Lesson Plan - I’m an Inventor!

Watch a Video
Watch the video “Bright Ideas That Changed the World,” and ask: What are some qualities the inventors described in the video all seem to share? Why do you think those qualities might be important in the invention process?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• investors
• model
• product

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about the skills they believe inventors need to have.

1. What are some of the decisions Cassidy had to make during the invention process?
During the invention process, Cassidy had to make many decisions, like what problem she wanted to solve, what her baby spoon would look like, and what materials to use.
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2. What is a model of an invention? How did making one help Cassidy?
A model of an invention is an example built to show how it will work or look. Making a model of the Baby Toon helped Cassidy improve her invention. For example, by looking at the model, Cassidy could tell that the shape was not quite right. She then made changes to it.
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3. Choose one invention described in the sidebar, “A Kid Invented That!” Describe the problem it helped solve.
Sample response: Joseph-Armand Bombardier wanted to solve the problem of how to travel on snowy roads. He invented the snowmobile by attaching a car engine and propeller to sleds.
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FEATURED SKILL: Informative Writing
Use the skill builder “Think Like an Inventor!” to have students brainstorm and sketch their own innovative problem-solving products.
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