Invention Unit: Week 1...so far...

This week marks the beginning of our first full week of May and the first full week of our "Trash to Treasure" Invention Unit.  Along with creating inventions from recycled materials, our students also are engaged into innovative ideas through various avenues.  A new piece we were able to add, thanks in part to a grant that was won by a local gas station (which donated the funds to our school), we were able to purchase 40 copies of "Discovery Kids: Inventions" magazine.  Since we are using the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret for our whole group piece, the non-fiction magazine is a supplemental component added to our small group reading.  In just the first pages students have already learned information about Thomas Edison and his "Menlo Park" invention team.  According to Edison, his team's goal was to produce one small invention every 10 days, and one big invention every 6 months.  Additionally, he shared with our students (via the magazine) that "Inventing is 1% Inspiration and 99% Perspiration."  As we dive deeper into the magazine will practice text coding, while using informational text.

Another exciting way we kicked off the week was by having a guest inventor.  This year our guest was Nils Melberg, from En Novative Technologies, Inc.  Nils and his team assist in testing soil samples to determine if particular areas have too much or too little of "something."  This ties in also with our Ecosystem unit, since we test the PH levels of our soil to determine its basic and acidity levels.  Nils and his team are responsible for creating a mechanism, The En Core Sampler, which takes a soil sample safely from the ground, without allowing it to release the contaminants (that may be in it) through evaporation.  Nils also introduced our students to an inventing acronym: SCAMPER.

S - substitute another item

C - combine two other products

A - adapt an existing item

M - magnify or minimize another product
P - put another item to a different use

E - eliminate or subtract what is not needed

R - reverse or change parts

Our invention unit is off and flying.  Many of our students have already come up with some incredible ideas for inventions in just the few days we have spent brainstorming and investigating.