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Inventors Fair

 

 

Inventors Fair

 

 

Guidelines for Parents and Guardians

Our class is participating in the Annual Edison Young Inventors Program. This unique educational opportunity promotes your child’s potential development of lifelong skills in preparation to meet the demands of the future.  Sharing in the process of inventing with your child is not only acceptable but is encouraged. The emphasis here is on being supportive rather than assuming a lead role. The log book should be used to record any and all assistance provided to the student inventor.             

                                                                                                                                                 
Inventions and log books are due December 19th. However, your child may take his or her            invention home over the winter break to tweak it if they are chosen to move to on to the Alico         Arena in February to represent our class. Judges will be evaluating our projects on the 19th of December and winners will be announced on December 20th. Our classroom will be open on January 16th for parents and other classes to come in and see our inventions. The top four inventions from our class will have the opportunity to attend the Annual Edison Young Inventors Fair in February!  Please remember, a child’s experience should not be diluted by the selection of winners. It is wise to remember many important discoveries and inventions were not at first accepted or appreciated. The overall experience is intended to generate more creative thinking and problem solving skills. Fairness and safety are very important for all involved. Inventors must meet all safety rules and regulations to participate.                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
If your child goes on to the Edison Inventors Fair and receives a prize there, you will need to give your permission for him or her to participate in the regional or nationally sponsored competitions. The potential for media coverage is significant. Your child may appear in news reports, special event stories, or in film footage to be utilized for educational or promotional activities. Review the exhibit space dimensions with your child. Prototypes or models must fit within or immediately below the 32 x 18 inch table space allowed. Consider a small model or large inventions, or use photos or illustrations.

                                                          

Assignments

Due Date

Brainstorm (p.3) – Think of problems that need to be solved. Brainstorm ideas at home with your parents and neatly complete this page.

Oct. 17th

Choose One Problem (p.4) – Choose one problem from page 3 that you would like to solve by creating an invention.

What If?  And The Really Big Decision (p.4) - Brainstorm and list at least five ways that you can think of to solve your problem with an invention. Pick the one solution from your list that you think is the best one to invent. Write it in a complete sentence at the bottom of the page.  Be sure to follow all of the directions on this page.

Oct. 18th

Is Your Solution Original (p.5) – Check to see if your solution has already been invented. List all of the places you have checked on this page. You should check several places.

Oct. 26th

Making My Invention (p.6) – Make your invention! This can be a model or the actual device. It must be able to fit either on a table top in front of a display board or in the space directly under the exhibit table. Neatly complete this page as you work on your invention. Read the directions in the box. Suggestion: Take pictures along the way of your invention.

Nov. 16th

A Drawing of My Invention (p.7) – Practice drawing your invention and labeling its parts on a separate piece of paper. When you are happy with the results, copy it onto p.7. Use a ruler for straight lines. Color would make it more appealing.

Nov. 20th

Materials, Cost, and Final Thoughts (p.8) – List all of the materials that you used in making your invention and their cost. Remember, if you only used a portion of a material, only record the cost for that portion. Use the bottom section to figure out the cost of manufacturing and what you would have to charge someone to buy it.

Catchy Title (p.1) And Complete page 9 – Come up with a catchy title for your invention and write it neatly on page 1.  Complete page 9 and have a parent sign it.

Nov. 28th

Display Board(p.10) – Complete a display board. See page 10 for specifics. (Display boards may be purchased at school for $2.50.)

Dec. 5th

My Invention Presentation – Students will give an oral presentation in front of the class. The presentation should be well practiced, enthusiastic, and persuasive. The display board, prototype, and log book must be at school on January 7.

Dec. 17th

Inventions Displayed and Presented for the School  – The display board, prototype, and log book should be at school for these dates. Parents will be invited to view the inventions on January 16th after our 2nd grade luncheon.

Dec. 19th

Regional Fair Representatives – Four students will be announced from each class who have been chosen by the judges to go to the County competition at Alico Arena at FGCU on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

Dec. 20th