Invention Project Requirements

**The Classroom Invention Convention will be held on ______**

1. An Invention Plan Form a. Invention initial idea- an invention plan form due ______b. Your idea must be your own and be an original idea

2. A thorough Inventor’s Journal Journal entries MUST be done for all work done on your invention. It is expected that you will work on your invention each school day for 10-20 minutes. This includes planning, building, and journaling about your thought process and work. Specific requirements about what is written in the journal will follow, but it will be turned in each week and signed and dated by two classmates to protect your work.

3. A working prototype of your invention The prototype may be smaller in size than the actual invention would be, but it must work.

4. A poster about your invention (Many will use cardboard display boards for this purpose) This will be used in the Classroom Invention Convention and for the school wide and hopefully state convention as well. The poster must be a certain size, be sure to check the Invention Convention Guidelines when they are handed out. The poster must contain: a. The inventions name b. The inventor’s name c. The problem the invention solves d. How the invention works e. May also contain materials used and visuals that help tell more about your invention (photos of you working on the invention are always a great touch)

5. A presentation of your invention idea Initially you will share your invention in front of the class and be judged by classmates and the teacher. Those students making it to the school convention will be judged by guest judges, and those ultimately making it to the State Invention Convention will have a team of judges to impress.

Notes/Other: Finding an Idea It can be said that need is the mother of invention. Your idea for an invention will come from something that you or someone you know needs. There are several ways to find ideas for inventions. One way is to ask people if there is anything they need. Another method is called brainstorming. You can brainstorm alone or with others. Here is an example of how brainstorming works. Name an object such as a lunch box. Take ten minutes to list everything you can that is wrong with lunch boxes. Next, find a way to correct some of the problems. Your ideas for solving the problems can be a big step toward inventing a new or improved product.

When you find an idea you like and you want to make it into an invention: a. fill out an Invention Plan Form b. have a parent sign it c. return it to your teacher by the appropriate date

Research and Planning Before an invention can be successful, you have to make a plan. Your plan should include all the steps you can think of, from beginning to end. When writing your plan, ask yourself questions such as these:

 What can I read about that will help me with my invention?  Whom can I talk to about solving problems and planning properly?  What materials will I need?  How can I control the cost of my invention?  What steps should I follow?  How much time should I allow for each step?  How can I test my invention?  How can I be sure my invention is safe to use?

Don’t be surprised if you have to change your plans along the way. Sometimes a plan will not work as well as you first thought it would. So keep an open mind for change. You may even discover a better way of completing a certain step.

Developing, Testing, and Displaying Now the work begins. Follow your plan step by step. If you have difficulty with a certain part of your invention, talk to an expert. Try different things until you overcome the difficulty. Most of all, don’t give up! As Henry Ford, one of the inventors of the automobile, once said, “Failure is only an opportunity to start again more intelligently.” Be sure to make plans for displaying your invention. An attractive display is important. You will want people to be attracted to your invention. A good promotion plan should include posters or other eye-catching materials. Remember, an inventor has to sell people on his/her product or progress. You may also wish to design packaging for your invention and write an advertisement for it. You will be judged on how well your promote your invention.

Notes/Other: