Interesting Inventions Lesson Plan
Title:
Grade Range:
Interesting Inventions
6+
Integrated Curriculum Area:
Concepts and Competencies:
Tool:
Language Arts
Research, Oral Communications
Presentation Software
Summary:
Using presentation software, students create a presentation about interesting inventors of the 20th century.
Warm-up
• Make sure students have completed the EasyTech lesson prerequisites for this activity
(see Activity Detail page at www.learning.com).
• Teacher discusses how inventors get patents and copyrights for their inventions.
Activity
Students create a presentation that organizes information about various inventions of the 20th
century:
• Teacher reviews the skills taught in the assigned EasyTech lessons and the functionality
of the specific presentation application students will be using.
• Students follow formatting instructions to create presentation.
• Students use a consistent slide effect to introduce each new slide.
• Students use a consistent timing option to introduce each new slide.
• Students select well-suited sound effects.
• Students select custom animations as desired.
• Students select order and timing of animation on slides.
Wrap-up
• Students share their presentations with the class.
• Class discusses the different effects used for each presentation, and how they affect the
presentations.
Extension
• Students enhance their presentations by researching more about a selected inventor,
and create a presentation outlining that inventor’s other work.
© Copyright 2002 Learning.com
#4006 Interesting Inventions
Name_____________________
Interesting Inventions Student Activity Page
1. Using the data table below, you will create a presentation about various inventions of the
20th century.
Interesting Inventions of the 20th Century
Invention
Information About Invention
Year Invented
The Airplane
Orville and Wilbur Wright invented the first airplane in Kitty
Hawk, North Carolina.
1903
The
Crossword
Puzzle
English immigrant Arthur Wynne was asked to invent a
new game for the New York World. The crossword puzzle
has been called the most popular word game in the world.
1913
Windshield
Wipers
Mary Anderson invented windshield wipers. Before long
they became standard equipment on all American cars.
1916
The Automatic
Traffic Signal
Garrett Augustus Morgan, an African-American
businessman, dedicated his life to inventing things that
improved safety, including the automatic traffic signal.
1923
Penicillin
Alexander Fleming, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, John
Sheehan, and Andrew Moyer invented penicillin, which is
still one of the most popular antibiotics used today.
1928
Ballpoint Pen
Hungarian journalist Ladislo Biro created the ballpoint pen
with the same type of non-smudging ink used in
newspaper printing.
1938
2. On each slide, make the name of the invention bold, and then left align the information
about the invention. Right align and italicize the date it was created on a separate line
below the paragraph.
3. Design the first and last slides symmetrically, and the other slides asymmetrically.
4. Choose a consistent effect to introduce the slides.
5. If you wish, choose sound effects and pictures that go well with each slide.
6. When you complete each slide, group all the objects together.
7. Add a final slide that makes a statement about the inventions. You might state why you
think learning about inventions is important.
© Copyright 2002 Learning.com
#4006 Interesting Inventions
Interesting Inventions Model
The Airplane
Interesting Inventions
of the 20th Century
Orville and Wilbur
Wright invented the
first airplane in Kitty
Hawk, North Carolina.
by Vera Jusaga
1903
The Crossword
Puzzle
English immigrant Arthur
Wynne was asked to invent a
new game for the New York
World. The crossword puzzle
has been called the most
popular word game in the
world.
Windshield
Wipers
Mary Anderson invented
windshield wipers. Before long
they became standard
equipment on all American
cars.
1916
1913
The Automatic
Traffic Signal
Penicillin
Garrett Augustus Morgan, an
African-American
businessman, dedicated his life
to inventing things that
improved safety, including the
automatic traffic signal.
Alexander Fleming, Dorothy
Crowfoot Hodgkin, John
Sheehan, and Andrew Moyer
invented penicillin, which is
still one of the most popular
antibiotics used today.
1923
Ballpoint Pen
Why These Inventions
are Interesting
9Our world would be much different
Hungarian journalist Ladislo
Biro created the ballpoint pen
with the same type of nonsmudging ink used in
newspaper printing.
without them.
9Many people do not realize where,
when, or how things were invented.
9As our needs change, we can
1938
© Copyright 2002 Learning.com
1928
improve upon inventions.
#4006 Interesting Inventions
Name: ___________________
Interesting Inventions Rubric
Student Evaluation
______
______
______
______
______
The invention name is bold on each slide
The date of the invention is right aligned and italicized on each slide
A consistent effect is used to introduce the slides
Sounds chosen go along well with the slide transitions
The first and last slides are designed symmetrically, and all others are
designed asymmetrically
______ The final slide makes a statement about all the inventions
______ Presentation is delivered orally
Teacher Evaluation
______
______
______
______
______
The invention name is bold on each slide
The date of the invention is right aligned and italicized on each slide
A consistent effect is used to introduce the slides
Sounds chosen go along well with the slide transitions
The first and last slides are designed symmetrically, and all others are
designed asymmetrically
______ The final slide makes a statement about all the inventions
______ Presentation is delivered orally
© Copyright 2002 Learning.com
#4006 Interesting Inventions