Colonial Period Inventors and Inventions Teacher Resources

3D printers, selfie sticks, smart watches. GPS, self-driving cars, YouTube. Imagine life without inventions. Believe it or not, these items were all invented in the last 10 years. Inventions, and the inventors responsible for them,...

5th graders will gain an understanding of how, what, and why people invent tools. This PowerPoint provides a complete description of what tools are, types of tools, why we make tools and what impact they have had on society. There are...

Students explore invention and unveiling of world's first Ferris wheel, analyze photographs and poster of first Ferris wheel, and discuss engineering achievements of Ferris wheel, including how it worked, how it was built, and its...

Explore the inventions of the past with a project on ancient tools. After reading an article about hunting during the Archaic period, the Late Prehistoric period, and the Historic period, kids fill in a cause-and-effect chart about the...

A two-part lesson introduces young historians to the work of famous African American inventors. Groups first research and develop a presentation of an inventor that includes biographical information and information about one of their...

Tomorrow's engineers visit an intriguing website about inventions that have changed the way we live. Biographies of child inventors on the suggested website aren't easy to find, so make sure to find some stories to share in place of...

Use this lesson plan to discuss inventions that have changed your class's world and have impacted society. Middle schoolers investigate important inventions of their time and design an invention in a simulated business atmosphere. Modify...

Celebrate inventors all February long with a video that introduces a problem and demonstrates the steps toward solving that problem using the scientific method, and using the resources—especially education—in getting an idea working.

With the help from an interactive timeline, scholars discover the time and order in which inventions came to be—popular items from eyeglasses to the compact disc. 

Can you build a homemade speaker out of a potato chip? Bestselling author and do-it-yourself expert William Gurstelle shows you how in his brief presentation at TEDYouth 2012. He encourages young people to be creative and explore...

It's no small wonder that a lightbulb has come to represent a bright idea. The light bulb, the bright idea of Thomas Edison, was just one of his over 1,000 inventions. A teacher's guide introduces young audiences to works of the man who...

Learners examine the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci's flying machines and discuss when they were conceptualized and how they are similar to today's flight vehicles. They collect recyclables such as wood and foam trays and create an...

Students investigate inventions and the impact they can have on people. In this technology lesson, students research Thomas Edison and discuss how the invention of the light bulb impacted others. Students sketch out an invention they...

Celebrate Black History Month with a packet of materials on African American inventors. Readers discover several inventors' character traits, their inventions, and their lives. They even have the opportunity to conduct further research...

What do a folding iron board, lawn sprinklers, and a device for oiling engines on trains all have in common? They were all invented by Elijah McCoy, an African American inventor with 57 patents to his credit. McCoy is the subject of...

Examine the life of steamboat inventor, Robert Fulton, through reading comprehension worksheet that includes both multiple choice and short answer questions. Then, take part in a word search and write definitions, words, and...

All of the people in your class would agree that life would be different without the invention of the telephone! Study Alexander Graham Bell's most famous and influential invention through the primary source document of his...

How many of Thomas Edison's inventions do your scholars use every day? They might be shocked to find out! Young historians watch a video, analyze a photograph, and read one of Edison's letters to learn more about his life and impact....

Hello? Hello? Scholars investigate the impact Alexander Graham Bell's telephone had on the American landscape. Using drawings, video clips, and primary sources, the mind of the inventor comes to light as pupils dream of new inventions to...

Students examine the impact of inventors on our world. In this science lesson plan, students are given a time line of the invention of familiar objects. Students then evaluate some kid inventors and decide...