1. Great Inventions and How They Happened
Chris Lundberg, Mathematics & Science Center

3. Why Learn About Inventions?
It’s fun!
It relates science to student’s daily lives.
They’re unique; we remember the strange and different…
… so we can tie methods of inquiry, and creative and critical thinking strategies to the study of inventions!

4. Some Inventors and their Inventions…
Note how each happened
Think about the characteristics of each inventor
Think how the scientific method and experimental design relate to the process of invention

5. Friedrich Kekule’ 1858 Wanted to be an architect, not a chemist!
Kekule’ Structures
Instead of H2O,
H – O -- H

6. Galileo 1564 - 1642 17 years old Saw swinging lamp in church
The Pendulum

7. Thomas Edison
Simply worked all the time (Genius is 1 % inspiration and 99 % perspiration)
By accident – and keen observation --invented phonograph!

8. Albert Einstein 1905 Used pencil, paper, & his mind – NO LABS!
Knew by “feeling”
General Theory of Relativity
“Ugly” equations

9. Elijah McCoy 1872 Mechanical Engineer and Train “Oilman”
Invented the automatic lubricator for engines
“The Real McCoy”

10. Alexander Graham Bell 1876 Interested in “Visible Speech” & the deaf
Knew little about electricity – so he invented telephone
Founded the National Geographic Society

11. Art Fry 1974 3M Scientist… … & choir member
Developed the Post-it Note!

12. Chester Carlson 1938 Invented electrostatic photocopying method
IBM, RCA, GE, and other companies turned him down
XEROX

13. Cassidy Goldstein
The Crayon Holder!

14. Inventions: are PRODUCTS created which are… Unusual
Appropriate for a job
Transformed from something else
Condensed (refined after testing)

15. How do Inventions Happen?
Close observation
Sheer dumb luck – timing
Motivation -- $ ?
Search for an answer to a problem
Creative approaches and strategies
By asking, “what if?”
Brainstorming
Using “models”
… followed by a period of testing or scientific analysis.

16. Traits of Inventors Unique – different individuals Risk-takers
Ask questions -- & pay attention to answers
Inspired – passion about subject
Follow instinct
Task commitment - persistence

18. The Process of Invention and Science
An idea (or problem) = hypothesis
Develop a “bug” list = observe/describe
Build/design = testing
“Back to the drawing board” = rethink hypothesis and try a new variable
Establish criteria to evaluate = analysis of results
Will the public buy it? = conclusion

19. Activities for Students
Creative and Critical Thinking Strategies
Learn about Learning Styles
Conduct Experiments
Inventions! Competitions!
Study of Famous Inventors and Inventions

20. Creative Thinking Strategies
Synectics
Direct analogies
Personal analogies
Compressed conflicts
SCAMPER
(Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Magnify
Minify, Put to other uses, Reverse, Rearrange)

21. Learning Styles & Problem-Solving
Use Sensing
Get the facts & pay attention to details
Use Thinking
Apply Logic and cause and effect
Use Intuition
Think of possibilities and options
Use Feeling
Trust your feelings and your values

22. More Invention Strategies
Change your perspective
Work problems backwards
Break your own rules for past success
Develop new reading habits
Be a “risk-taker”
Combine opposites
Listen! Listen! Listen!

23. Once begun is half-done!
“If I have a thousand ideas a year, and only one turns out to be good, I’m satisfied.”
Alfred Nobel
Add the study of inventions to your teaching bag of tricks!
Here is your lesson plan for inventions….