The Children’s Museum of Cleveland
Education Programming Form
Program Title: Inspiring Inventors – Madame C.J. Walker
Staff Needed: 1
Session #: Feb 2013
Duration of Program: 15-30 mins
Created By: Marian Bryant
Age of Target Audience: 4-8
Theme/Main idea of Program:
An introduction to African American Inventors and the invention process.
Children will listen to a story about the invention process.
Children will explore other wacky inventions from the modern era.
Children will make a new hair care product.
Children will handle hair care products (curling irons, flat irons, brush, comb) and pretend to use them.
Early Learning Content Standards met:
Social Studies
Strand: Economics - Topic: Production and Consumption
With modeling and support, demonstrate understanding of where goods and services originate and how
they are acquired.
With modeling and support, demonstrate responsible consumption and conservation of resources.
Strand: History - Topic: Historical Thinking and Skills
Demonstrate an understanding of time in the context of daily experiences.
Science
Strand: Scientific Inquiry and Application – Topic: Inquiry
Make careful observations.
Make inferences, generalizations and explanations based on evidence.
Resources:
http://museum.madamewalker.net/video-on-madam-walker/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enpFde5rgmw ( “I love my hair” – Sesame Street)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/21/black-hair-care-basics-american-academy-of-dermatology-weighsin_n_1370293.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PQPF55Y-C0 (“Fixing my hair” – Sesame Street)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFgMuLckILo
Materials/Props/Set-up:
Book: “I am Inventing an Invention” by Lauren Child / “The Klutz Book of Inventions” by Klutz and IDEO
Props: Doll with hair, “It’s okay to be different” by Tony Parr, curiling iron, flat iron, brush, comb, hair pick, gel,
leave-in conditioner
Materials: yarn, cardstock, stapler, pipecleaners, craft sticks
Advance Preparation:
Read through the book selections. Print inventor’s picture and invention. Make a sample. Read up on African
American hair care.
Introduction (engage your audience):
Hi everyone and welcome to “Inspiring Inventors”.
Has anyone ever heard of the word inventor?
What do inventors do? Inventors create something new, something no one has ever seen before.
An invention is a creation that helps do something new. Sometimes an invention might help do a job
easier (or make life easier).
Inventors can even be girls or boys. The youngest person to ever receive an inventor’s patent was Sydney
from Austin, Texax for a door knob attachment.
Who can tell me the name of an inventor? [Allow time for answers.]
Today we’re going to learn about the inventor that made special tools and products for hair.
Program Script:
But first, let’s see what steps an inventor has to take to make their invention.
Read: “I am Inventing an Invention” by Lauren Child (This book is about some kid inventors you might know.)
[Ask the children to retell the story of how Charlie and Lola made their invention.]
What steps did Charlie and Lola take to make their inventions?
1. Identify a need or want (or something that would make life easier).
2. Brainstorm solutions.
3. Choose a solution.
4. Research and Plan.
5. Build a Model.
6. Test the Model.
7. Evaluate the Invention.
[Useful vocabulary.]
Invention: something that is created or produced
Process: the steps it takes to get something done
Tool: an object that helps a person to do a job easier
What invention would you make to make your life easier? [Allow time for answers.]
What would it be made of? [Allow time for answers.]
Inventor Spotlight:
Madame CJ Walker was an inventor who made hair products that grew hair and helped hair stay healthy. [Show
her picture. Show inventions.]
Her parents named her Sarah Freedlove. But her name changed after she got married.
How do you take care of your hair today? We wash it. We use shampoo and conditioner. We might decorate it with
headbands or barrettes. Play “fixing my hair” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PQPF55Y-C0
What do your parents do to their hair? They might cut it or get it colored a new color; they might also straighten it
or curl it. What do you love about your hair? [Play video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enpFde5rgmw ]
Madame Walker had a laboratory in her mansion to try out her new hair products.
Conclusion/Goodbye (wrap-up activity or song to signal closure):
We’re going to use pipecleaners and craft sticks to make a comb or brush. [Using the pipecleaners wrap them in a
u shape around the craft stick and twist once to make teeth for a comb. To make a brush use three pipcleaners
together and wrap in a u shape twisting once. Fan out the ends and repeat until you get craft stick half way
covered.]
After we make our invention, we’ll make a head with hair out of yarn to try it out on. [Give each child a small
circle of paper and allow them to draw a face. Next, have each child select three pieces of yarn and tie the top.
Staple on the head and repeat until desired fullness is achieved.]
After you make you finish your activity feel free to look at other inventions in our other invention book. [Hold up
The Klutz Book of Inventions.]