I Should Have Thought of That!
Lesson 2
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I Should Have Thought of That! Lesson 2
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Duration:
5 days
Objectives:
Students will understand the following:
Some inventions come about accidentally.
The story of an invention can be told in an interesting fashion.
Some objects occur in nature, whereas others have been designed and made by people to solve human problems.
People continue inventing new ways of doing things, solving problems and getting work done; these new ideas and inventions often affect other people; sometimes the effects are good and sometimes they are bad.
Materials:
Computer with Internet Access
Printed Index or online database of articles in periodicals.
Key Vocabulary:
inspiration, patent
Procedures:
| 1. | In this
activity, you will help students do research to find out how two
indispensable tools of daily life—sticky notes and
Velcro—came to be.
As you introduce the subject of their investigations, invite students to
add to the list any other everyday objects they may be curious about—for
example:
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| 2. | Specify for
students the questions you want them to answer about each everyday object
they study:
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| 3. | Motivate students to show their inventiveness in figuring out where to look to get information about the discovery of sticky notes, Velcro, or another everyday product. Rather than relying on printed encyclopedias as students so often do for research, show them how to use alternative sources for this inquiry. Demonstrate for students how to look for information on the Web, in periodical indexes, and at corporate Web sites—for example, the 3M Web site for Post-it Brand sticky notes. |
| 4. | Tell students they should write their reports in the narrative mode, moving forward in chronological order: explaining where the inventor began, what happened when, and how events transpired once the inventor or someone else recognized the usefulness of the new product. |
| 5. | Ask students to think about narrative techniques that create suspense or human interest—elements that would be appropriate to a narrative about an invention. In particular, encourage them to think and use quotations—for example, statements by the inventor or by the marketer—in writing about the development of the product. Narrative Writing |
| 6. | Conclude by asking students if they thought this project was more about science or more about writing. Help students see that it’s just as important to write well on a science topic as it is when writing a book report about a novel. |
Assessment:
You can evaluate students’ narratives using the following
three-point rubric:
Three points: substantial content; highly coherent and unified paragraphs
with particular attention to transitions appropriate to narratives; no errors in
grammar, usage, and mechanics
Two points: enough content; coherent and unified paragraphs with some
attention to transitions appropriate to narratives; some errors in grammar,
usage, and mechanics
One point: not enough content; incoherent paragraphs lacking in unity and
transitions; many errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
Home Learning:
Discuss with students that a lot of people use backpacks for carrying books and
notebooks, but point out that backpacks were not originally designed to
transport books. Challenge your students to redesign a backpack or come up with
an entirely different object to better meet the needs of people who carry many
books. After students have come up with several suggestions, have the class vote
on the best idea.
Extension Activity:
Invite students to draw a picture that represents one stage in the development of the invention you’ve tracked with students. Arrange students’ pictures so that they show a chronological progression.
