Inventions are new ideas or things that people create to make life easier or more fun. They help solve problems and improve how we live, like how light bulbs give us light or airplanes help us fly. Inventions make the world a better and exciting place! How have inventions changed your life? These books explore inventors and their inventions. They make a great starting point for invention classroom discussions and activities!
Invent It! 
Written by Rob Beattie
This fun and informative guide walks readers through the entire invention process, from brainstorming and prototyping all the way through production and marketing. Kids can follow along with their own ideas, learning practical tips along the way while being inspired by some of history’s best breakthroughs…and biggest flops!
Classroom Activity
We use inventions every day, at home, work, and school. Ask students walk about the classroom and write down the inventions they find. Have each student pick one invention and answer the following questions:
- What is the invention?
- What problem does it solve?
- How was this problem addressed before this invention existed?
- What else solves this problem?
- How does this invention make life easier?
Tell students to imagine the invention does not exist. Have them brainstorm an alternate way or new invention to solve the problem.
Engineered!: Engineering Design at Work
Written by Shannon Hunt & illustrated by James Gulliver Hancock
This book is eye-opening because it shows young readers that engineering can solve many problems, from how to land a rover on Mars to saving a herd of caribou from potential extinction. A helpful seven-step flowchart of the engineering design process is also featured, encouraging future engineers.
Classroom Activity
Everyone can be an inventor! Most inventions are created to solve a problem. Have students identify a problem and brainstorm possible solutions. Students can design an invention to solve the problem. Students should follow the step-by-step engineering design process. Next, students can build a prototype of their invention using common classroom or home materials. When the prototypes are built, students can demonstrate them for the class. In their classroom demonstration, students should answer the following questions: How does their invention work? What problem does it solve? How will their invention make life easier?
Black Inventors: 15 Inventions that Changed the World
by Kathy Trusty
This biography compilation chronicles the journeys of 15 incredible inventors who changed the world with products like hair brushes, traffic lights, and home security systems. Each chapter includes a short biography of an inventor, information about the significance of their invention, and follow-up questions for reflection and further investigation.
How to Become an Accidental Genius
Written by Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky, & illustrated by Jenn Playford
Structured as a how-to guide for would-be inventors, this fun book cultivates the mindsets needed for innovation. The chapters are organized to highlight the role that experimentation, failure, and coincidences can play in the engineering process and the importance of being open to new possibilities. The inventor profiles feature a mix of well-known pioneers, like George Washington Carver; lesser-known historical figures, like Hedy Lamarr; and contemporary young people, like Hayley Todesco.
Classroom Activity
Inventors have changed the world with their inventions. Students can select a famous or lesser-known inventor to research. Ask them to investigate their inventor’s personal history, challenges, and contributions to the world. Using the information they have learned; students can create a homemade replica of one of the inventor’s inventions. Students can create a presentation about their inventor and his/her inventions for the class.
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Carla Mooney loves to explore the world around us and discover the details about how it works. An award-winning author of numerous nonfiction science books for kids and teens, she hopes to spark a healthy curiosity and love of science in today’s young people. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, three kids, and dog. Find her at http://www.carlamooney.com, on Facebook @carlamooneyauthor, or on X @carlawrites.
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