The 2017 Invention Convention kicked off on Thursday afternoon in the Beasley Lower School. 4th Graders rolled out their inventions in the hallways and cafeteria for parents, teachers and other students to view.
Each year 4th graders become problems solvers by engaging in one of the most challenging projects of their young academic careers. They must identify a problem they have and develop a way to solve it. Too many remote controls? Make a mega-controller! Not enough time to pet your dog? Make an automatic dog petting machine!! ….and 34 other brand new ideas looking for backers! The catch is their solution must actually work (for the most part). « This Problem Based Learning (PBL) project is a benchmark in the MICDS science program. The logical thinking, planning procedures, acquiring materials and thinking through the process of building and testing an original invention does more for building students science acumen than any sort of written work or computer simulation could ever do, » says Bob Shaw, MICDS JK-12 Science Department Chair.
The student scientists and engineers worked extremely hard in the science lab to produce a variety of creative inventions. Examples included the Scarf Organizer, which uses clothespins and a clothesline to neatly hang scarves; the Easy Folder, a cardboard clothes folding aid; the Turtle Tank cleaner, a sponge on a long rod ideal for cleaning the tank in the Beasley Science Room; the Warm Face Mask to help prevent runny noses on cold days, and many more.