem they are working to fix in the community. They could also draw the object or if available, print a copy of it at school. ( Note: Ask students not to bring in anything of value that they would regret being lost or damaged )

Warm-up activity (10 minutes)

1. First, students will identify a challenge or passion that could lead them to creative problem-solving. Ask students to answer the following questions on a Post-it or notecard and post them next to the questions around the room ( here are the questions in a printable document ):

• What is a hobby, sport or interest of yours? What’s something that makes the hobby or interest more difficult to do than you would like?
• What’s something annoying that you have to deal with on your way to school each morning?
• What’s a challenge in your community that you’ve noticed, either for you and your friends or other people?

Note: answers can be very short (one word) and students shouldn’t think too long about their responses. Don’t hesitate to get up and move! If your class is large print two sets of the same three questions above and divide the class in half to post and share their responses more efficiently.

1. Popcorn around the room and have some participants share their favorite answers to the three prompts with the class. Students can also stick their favorite answers on a shared bulletin board and discuss them.

Main Activity (30 minutes)

1. (10 min) Watch the inventor video and discussion questions

Watch the following news story about Dasia Taylor, a 17-year-old inventor of color-changing sutures and answer the discussion questions below. Note: Feel free to choose a different example of an inventor and the invention process that best fits the class/learning goals. Here are a few alternatives.

Have students answer the following discussion questions as they watch this clip ( printable version here ) :

• Who is Dasia Taylor, and what is her background?
• What problem is Taylor’s invention trying to solve?
• What interest or passion motivated Taylor to think up her invention?
• How did she take something that already exists and make it better?
  • What skills do you think Taylor has that helped her develop her invention that you also share?

1. (20 min) Student interviews

Have students work in pairs to conduct 8-minute interviews about their topic of interest. The interviewer should take notes on the following questions and can add in their own ( printable version here ). After 8 minutes, they will trade places and share notes. If set-up permits, students can also use cell phones to record and share interviews to be shared.

Debrief (10 minutes)

1. Students reflect on their answers with their interviewer’s notes in hand and then write a summary paragraph (differentiate this debrief by having students record a response instead of writing) explaining their idea for improving the experience they described as well as explaining what help or materials they might need to complete their invention.
2. Popcorn around the room and have students share their ideas noting possible next steps.

Extension activities

• PBS NewsHour Classroom has developed a series of lessons to get your students started working through the invention process. Other lessons in the series include problem identification , what an inventor does , pitching your invention and patenting your invention .
• If you want to extend this lesson into additional class periods, this might be a good time to choose an invention project for the whole class.
  • Consider having students vote on one of the ideas presented at the end of this lesson (or multiple ideas to work on in small groups), and then prepare to have students design and build a prototype of the idea in the next lesson of our series.
  • You can also use the end of this lesson to segue into one of our 27 invention lessons based on current events that may be most relevant to your class and curriculum.
• If students want to record interviews, share this list of 7 tips for conducting an interview.
• If there is time to make this lesson cover two class periods or go longer than 50 minutes, consider having students research inventors who are working in the space of the topic they care about. Some great examples are in the list below. If you are finding you’re a little stuck, create a mind map as a class using mind mapping .
• Here you will find a comprehensive list of invention education resources that support the work you are doing in the classroom.

Standards

Common Core

Common Core: English Language Arts

RI.4: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text

SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations

SL.2: Integrate and evaluate information

SL.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence

SL.5: Express information and enhance understanding of presentations

L.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown words

Common Core History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

RH.4: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text

RH.7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats

WHST.8: Gather relevant information and integrate the information
Common Core Math 

MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others

NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)

• Engineering and Design High School

HS-ETS1-1: Analyze a major global challenge

HS-ETS1-2: Design a solution to a complex real-world problem

HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem

• Engineering and Design Middle School

MS-ETS1-1: Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem 

MS-ETS1-2: Evaluate competing design solutions

MS-ETS1-3: Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences

*Note: Depending on what invention the students are working on, other NGSS will apply. You can follow our links for a highlighted PDF of the standards that could be applied for your specific classroom: Middle School NGSS and High School NGSS.

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3)

NCSS C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards

D4.2.3-5: Communicating conclusions and taking informed action

D4.2.6-8: Communicating conclusions and taking informed action

D4.2.9-12: Communicating conclusions and taking informed action

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