Thomas Edison Lesson Plan: Inventions

Submitted by: Angela Watson

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

In this lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades 3-8, students use BrainPOP resources to identify important accomplishments in the life of Thomas Edison. Students will also research later inventions that utilized Edison’s scientific findings and/or improved on his inventions.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Grade: 11-12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.6

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grades 11–12 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)

Grade: 03

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.4

Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

Grade: 03

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.5

Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details.

Grade: 03

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.6

Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See grade 3 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)

Grade: 04

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.4

Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Grade: 04

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.5

Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

Grade: 04

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.6

Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation. (See grade 4 Language standards 1 here for specific expectations.)

Grade: 05

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.4

Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Grade: 05

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.5

Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

Grade: 05

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.6

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation. (See grade 5 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)

Grade: 06

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.4

Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Grade: 06

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.5

Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information.

Grade: 06

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.6

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 6 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)

Grade: 07

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.4

Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Grade: 07

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.5

Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.

Grade: 07

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.6

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 7 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)

Grade: 08

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.4

Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Grade: 08

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.5

Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

Grade: 08

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.6

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 8 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)

Students will:

Identify important accomplishments in the life of Thomas Edison.
Research another invention that utilized Einstein's scientific findings and/or improved on his inventions.

Materials:

Internet and BrainPOP access
LCD projector and/or interactive whiteboard
Computers for students to use

Vocabulary:

hyperactive; telegraph; invention; laboratory; phonograph; sophisticated; cylinder; incandescent; patent; generate

Preparation:

Preview the Thomas Edison Movie and its related features. Gather appropriate books and identify relevant websites for students to use when researching their inventions.

Lesson Procedure:

Display the movie's Vocabulary for the class to see. Talk about any words students are unfamiliar with and ask students to share what they know about the terms.
Encourage them to listen for the key vocabulary words telegraph and phonograph as they watch the Thomas Edison Movie.
Project the Worksheet to review important inventions explained in the movie.
Talk about how other people have invented important devices and products based on Edison's innovations. Can students name other inventions made after the telegraph, phonograph, and light bulb that build upon Thomas Edison's research? Write students' ideas on the board.
Have students work individually or with a partner to research one of the inventions listed on the board. Provide books or age-appropriate research websites for students to use in learning about their selected invention. Encourage them to be creative in choosing a format for recording and sharing their information. They may want to create a podcast, video, blog post, skit, or poster.
Give students time to share their findings with the class. Were the same scientists involved in creating multiple students' inventions? What countries did most inventions come from? Is there any evidence of collaboration? How did each invention build upon prior inventions?
Encourage students to discuss and debate which invention has had the biggest impact on our modern life. Why do students think so many technology inventions have been made in recent years? What inventions might be created in the next ten years?

Extension Activities:

Show some of the inspiring Quotables from Thomas Edison. Remind students that Edison started researching and inventing when he was quite young. What would students like to invent? How would they improve on a something that already exists? Have them use physical or digital tools to design a prototype of their own invention. If you have a class blog, have students take photographs (or screenshots) of their inventions and embed them in a blog post which describes their invention's use and purpose.