Inventions Webquest

You are a new inventor that wants to invent something that changes the world.  To understand how inventions can change the world, you have been assigned the task of researching some of the most important inventions that American inventors have created.  You will be assigned an invention, research the invention by answering some key research questions, write a short research paper, create a visual aid, and present the information to your fellow inventors. 

Imagine a life without electricity, refrigeration, cars, TVs, and computers. Hard to picture, right? But that is not true for people living in the U.S. less than 200 years ago. All of this changed, however, with the Industrial Revolution, which changed every aspect of everyday life, from how we wash our clothes to how we work, how we communicate, and how we travel.

You will explore five different inventions - cotton gin, telegraph, incandescent light bulb, airplane, and model T Ford.  We will explore how these inventions changed the lives of the people then and how they have changed our lives today.

Good luck!!

Students, you will draw a topic from a bowl individually. There will be FIVE inventions to choose from: Cotton Gin, Telegraph, Incandescent Light bulb, Airplane, and Model T Ford.

We will then identify what needs to be researched and where you will conduct your research.

Next, you will complete your research using your research sheet and this webquest.

Next, you will write a short research paper and create a visual aid for your invention.

Finally, you will present your invention to others in the class. 

1. First, you will pick an invention to research.

2. Second, you will look over the research sheet (given to you by Mrs. Goodman).

3. Third, you will use the websites listed below to complete your research sheet:

Airplane

http://inventors.about.com/od/fstartinventions/a/Airplane.htm

http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/article-196046/airplane

http://ducksters.com/biography/wright_brothers.php

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/invention-of-the-airplane.html

http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/21-categories/people/164-wright-brothers.html

Cotton Gin

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/clothing/cottongin.htm

http://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Cotton_gin

http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/wwww/us/cottongindef.htm

http://www.biography.com/people/eli-whitney-9530201

http://www.learninghaven.com/eli_whitney.htm

Telegraph

http://www.knowitall.org/kidswork/etv/history/telegraph/index.html

http://kids.britannica.com/elementary/article-353841/Telegraph

http://inventors.about.com/od/tstartinventions/a/telegraph.htm

http://www.history.com/topics/inventions/telegraph

http://www.samuelmorse.net/

Model T Ford

http://www.history.com/topics/model-t

http://inventors.about.com/od/fstartinventors/a/HenryFord.htm

http://www.modelt.ca/background.html

http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1844534,00.html

http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/automobile.htm

Light Bulb

http://ducksters.com/biography/thomas_edison.php

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/edison/lightbulb.shtml

http://mrnussbaum.com/thomas_edison/

http://c03.apogee.net/contentplayer/?coursetype=kids&utilityid=mp&id=16193

http://www.bulbs.com/learning/history.aspx

4. Fourth, you will write a short paper using the completed research sheet.

5. Fifth, you will create a visual aid to go with your paper.

6. Last, you will present your paper and visual aid to a group for a grade.

Name: ______________________________ Homeroom: _________________________ Date: _______________

Research Sheet – Inventions during the Industrial Revolution

Topic: ___________________________________________________________________________________

1. Who invented your invention? _______________________________________________________

2. Did your inventor invent anything else? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. When was it invented? ______________________________________________________________

4. Why was your invention relevant at the time? (HINT: What part of life did it help to make easier?)_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. How did the invention develop over time in order to be relevant today (HINT: How does it still help us today?) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Any other relevant information - ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________