Duration:

5 days

Objectives:

Students will :

Develop skills in the use of information, up-to-date educational technology, and other tools to improve learning, achieve goals, and produce products and presentations.

Learn to develop, locate, summarize, organize, synthesize, and evaluate information.

 Use technological tools for problem-solving and research.

Demonstrate skills needed to effectively access and use technology-based materials through keyboarding, troubleshooting, and retrieving and managing information.

Use technology and other tools, including word processing, spreadsheet and presentation programs, and print or graphic utilities to produce products.

Materials:

Microsoft Word software

Microsoft Publisher software

Microsoft PowerPoint software

floppy disk

black & color laser printers

printer paper

color laser postcard stock paper

Teacher-designed handouts & notes

Video projector

Computer with Internet access

Key Vocabulary:

invention, various computer terms

Procedures:

Part I

Students select an Inventor/Invention.

They are going to research a famous invention and inventor.

Students will visit the site:    The Great Idea Finder

Once at this site, students will click on either : Invention Facts & Myths" link or the "Inventor Profile" link.

Here they will find a list of inventors/inventions along with a brief description about the invention.  To find out more about a particular person or invention, students will click on the person's name/invention and they will be taken to a short summary of the person/invention.

Once the student has decided who/what will be the topic of their research, they will print one copy of their inventor's information.

Part II

Students will now use the main website and related links to read about the person and their invention.

As students read they will be taking notes on the computer.

Have students open a Word document - type their name and the name of the inventor and their invention at the top.

Students are to take notes about the inventor's life and invention.  Have them double space for easy reading.

Students are not to copy and paste.  They are summarize and paraphrase in their own words.

Students are to save this file on their disk; file name should be the name of the inventor.

Once students have finished taking notes, they will print one copy of their notes and hand it in to the teacher.

The teacher will check their notes and make suggestions for corrections/ additions.

Students are to go back to their file and edit their notes and reprint a final copy.

Part III

Students will create a postcard using Microsoft Publisher.  Their postcard will contain a summary of the inventor and his/her invention. In addition, include the person's name (larger size), and a picture of their invention.

This postcard will be printed on special paper on a color printer.  The paper prints 4 copies of the postcard. One postcard can be sent to the student's home, 2 will be displayed and one is for the student to keep.

 Instructions for Postcard

Assessment:

Microsoft Publisher postcard is evaluated through the use of a scoring rubric.

Scoring Rubric

Home Learning:

Create Microsoft PowerPoint slide.

Instructions for Slide

Extension Activity:

Students will present their slide in class.  The audience will try to guess what the invention is.

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