What Do I Need to Do to Participate in the Invention Convention? 1. Pass in the intent to invent sheet. 2. Make an invention. 3. Make a display of your invention. 4. Keep a log of the work you do on your invention. Clark Wilkins School New Hampshire Young Inventors Program New
New Hampshire Young Inventors Program Dear Families, Your child is about to participate in an exciting after-school project - the New Hampshire Young Inventors Program. It is a special program designed to help learn and apply problem solving skills. Your involvement in this project is strongly encouraged; however, it is important that the invention ideas, illustrations, and descriptions are your child s own. Parents are invited to assist children in making the invention model since the inventions will be judged on the child s ideas, not on the model. The greatest support you can offer is your enthusiastic interest in your child s own unique ideas. Encourage perseverance! Remind your son or daughter that invention is a process of trial and error experienced by all great inventors, and well worth the effort. Have fun with your child and the New Hampshire Young Inventors Program, and remember that every child who creates an invention is a winner! Sincerely, Kathleen McIntyre New Hampshire Young Inventors Program Coordinator
Young Inventors Timeline 1. Keep a log from the moment you have the idea to the day you make the model. Date: Write the date in your log the day you have the idea. 2. You should have an invention idea! Date: Record date 3. Name your invention. Date: Record date. 4. Intent to invent sheet is due! If you turn in this sheet, you must participate in the Invention Convention. Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2015 Time: Any time during the school day Place: Library Mrs. McIntyre or Mrs. Messner 5. Invention model should be completed. Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2015 6. Display should be completed. Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2015 7. Invention set-up time! Invention set-up is in the Wilkins School cafeteria. Your set-up must include the invention, the log, and the display board. Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2015 Time: 3:30 6:00 Place: Wilkins School Cafeteria 8. Invention Convention judging will take place. Be sure to stand next to your invention so the judges can ask you questions about your invention. You will also want to hear all the nice compliments! Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2015 Time: 6:15-7:30 Place: Wilkins School Cafeteria 9. New Hampshire Young Inventors Award Ceremony. Everyone is a winner! Each student will receive a certificate of participation. Each grade level will have a first and second place winner for the general category and the Inventions for the School Classroom category. All first place winners will participate in March at the New Hampshire Inventors Program at Merrimack Valley High School in Penacook, NH. Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2015 Time: 7:45-8:30 Place: Wilkins School Cafeteria All inventions of Wilkins students will be left in the cafeteria on Tuesday evening. They will be on display on Wednesday for all classes to visit. Clark School students will take their inventions to Clark School on Wednesday to be displayed there. 10. All inventions need to be taken home Wednesday afternoon or Thursday. *** PLEASE NOTE-Snow Date for the Invention Convention 2015*** WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2015
INVENTION CATEGORIES 1. General Invention-Any invention for school, home, entertainment, pet needs, clothing and more that is not an Invention for the School Classroom. 2. Inventions for the School Classroom - Think about an invention that can be used in the school classroom. It could be a new idea or a change/improvement on an existing invention. Ideas to possibly explore include: pencils, pens, erasers, staplers, paper clips, desks, chairs, book shelves, backpacks, lunch carriers, and more. Want to know more- Visit: wonderopolis.org/wonder/who-invented-sticky-notes to see how Post-it Notes were invented. See book bag invention: www.ehow.com/about 6976468 invention-bookbag.html An invention can not be in both categories. Each student invention will be judged either in the general category or the Inventions for the School Classroom category. Questions- Contact Kathleen McIntyre 603-673-4411 Ext. 4207 kmcintyre@sprise.com
Inventors Need to Remember 1. Each inventor must display at the Invention Convention- *Invention *Display Board *Log 2. Inventors need to do research to be sure that their idea has not already been invented. 3. Teams may not exceed two students. 4. Invention Convention 2015 dates: Tuesday, February 17, 2015 Snow Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 5. Remember to keep a log of your work with your invention. 6. Inventing is FUN! Enjoy! Questions, Problems, Concerns Contact Kathleen McIntyre Clark-Wilkins Library/Media Specialist 673-4411 Ext. 4207 kmcintyre@sprise.com
Naming Your Invention Many inventors like to name their inventions as soon as they choose an idea. Others wait until later. Whenever you name your invention, you should like the name, and it should help you to describe your invention. If you decide to market your invention, a good name will help you. There are many ways to name your invention. Look at the examples below. Now think about your invention. Try out your name ideas on your family and friends until you find something you like. In your Inventor s Log, list all your ideas and circle the one you like best. Rhyming names: yo-yo, Piggly-Wiggly, tutti-frutti Names using the inventor s name: Levi (jeans), Goodyear tires, Ford, Heinz Ketchup, Frisbee Names with repeating sounds: Kit Kat, Silly String, Tinker Toys, Beanie Babies Descriptive names: cotton ball, Rice Krispies, Dustbuster, Slime, toothbrush, Walkman Named for the ingredients: Corn Flakes, steel-belted radials, icecream, peanut butter, soap suds Names with initials or acronyms: Laser, VCR, SST, CD, SCUBA, RAM Named for its function the way it works: sunglasses, doghouse, squirt gun, Post-it Notes Names with funny and clever words: Silly Putty, Cool Whip, flipflops
How to Make a Display Your display will be on a table in back of or beside your invention. Make sure your display is stable. A good material to use is a cardboard box. Cover the cardboard with paper or contact paper. Another idea is to use two poster boards taped together at the center. Display boards can also be purchased at craft stores. Your display should have the following information on it: Illustration of Invention Invention Name Simple directions on how to use your invention
Questions a Judge Might Ask You 1. How did you get the idea for your invention? 2. What need or problem does your invention solve? 3. Why do you think it s new and original? 4. How does it work? 5. How did you make it? 6. Did you keep a log? 7. May I see your log? 8. What was the biggest problem you faced while working on your invention? 9. Did you have to change your original idea in any way? 10. What did you do to make sure that your invention was original? A teacher or parent may assist the child by writing or typing the words. Ideas and content, however, must be the child s own.
Special Awards The Joshua Savyon Team Award~ This award lovingly honors and remembers the creativity, inventive spirit, and team enthusiasm of Joshua Savyon. One team will be chosen to receive this award. S.T.E.A.M. Award~ This is a new award for 2015. The Young Inventors Program continues to highlight the importance of science, engineering, and mathematics with the addition of the technology and the arts components. This new award will be selected by the judges as the invention that best couples science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with the arts.
Invention Log Inventor name: Date: Hours worked: Drawings or photos: Inventor s signature: Date: Witness: Date:
Intent to Invent Yes! I will participate in the Invention Convention! Student Name Grade Teacher Name of Invention Invention Category: General Inventions for the School Classroom Are you working with a partner? Yes No If yes, please fill out information below. Name of Partner: Grade Teacher Return this sheet to Mrs. McIntyre or Mrs. Messner by Tuesday, February 3, 2015. You must return this sheet to participate in the Invention Convention! I know that my child has signed up to participate in Invention Convention 2015. Signature of parent or guardian Contact Telephone Number E-mail address