1. African American Inventors
Imagine a world without them!

2. African American Inventors
By Christel Peele and Michele DeLury, Oaklawn Language Academy
This webquest is about African-American inventors and how
their inventions help make our daily lives easier.
Students will examine what life would be like without these inventions.

3. Introduction Did you ever wonder where your
Super Soaker water gun came
from? 
What would life be like without peanut butter? 
All of these things were invented by African American scientists. 
Are you ready to discover who came up with all of these wonderful ideas and more?

4. Task
First you will pick an invention that you want to learn more about.  Next, you will learn about the invention and who invented it.  You will work with a partner to make a report about the invention and its inventor.  How does it make life better?  What would life be like without it?
You will be working with your partner to write and illustrate a report about an invention and its inventor.

5. Process
Explore the world as it is today because of the amazing people who made our lives better.  What would our lives be like without their inventions?

6. Day 1
Choose an invention that you want to learn more about. Write down the name of the inventor and draw a picture of the invention.
Keep completed work in your Invention Folder
Google Images
Black Inventors

7. Day 2
With your partner talk about how this invention makes life better.  Record the ideas on the circle map.  Use the circle map to help you write sentences about how this invention makes life better.
Keep completed work in your invention folder.

8. Day 3
Start to gather information for the tri-fold poster. This should include:
5 interesting facts about the inventor.
3 or more pictures of the invention and inventor.
A description of the invention (in Spanish)
A timeline of the inventors life
Writing describing what life would be like without the invention.

9. Example Panel 1 Five interesting facts
Pictures of inventor and invention
Panel 2
Timeline of inventors life.
Panel 3
Spanish description of invention.
Paragraph about what life would be like without invention.

10. Day 4 Research and discuss what patents are and why we need them.
Complete the provided packet to create your own invention.
Use the online dictionary to find the meanings of the words; utility, novel, and unobvious. Fill out page 3 with the definitions.
Complete the provided packet to create your own invention
Online Dictionary

11. Evaluation Beginning 1 Developing 2 Qualified 3 Exemplary 4
I worked all by myself
I worked with my partner sometimes.
I worked with my partner most of the time.
I worked with my partner all the time.
There is no timeline .
2 parts of the timeline.
There are 3 parts of the timeline.
The timeline is completed correctly.
No interesting facts.
1 or 2 interesting facts
3 or 4 interesting facts
5 interesting facts
No description in Spanish
There is some description
There is sufficient description
The invention is completely described in Spanish
There is no pictures
1 or 2 pictures
3 pictures
3 or more pictures

12. Conclusion
We have learned that inventors and their inventions can make our lives easier.
We have also learned about the contributions of African American inventors to today’s society.