Inventions: From Ideas to Reality

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Ever wonder exactly who invented such things as the computer mouse, plastic, or the modern athletic shoe? Meet some of the people behind these and many other products and learn the stories behind their inventions.

At the Invention Dimension you'll find out who invented all the products mentioned above, plus many more. Check out the inventor of the week, or visit the site's archives and find out how Patricia Billings created a revolutionary construction material that is both indestructible and fireproof. Think you'd like to try your hand at inventing? Check the Inventors Handbook for answers to your questions about the invention process.

Who invented air conditioning, pacemakers, antibiotics, fiber optics, or VCRs? Search the invention list at the National Inventors Hall of Fame. What did American George R. Stibitz invent? Here's a hint: Learning is a lot more fun when it's in your classroom. Still don't know? Try the inventor list for information on inventors from A to Z.

Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was an accomplished inventor as well as one of our nation's great leaders? At Benjamin Franklin: Glimpses of the Man, you can learn about his many accomplishments. Find out what sparked a few of Franklin's inventions, like bifocals and the odometer.

Of course, no study of inventors is complete without learning about Thomas Alva Edison. At the Edison National Historic Site, check out the content for kids at the education site, where you'll find a brief biography with pictures, as well as information about his most famous inventions, the phonograph, the electric light, and motion pictures.

What do the inventors of the corset, the submarine telescope, and Scotchguard™ all have in common? They were all women! Within the site 4000 Years of Women in Science, you'll find biographies of scholars, writers, mathematicians, and, of course, inventors. To learn about women inventors, view the list by field of study and see the "Inventor" section.

Finally, explore The Black Inventor Online Museum. Learn how Frederick M. Jones changed Americans' eating habits, how Madame C. J. Walker became one of the first women millionaires, why a national monument was dedicated to George Washington Carver, and where the expression "the real McCoy" came to be.

Books for Teaching Simple Machines and the Inventions They Created
These resources will add excitement to the classroom library while reinforcing knowledge of simple machines and their purposes.

Bathysphere
Discusses the bathysphere, a revolutionary tool for deep sea exploration invented by William Bebee in the 1930s.

Submersible
Learn about submersible oceanographic vessels such as the bathysphere and bathyscaphe.

LESSON PLAN	So Many Inventions! Shares a lesson about Chinese inventions and inventors involving students building and using their own compasses.
UNIT PLAN	Chinese Inventions and the Chinese New Year Offers a unit plan for teaching students all about chinese culture and history, covering inventions in science, technology,textiles, and the...
ONLINE ACTIVITY	Meet the Wright Brothers  Your mission: to build a virtual airplane that flies! You will be asked to make three design decisions, each of which will affect whether you...