The Invention Convention

A group of 8-9 year olds sit waiting for their turn. They quietly listen as the previous class finish their presentations. They have been working towards this day for months... thinking, sharing, collaborating, building. They were presented with a challenge. "Can you build a machine to solve a problem?" They did!

On Thursday, March 26th, Mrs. Asbury's and Ms Childers' 3rd graders shared the culmination of months of hard work at Terraset's first Invention Convention. They had been working with their
classroom teachers, along with Mrs. Standiford (Terraset's Advanced Academics Resource Teacher) to solve a problem... to build a machine that would help a fairy tale character at the time of their greatest need! How can we help the Billy Goats Gruff cross that bridge? What can we use to get Jack (aka the Marquis of Carabas in the Puss-in-Boots story) out of the water? Early examples they created were: a get-a-way vehicle using wheels and axles to help the Three Little Pigs; a pulley to rescue Rapunzel; and a screw (Alchimedes Screw) to protect and help Jack and the Beanstalk. Working in teams, the students selected a fairy tale, analyzed the problem and designed a complex machine that would help one of the characters in the story.

Principal Trout listens as Eva
demonstrates her team's invention

This project-based challenge led the students to learn across the curriculum drawing on their abilities to comprehend a story, identify and analyze a problem, think critically about possible solutions, apply their understanding of simple machines, work towards a shared vision, collaborate in designing and constructing their machine, write about their work using both technical writing to note design features and persuasive writing to create a brochure about their product, then finally use their public speaking skills to present their inventions to other students, staff and parents. This combination of language arts, science and engineering served to ensure a multifaceted understanding of a real world problem - albeit the world of fairy tales!

Mr. Shriman Gurung, Senior Director Solution Engineering
with Metaswitch Networks in Reston, explains the
Engineering Design Process

A guest speaker, Mr. Shriman Gurung, Senior Director Solution Engineering with Metaswitch Networks in Reston, explained the Engineering Design Process: identify and define a problem; brainstorm a solution; plan and develop a prototype; test it; improve it! The students used this cycle during their final project.  They recorded and reflected upon their ideas and the creative process using their Inventor's Journals, and used predominantly recyclable materials and craft supplies to construct their inventions.

The convention saw all the students presenting their inventions, answering questions, and glowing with pride as they demonstrated their models of the machines they devised.