Elementary School
Starting children on the pathway to invention in the early years develops creative problem solvers.
Bee the Inventor
Grade level: K-1
Summary of lesson: Bee the Inventor is a 10-page STEAM activity book that teaches young kids about invention through the role leaf cutter bees play in our environment. Kids learn how to build a bee house prototype for bees Shagun and Dwij.
Summary of lesson: Bee the Inventor is a 10-page STEAM activity book that teaches young kids about invention through the role leaf cutter bees play in our environment. Kids learn how to build a bee house prototype for bees Shagun and Dwij.
Invention Through Children's Books
Grade level: K-2
This guide supports teachers in using children’s literature as a launch point for invention, problem-solving, and creative thinking with young elementary-age students. Example books include Abby Invents: Unbreakable Crayons (Arlyne Simon), Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak), If I Built a Car (Chris Van Dusen).
This guide supports teachers in using children’s literature as a launch point for invention, problem-solving, and creative thinking with young elementary-age students. Example books include Abby Invents: Unbreakable Crayons (Arlyne Simon), Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak), If I Built a Car (Chris Van Dusen).
Invention Adventures
Grade level: 3-5
Invention Adventures is a hands-on invention education curriculum designed to introduce elementary-aged students to the mindset, skills, and processes used by real inventors. Through engaging activities, students learn that invention begins with identifying problems and developing creative solutions.
Invention Adventures is a hands-on invention education curriculum designed to introduce elementary-aged students to the mindset, skills, and processes used by real inventors. Through engaging activities, students learn that invention begins with identifying problems and developing creative solutions.
Light up Kicks
Grade level: 4th-5th
This transdisciplinary unit guides upper elementary students as they develop skills in inventive thinking and basic circuitry/shoe design through fun, hands-on activities. During this 16-meeting guide (approximately 45 minutes per meeting), students will gain an understanding of shoe design, drawing on inspiration from around the world, and basic circuitry to light up their very own shoes.
This transdisciplinary unit guides upper elementary students as they develop skills in inventive thinking and basic circuitry/shoe design through fun, hands-on activities. During this 16-meeting guide (approximately 45 minutes per meeting), students will gain an understanding of shoe design, drawing on inspiration from around the world, and basic circuitry to light up their very own shoes.
Inventing with Empathy
Grade level: 4-5
Students read El Deafo (Cece Bell), a graphic novel memoir about the author’s experience growing up with hearing loss and the challenges of using a bulky hearing aid device. Using this literature as a launching point, students build a prototype invention for the deaf community.
Students read El Deafo (Cece Bell), a graphic novel memoir about the author’s experience growing up with hearing loss and the challenges of using a bulky hearing aid device. Using this literature as a launching point, students build a prototype invention for the deaf community.
Middle School
JV InvenTeams activity guides, including educator and student versions, are available for grades 6-10. There are no fees for downloading. The content is curated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) community and tested for quality and safety. Activity guides are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards. Companion pre-assembled invention kits are available for sale. Tools and materials lists are also available for educators to purchase what they need locally. Activities can be offered to students in many different contexts – as a supplement to coursework in the classroom setting, as enrichment activities in after school programs, and as the core program offered in workshops or summer camps.
Shoe Soles
The JV InvenTeams Shoe Soles activity guide will lead educators and students through the creative process of making shoe soles as they learn design and pattern transfer techniques and make shoe sole prototypes.
Electronic Textiles
The JV InvenTeams Electronic Textiles activity guide will lead educators and students through the creative process of designing wearable technology. Students will explore basic circuitry applications and make wearable wrist bands.
Chill Out
The JV InvenTeams Chill Out activity guide will lead educators and students through the creative applications of heating and cooling as they learn to build a lunch box. Students will also explore convection, conduction, radiation, heat and energy, electricity and circuits.
Pump it Up
The JV InvenTeams Pump it Up activity guide will lead educators and students through the applications of human power and energy. Students learn to build a water pump.
U Control
The JV InvenTeams U Control activity guide will lead educators and students through applications of general motor science. Students will learn to design and build a door that can open and close.
Noise Makers
The JV InvenTeams Noise Makers activity guide will lead educators and students through applications of sound waves and electromagnetism. Students will build speakers.
Super Lens
The JV InvenTeams Super Lens activity guide will lead educators and students through the science of light. Students will build a lens and create a camera prototype.
Green Chemistry
The JV InvenTeams Green Chemistry activity guide will encourage students to use green chemistry principles to invent bioplastics.
Toy Design
Grade level: 6-12 (Can be adapted for younger learners as well.)
Summary of lesson: The goal of Toy Design and Invention is to cultivate new ways of thinking and to develop technical skills for students with limited access to hands-on STEM enrichment opportunities. Through prescribed activities, students will add to their own “toolkits” of minds-on knowledge and hands-on skills while having fun! Students will learn how to identify a need in their lives or in the world around them and develop their own invention after completing the main activity in each unit. They will pull from their expanding toolkit to come up with solutions.
Summary of lesson: The goal of Toy Design and Invention is to cultivate new ways of thinking and to develop technical skills for students with limited access to hands-on STEM enrichment opportunities. Through prescribed activities, students will add to their own “toolkits” of minds-on knowledge and hands-on skills while having fun! Students will learn how to identify a need in their lives or in the world around them and develop their own invention after completing the main activity in each unit. They will pull from their expanding toolkit to come up with solutions.
High School
Inventing Smart Solutions
Grade Level: 9-12
Inventing Smart Solutions is a process curriculum designed to guide students through the invention process. This is not a curriculum to move rigidly through slide-by-slide; rather, we encourage you to move through these resources in a non-linear way, pulling the resources you need and building the skills you need as the needs become apparent. Additionally, it is helpful to see the big picture arc of the invention process before diving in to the first several units.
Inventing Smart Solutions is a process curriculum designed to guide students through the invention process. This is not a curriculum to move rigidly through slide-by-slide; rather, we encourage you to move through these resources in a non-linear way, pulling the resources you need and building the skills you need as the needs become apparent. Additionally, it is helpful to see the big picture arc of the invention process before diving in to the first several units.
Re-Inventing Fashion for the Future
Grade level: 9–12
This curriculum centers on MIT’s climate mission of decarbonizing energy and industry, teaches high school students about the fashion industry’s significant contribution to global carbon emissions. Through the invention process, students create an eco-friendly textile using natural dyes and sew a garment that solves a problem for a potential client.
This curriculum centers on MIT’s climate mission of decarbonizing energy and industry, teaches high school students about the fashion industry’s significant contribution to global carbon emissions. Through the invention process, students create an eco-friendly textile using natural dyes and sew a garment that solves a problem for a potential client.
Toy Design
Grade level: 6-12
(Can be adapted for younger learners as well.)
The goal of Toy Design and Invention is to cultivate new ways of thinking and to develop technical skills for students with limited access to hands-on STEM enrichment opportunities. Through prescribed activities, students will add to their own “toolkits” of minds-on knowledge and hands-on skills while having fun! Students will learn how to identify a need in their lives or in the world around them and develop their own invention after completing the main activity in each unit. They will pull from their expanding toolkit to come up with solutions.
(Can be adapted for younger learners as well.)
The goal of Toy Design and Invention is to cultivate new ways of thinking and to develop technical skills for students with limited access to hands-on STEM enrichment opportunities. Through prescribed activities, students will add to their own “toolkits” of minds-on knowledge and hands-on skills while having fun! Students will learn how to identify a need in their lives or in the world around them and develop their own invention after completing the main activity in each unit. They will pull from their expanding toolkit to come up with solutions.
