Educators
Interested in Invention Education in Your Classroom? – Listen to these young inventors talk about the impact of Invention Education
VIDEO
And sit back with a cup of coffee to hear teachers and students from Fremont discuss the California Invention Convention and the students’ inventions on a local TV show . __________________________________________________________________________________
We have lots of resources for educators — including curricular resources, videos, professional development training, ideas, materials, mentors. Much of this becomes available to you when you let us know that you are interested in having either your school or classroom participate. Just contact us
What does it take to bring the program to my classroom / school?
Plan the implementation and register with us
Go to the Professional Development training
Engage your parents and students
Teach the curriculum and guide the inventors
Hold a local Invention Convention to celebrate all the inventors
Select students to attend the California Invention Convention (CAIC) which is held in April.
Top inventions from the California Invention Convention are invited to attend the National Invention Convention at the The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mi held at the end of May, early June.
Why Should You Include Invention Education in your School?
The California Invention Convention builds standards-based inquiry skills in students K-12 by introducing and leading them through the creation of their own invention to solve a problem of their own choosing This Invention Education is:
Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and each educational unit “covers the standards” effortlessly and naturally.
STEM Integrated – Linked with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as English, economics, sociology, presentation skills, information technology, art, marketing, and much more.
Differentiated Education – Accommodates different student needs and learning styles.
Founded on Higher Order Thinking Skills – Problem-defining and problem-solving techniques are taught and utilized.
21st Century Skills Related – Age appropriate links to personal growth, learning paths, and global issue
Learn about California Invention Convention
Professional Development:
Two 1-day trainings are being offered in California. Go to the Home page
Teacher Resource Material
This page will continue to be updated as additional materials become available. Be sure to check back often.
If you have not attended the training, feel free to review the materials and this website to get a sense of the program and the yearly state-wide convention. If you would like to learn more about the California Invention Convention program and how it might work in your school or classroom, please contact us .
Getting Started on Invention Education in Your Classroom
Curriculum and Activities – including Virtual Learning
Inspiration and Invention Information
Support for Your Class and/or School Invention Convention
Teacher Exchange
Getting Started with Invention Education in Your Classroom
FAQs for Teachers – This is fairly comprehensive and should answer many of your questions regarding implementation in your classroom, timelines, and having your students attend the Spring Invention Convention. FAQs for Teachers How To Guide (Starter Kit) –Available as PDF — a complete and concise guide with tips and step-by-step guidelines for bringing Invention Education into your classroom, as well as the Judging Rubric used in the state California Invention Convention event. How To Guide:2023-2024 Intent to Invent – This documents the initial thinking about the problem solution and should be signed by the parent and reviewed by the teacher. It helps to ensure that the student is on the right track and not violating any restrictions. PDF Version Intent to Invent Word Version Intent to Invent Invention Log – Every K-12 student must complete this log. For K-2 students, it is designed for the student to work with an adult; either the adult records what the student dictates or the beginning writer can fill in a modified form of the log with adult help to read/interpret the questions. We have provided both a PDF and Word format. The Word format is useful for those students using computers to fill in the log. PDF Version CAIC Invention Log Word Doc CAIC Invention Log Guide to Invention Log – This PDF contains a graphic illustrating the Invention Process, invention terms and their meaning, an outline of the steps each inventor will take. Be sure to review this document with your students. Guide to Invention Log Introduction Letter to Parents — Communicating with parents and letting them know about this new program is essential for a successful start. Modify these Word documents to meet your needs.
Restrictions and Requirements — In order for a student to participate in the California State Invention Convention and/or the National Invention Convention, the invention and presentation materials must conform to these requirements. Be sure to be familiar with them so the students don’t go too far down a particular path and then find out they can’t be part of the state and national conventions. – Requirements, Restrictions, & Creating Invention Documentation Planning Dates for state wide California Invention Convention — If you think you might be interested in having your students participate in the state-wide California invention Convention, we have posted the dates here
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Curriculum and Activities – including Virtual Learning
Curriculum is currently available from two sources– the National Curriculum and the State In-Depth Curriculum . Both curricula are categorized by grade band (k-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12) and several of the lessons and activities are the same. The biggest differences are:
The State In-Depth Curriculum has several additional lessons
We have added some virtual learning modules for each grade band
The National Curriculum lessons are categorized within grade band by placement within the Inventing Process (Understanding, Identifying, Ideating, Designing, Building & Testing, Communicating
The additional lessons available in each grade band in the State In-Depth Curriculum give the school the chance to engage students with different, but complementary, lessons as the students move from one grade to another in a grade band — i.e as a student moves from grade 4 to grade 5 and then grade 6, there are no repeat lessons. The educational experience stays fresh and challenging.
In order to access the National Curriculum, you have to sign up for an inHub membership Link to State In-Depth Curriculum.
Link to Virtual Learning
Notes on the Virtual Learning modules.
The modules are arranged in folders by grade bands (k-2, 3-5, 6-8) and by lesson within that grade band.
There is also a Virtual Programming Pacing Guide for guidance.
The modules were developed and shared with us by a teacher who is using Google Classroom, so they are Google files. We are making them available “as-is”. If you access these through Google Classroom, they will copy into your Google Classroom Drive. If you have a Google account and are signed into it, any file you copy will be copied onto your own Drive. If you don’t use Google files, then you can download each file and save it in your desired format. Contact your District IT support if you have any questions on using Google files.
Some of the activities/resources below are in addition to those in Curriculum. For others, we have included downloadable worksheets for easy access. Note: The Nuclear Explosion Activity is aught in our Professional Development and is only available to attendees. We recommend Invention Convention Professional Development to any teacher or program leader .
Curriculum Lesson Summaries — This provides a short paragraph summary of each lesson in the State In-Depth Curriculum. Lessons are listed in alphabetical order. Curriculum Lesson Summaries Some Suggested Lesson Sequences — A couple of different sequences that have been successful for the first time through the program – note that some of these lessons are only available through the State In-Depth Curriculum. 1) Some Suggested Lesson Sequences 2) CaIC_Sequence k-5 Nine Steps to Invention — Another look at the Invention Process with more detail. Nine Steps to Invention Brainstorming — Guidelines and activities for brainstorming. BRAINSTORMING – Guidelines & Activities Nature’s Inventions – (Activity & Worksheet) – How nature inspires inventions. Natures Inventions SCAMPER – (Worksheet) – Lesson described in curriculum SCAMPER worksheet Take Apart Worksheet – Use with Take Apart Lesson described in curriculum. Take Apart Workshop Worksheet Parts of a Windup Toy (Worksheet) – Use with Take Apart Lesson described in curriculum. Parts of a Wind-up Toy Materials Take Apart & Nuclear Explosion Activities — List of materials and estimated costs for materials needed for these two activities. Materials List Marble Spill Invention Log Worksheet – Abbreviated Invention Log to use with Nuclear Explosion Marble Spill Invention Log Rescue 911 — Exercise takes inventor through the Engineering Design Process creating a prototype Rescue 911 Presentation What Bugs You? – (Activity & Worksheet) – Another approach to help the student identify a problem that needs solving. What Bugs You Worksheet Capture Research Sources – (Worksheet) — An easy-to-use form for student to list all the sources that were used to research a problem and its possible solution. Capture Research Sources Mistake or Opportunity? –(Activity & Worksheet) — Illustrates how a mistake can turn into an opportunity when inventing. Mistake or Opportunity?
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Inspiration and Invention Information
Invention and/or Entrepreneurial Books — Our thanks to the Connecticut Invention Convention for these lists of books and their summaries. Some of the books are about inventions, others about inventors, some are specifically directed to younger inventors. There are books here on how to patent an invention, the history of invention, the theory and philosophy behind the invention process. (1) Books on Inventing for Kids (2) Books on Inventions List of Video Links used in Profession Development Training. Training Videos List of Video Links about Invention efforts around the world. List of Invention Videos
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Support for Your Class and/or School Invention Convention
Media Release Form – Your school may already have a Media Release Form, but if not modify this Word doc as you see fit Media Release – General Word and have the parents/legal guardians sign it. A PDF version is available as well – Media Release – General PDF . You will want to take and share pictures of your students and their inventions — and we would love to put them on ourWeb site!Judging Criteria – National Invention Convention – This is includes the Judging Rubric, Video Guidelines, Document Guidelines used at the 2023 National Invention Convention. Nationals Criteria Judging Rubric – California Invention Convention — This rubric was used at the 2023 California Invention Convention, shown on a Judging Form. If the rubric for 2024 is different, we will update here. CAIC Rubric Simple Rubric. This rubric hits all the high points and has been used successfully in several classroom conventions. It is available as Word for you to modify Simple Rubric – Word and as a PDF Simple Rubric – PDF Questions for Judges. Some sample questions for judges Sample Questions for Judges Training for Judges. This is a slimmed-down version of the training we use with Judges at the California Invention Convention. This is a Powerpoint File that you can modify to your needs. Judging by Design – trainer copy Participation Certificate for School / Classroom . PDF Participant Certificate Certificate for Student Invited to State Competition . PDF Certificate for State
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Teacher Exchange
Materials from 4th Grade Chadbourne Elementary in Fremont . 4th Grade teacher Jennifer Mead put together a lesson sequence, YouTube and other videos for each lesson, materials to capture initial thoughts about problems and inventions prior to using Invention Log. She asked her class to SCAMPER ideas around food for a Pirate and also a cup. She has included their completed forms and pictures. She also asked parents to come to the class and help with research (schedule). All 4th grade materials / plans should work with 3-5th grades.
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