Fifth graders at Church Lane Elementary participated in multiple activities surrounding the language arts unit “Transformative Ideas”. Students in 5th grade have been reading, writing, and researching about inventions that have not only transformed over the years but have transformed the way people live their lives. Students were first assigned partners and then were given the option to research either the phonograph, television, or airplane. Each pair had to read an article and watch a video about how their chosen invention was similar and different from when it was first created to nowadays. After their research was complete, students had to work to create a visual presentation using either Glogster, Wixie, or Popplet to display their findings on the classroom bulletin board. When student pairs completed their visual presentation of information, they got to create 3D models of either the original or newer model of their invention. With the help of some faculty members and the students themselves, recyclable materials such as toilet paper rolls, water bottles, and shoeboxes were brought in for the students to use to build their models. Students researched a picture of the model they needed to replicate and then used their creativity to build the invention. A few pairs were chosen to present their research and models at Church Lane’s Night of Innovation for the community to see. As an extension activity, the entire 5th grade met in one classroom to go on a virtual field trip to the Thomas Edison Historical Museum in New Jersey. Through the trip, students were able to see examples of artifacts, machinery, and Thomas Edison’s inventions (including the phonograph!) and ask/answer questions from the tour guide skyping with us!
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