by Alan Haskvitz
Exploring inventions and simple machines provides opportunities for integrated lesson plans that motivate and stimulate creativity in students. I remind my class everything that does not occur naturally has been created by someone who saw a need and invented something to fill it. You can incorporate economics, science, language arts, math and technology into lessons.
I’ve compiled a few sites to provide students with background about inventions and inventors. The simple machine sites are numerous, and most cover the fundamentals well.
Beginnings
Interactive sites
Inventors and inventions
Simple machines
Beginnings
HyperHistory Online
View a timeline of inventors/inventions
Invent Now
For older students, site includes the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Inventing Modern America: From the Microwave to the Mouse
Kids Invent
Students learn the process of planning, designing, building, testing and marketing their original inventions. Site includes links for teachers.
Kids Inventor Resources
Features include a history of invention, a discussion of girls as inventors, testimony from inventors about how they got started and links to related sites.
Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
Museum of Ancient Inventions
National Inventors Hall of Fame
Patent Cafe
Conduct a patent search
Patently Absurd Archives
PTDL Library List
Listing of all invention and copyright libraries by state
Smithsonian: Engineering, Industry and Invention
U.S. Patent Office Kids’ Pages
Wacky Patent of the Month
Top of page
Interactive sites
Build a Bridge
Study and build.
Edheads Simple Machines Activity
Grain Valley Simple Machines & Gears
Simple Machines Links
Top of page
Inventors and inventions
American Inventors and Inventions
Canadian Inventors
Chinese Inventions
Eli Whitney’s Patent for the Cotton Gin
Gives facsimile of patent application and its accompanying drawing, explanatory text and lesson plans
Famous Inventors A - Z
George Washington Carver’s Inventions
Historical Inventors and Inventions
Inventing Entertainment
Collection covers Edison’s involvement with motion pictures and sound recordings, as well as his life.
Invention and Technology
Iz and Auggie and the Invention Snatchers
This online simulation helps students discover new ideas and inventors. It’s an interesting site for advanced elementary and middle schoolers.
Leonardo da Vinci’s Birthday
Timeline of Historic Inventions
Women Inventors
Zoom Inventors and Inventions
Top of page
Simple machines
Hope Valley Elementary Simple Machines
inquiry Almanack Simple Machines
Inventor’s Toolbox
The elements of machines
Machine Home Page
Marvelous Machines
MIKIDS Simples Machines
For younger students
Simple Machines
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