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 still holds the record for the greatest number of US Patents.

Concepts

thomas edison, american inventors, inventors

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Ask class members to identify a problem or need, invent a solution to that problem, and then host a fair where inventors demonstrate their inventions 
• One section of the fair could be used to display designs for a "Rube Goldberg Contest"

Classroom Considerations

• The guide is designed to prepare classes for a 45-minute assembly program that can be scheduled by contacting History Alive!
• The materials in the guide are appropriate for any study of Edison whether or not an assembly is scheduled

Pros

• The six-page guide includes a timeline of inventions and events, links to books for primary graders, high schoolers, and adults, as well as fun web sites
  

Cons

Common Core

RI.K.1 RI.1.1 RI.2.1 RI.3.1 RI.4.1 RI.4.10