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African American Inventors and Inventions

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Subject:Language Arts,
Technology,
Social Sciences,
U.S. History
Grade:3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Brief Description
Students learn about inventions created by African Americans and complete a work sheet about the information learned.

Objectives

Students

  • define the words invention, inventor, and patent;
  • demonstrate ability to research information about African American inventors, using Internet or library print sources;
  • use the information to correctly complete a work sheet about African American inventors and their inventions.

Keywords

African American, inventors, inventions, information, reading comprehension

Materials Needed

  • copies of the Education World work sheet African American Inventors and Inventions
  • printouts from Partial List of African American Inventors
  • library sources about African American history
  • pens or pencils
  • computers with Internet access (optional)

    Lesson Plan

  • Discuss the meanings of the words invention, inventor, and patent. Tell students that African Americans invented many of the devices we use today and used in the past.
  • Provide each student with a copy of the Education World teaching master African American Inventors and Inventions and copies of printouts from Partial List of African American Inventors.
  • Have students use information on the Partial List of African American Inventors Web page to complete the work sheet.

    Variation for younger students: Work together as a class to complete the work sheet.
    Variation for older students: Organize students into small groups. Tell students they must use print sources only, such as library books, magazines, or textbooks, to find the answers to the questions on the work sheet.
    Extensions for older students: Have students research additional inventions developed by African Americans from

  • The Black Inventor Online Museum
  • The Top Ten African-American Inventors
  • Black Inventors A to Z
    Have students use print or online sources to learn background information about some of the inventors on those Web pages.

    Assessment

    Evaluate students' work sheet answers.
    ANSWER KEY:
    1. True, 2. True, 3. False, 4. True, 5. False, 6. False, 7.True, 8. False, 9. True, 10. True.

    Lesson Plan Source

    Education World

    Submitted By

    Lois Lewis

    National Standards

    Language Arts:
    NL-ENG.K-12.1
    NL-ENG.K-12.3
    NL-ENG.K-12.7
    NL-ENG.K-12.8
    NL-ENG.K-12.9

    Social Science:
    NSS-USH.K-4.3
    NSS-USH.5-12.3
    NSS-USH.5-12.4
    NSS-USH.5-12.5
    NSS-USH.5-12.6
    NSS-USH.5-12.7
    NSS-USH.5-12.8
    NSS-USH.5-12.9
    NSS-USH.5-12.10

    Technology:
    NT.K-12.1
    NT.K-12.3
    NT.K-12.5

    Originally published 01/29/2001
    Last updated 12/02/2010