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Innovate & Create!

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Lesson Plan

Innovate & Create!

Students will be able to define 'research,' 'inventor,' 'innovator,' and 'rubric,' and understand how these concepts guide the creative process.

Understanding these concepts empowers students to approach creative problem-solving with structure and purpose, fostering critical thinking and innovative spirit.

Audience

4th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Through guided discussion and a presentation, students will explore key terms and apply them to a simple brainstorming task.

Materials

Smartboard or projector, and Innovate & Create! Slide Deck

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What's Your Big Idea?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "What's a problem you'd like to solve or something new you wish existed?" (Think-Pair-Share if time allows).
    - Introduce the lesson: Today, we'll explore how people come up with new ideas and make them real. We'll learn about inventors, innovators, and some tools they use.
    - Display Slide 1: Innovate & Create! and Slide 2: What's Your Big Idea?.

Step 2

Defining Key Terms

15 minutes

  • Use the Innovate & Create! Slide Deck to introduce and discuss each term:
    - Research (Slide 3): What is it? Why do we do it?
    - Inventor (Slide 4): Someone who creates something entirely new. Discuss examples (lightbulb, telephone).
    - Innovator (Slide 5): Someone who improves existing ideas or inventions. Discuss examples (smartphones improving flip phones, electric cars improving gasoline cars).
    - Rubric (Slide 6): A tool that helps us understand what makes a good job. Explain it as a guide for quality and expectations. Ask, "How could a rubric help an inventor or innovator?"
    - Facilitate a brief discussion for each term, inviting student examples and questions.
    - Display Slide 7: Rubrics Help Us Create!.

Step 3

Brainstorm Challenge

7 minutes

  • Present a simple challenge: "Design a new, eco-friendly school supply."
    - Students will briefly brainstorm in pairs or individually, jotting down ideas.
    - Emphasize that this is just for fun and practice, focusing on applying the concepts we just learned (e.g., "What research would you do for this?" "How would a rubric help you know if your design is 'eco-friendly' enough?").
    - Display Slide 8: Brainstorm Challenge!.

Step 4

Wrap-Up & Reflect

3 minutes

  • Ask students to share one new thing they learned or one interesting idea from the brainstorm challenge.
    - Briefly reiterate the importance of research, inventiveness, innovation, and using tools like rubrics.
    - Display Slide 9: Keep Innovating!.
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Slide Deck

Innovate & Create!

Discovering the Power of New Ideas!

Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of creativity and new ideas. Ask them to think about problems or new things they wish existed.

What's Your Big Idea?

What problem would you like to solve?
What new thing do you wish existed?

Engage students with a thought-provoking question. Encourage brief discussion or a quick turn-and-talk.

🔍 What is Research?

Finding information and facts about a topic.

Why do we do it? To understand better and make smart decisions!

Introduce the concept of research. Explain that it's like being a detective to gather information.

💡 Meet the Inventor!

Someone who creates something entirely new!

Examples:

  • Thomas Edison (lightbulb)
  • Alexander Graham Bell (telephone)

Define 'inventor' and provide clear, relatable examples. Ask students if they can think of any other inventors.

🚀 Meet the Innovator!

Someone who takes an existing idea or invention and makes it even better!

Examples:

  • Smartphones (improving old flip phones)
  • Electric Cars (improving gasoline cars)

Define 'innovator' and differentiate it from an inventor. Provide examples of how existing things are improved.

📝 What's a Rubric?

A guide that tells you what makes a good job!

It helps you know what is expected and how to do your best work.

Explain what a rubric is using simple language. Emphasize it as a guide, not just for grading.

Rubrics Help Us Create!

A rubric can help inventors and innovators by:

  • Setting clear goals
  • Guiding their work
  • Making sure their creations are high-quality

Connect the idea of a rubric to the creative process. How can it help inventors and innovators?

Brainstorm Challenge!

Your Mission: Design a new, eco-friendly school supply!

  • What would it be?
  • How would it help?
  • How is it eco-friendly?

Introduce the brainstorm challenge. Give students a few minutes to think or discuss with a partner.

Keep Innovating!

Remember, you all have the power to research, invent, and innovate!

Keep asking questions and imagining new possibilities!

Conclude the lesson by summarizing the key takeaways and encouraging continued curiosity.

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Innovate & Create! • Lenny Learning