Sanity Saver: George Washington Carver’s Inventions

By: Dan Walsh
STEM Educator

George Washington Carver was an inventor, environmentalist, and a professor. Carver was a professor of Agriculture at the Tuskegee Institute which is now known as Tuskegee University. While teaching Carver created over 300 different uses for the peanut. For today’s experiment, we will be using Carver as an inspiration as we try to create our own inventions from supplies we have around the house. When scientists invent new things they go through a list of steps called the invention process. Follow the steps below to create your own invention. 

Materials:

Random collection of materials you find around the house

Length:

10 minutes

Academic Subject(s):

Science 

THIS LESSON SUPPORTS THESE STANDARDS: 
ETS1.A: Defining Engineering Problems- Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints) 

Directions:

 STEP 1 First, think of a problem. 
STEP 2 Look at all of the supplies you have collected. Try to think of a way to solve the problem with the supplies you have. 
STEP 3 Next we will brainstorm as many ways to solve the problem as you can. 
STEP 4 Using the supplies in your bag, build one of your inventions. 
STEP 5 Once your invention is finished, test your invention out. 
STEP 6 If your invention does not work the first time, don’t get frustrated. Try to tinker with your experiment until it works. 
STEP 7 Finally show your invention to your friends and family. 

Vocabulary Words

 INVENTION: The first time something has been built. 
INNOVATION: When a scientist tinkers on an invention and makes it better. 
AGRICULTURE: The science or practice of farming. 

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