Dear SEP Families,
Students in Session 3 asked both the visiting student neurologists from UVA and Dr. Casey Kerrigan (OESH shoe inventor) probing questions about the neuroscience behind creativity, inventing, and problem solving. As the class progressed, the questions became more complex, indicating a stronger grasp of the inventive process.
We examined different types of inventions, considering both global and small-scale challenges that could be lessened by innovations or inventions. The students easily created toy and game inventions. Understandably, they had more of a challenge thinking of ways to create inventions to help solve global problems.
At the start of our course, students taught each other background information about“big science topics” by presenting lessons on matter, forces and energy, electricity, machines, magnetism, and the development of the digital domain.We then applied this knowledge to help us create our own toys and inventions, both big and small. The students selected their own special topics of interest to investigate and present in our “Invention Convention.”
After studying the history and process of inventions, some students decided to concentrate on reverse engineering, inventions inspired by nature, and prototypes of their own inventions (e.g., earrings called “Clingys”). Other students investigated solutions to environmental issues such as challenges for our barrier reefs,and also researched inventions specifically created by kids. We also examined the achievements of James Naismith and Ruth Wakefield,and created elaborate and complicated Rube Goldberg machines.
Though the precise topics of investigation varied widely, students realized that patience, perseverance, different perspectives, and cooperation are all critical to the success of the inventive process!
Students in Session 3 asked both the visiting student neurologists from UVA and Dr. Casey Kerrigan (OESH shoe inventor) probing questions about the neuroscience behind creativity, inventing, and problem solving. As the class progressed, the questions became more complex, indicating a stronger grasp of the inventive process.
We examined different types of inventions, considering both global and small-scale challenges that could be lessened by innovations or inventions. The students easily created toy and game inventions. Understandably, they had more of a challenge thinking of ways to create inventions to help solve global problems.
At the start of our course, students taught each other background information about“big science topics” by presenting lessons on matter, forces and energy, electricity, machines, magnetism, and the development of the digital domain.We then applied this knowledge to help us create our own toys and inventions, both big and small. The students selected their own special topics of interest to investigate and present in our “Invention Convention.”
After studying the history and process of inventions, some students decided to concentrate on reverse engineering, inventions inspired by nature, and prototypes of their own inventions (e.g., earrings called “Clingys”). Other students investigated solutions to environmental issues such as challenges for our barrier reefs,and also researched inventions specifically created by kids. We also examined the achievements of James Naismith and Ruth Wakefield,and created elaborate and complicated Rube Goldberg machines.
Though the precise topics of investigation varied widely, students realized that patience, perseverance, different perspectives, and cooperation are all critical to the success of the inventive process!
Resources for Continued Learning
Helpful resources for students to further their investigations:
Thank you for being a part of SEP 2016 Session 3!
- Tinkering by Curt Gabrielson
- The Way Science Works, DK Publishers, (Dorling Kindersley)
- The New Way Things Work, by David Macaulay
- The Way Toys Work, by Ed and Woody Sobey
- Eric Chudler’s Neuroscience for Kids newsletters: http://mailman13.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/nfknews
- Rube Goldberg related sites:
- https://www.rubegoldberg.com/
- http://www.josephsmachines.com/
Thank you for being a part of SEP 2016 Session 3!
