BY: Shirley Houser Latimore
Second Grade
 
 

INTRODUCTION
If you ride your bike to school, obey the traffic signals, eat ice cream or sharpen your pencil, you have an African-American inventor to thank.  Throughout history African-Americans have invented many important and fun devices.  The fire escape ladder, gas masks, truck refrigerator, player pianos, fountain pens, roller coasters and many more we are going to investigate.

TASK
You will be a detective.  You have the task of searching your home, school, or community to find three items invented by African-American Inventors.  At the end of your search you will have:

· Three names of African-American inventors
· Pictures, models or drawings of the inventions
· Description of the inventions
· Why are the inventions important to the world
· How have these inventions affected your life
· You will investigate and present the results of your investigation to the class

PROCESS
· Define the words invention and inventor - class discussion
· Discuss some items you think maybe invented by African-Americans
· Search around the home and community and write down the names of the inventions
· Bring the list, pictures or models to school
· Demonstrate ability to research information about the internet or library or teacher's print sources
· Students will use selected web sites to assist with the investigation
· Use the information to correctly complete the following questions about African-American Inventors and  Inventions

Questions to answers:
1. What is the name of the inventor?
2. You may bring a picture, model or draw the inventions.
3. Write the description of the inventions.
4. Why are they important?

 The students will share the results of the African-American Inventions Investigation with the class
 
 

INFORMATION SOURCES
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/inventors/index.htm
http://www.blackinventor.com/
http://www.kulturezone.com/kidz/center/time/index.html
http://www.detroit.lib.mi.us/glptc/aaid/index.asp
http://thechalkboard.com/Corporations/Dow/Programs/inventors
http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~rlandrum/general.htm
http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsA-H/AAweek2.html
http://www.swagga.com/inventors.htm

EVALUATION
An individual rubric will be used for assessment.  The following rubric will be used.

CONCLUSION
By completing this webquest you have gain knowledge that African-Americans have contributed to useful ideas we see and use everyday.  The next time you see a lawn sprinkler, typewriter, golf tee, refrigerator, hair brush, ironing board, the game of chess, air condition, clothes dryer, cellular phone, lawn mower, helicopter, guitar, range oven, and many other great things we take for granted everyday take time to remember the inventor.
Think about the inventor the next time you eat a delicious bowl of ice cream or go to Six Flags and ride on the scary roller coaster.

EXTENTION
Have students research additional inventions developed by African-Americans.
 

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