An Alien Spaceship from Planet Zap  has landed on Earth and dropped a team  of scientists onto the planet to investigate useful inventions to take home.  

CONGRATULATIONS!

You are a member of the team!  As a member of the team your job is to assist in compiling a database of the most important inventions on Planet Earth.   With other members of the team you will need to choose the most useful inventions to take home to Planet Zap.

 

Task 1: 

Set out on your own and think about the things that have been invented by Earthlings in the last 2000 years.  Which things would you  like to have on your new Planet Zap?  Choose 5 inventions  that you think are important.  

Where do I find the information?

Try these web sites.

Don't forget to look  around at the things you need to use every day.  You may also find some information in your library.

What do I do with the information?

Complete the timeline and record your information on the retrieval chart.

Task 2:

  Rejoin your team.  You will now need to convince the other members of your team  that your 5 chosen inventions are the most important to take back to Planet Zap.

Mission control has informed you that only 3 inventions can be taken back to Planet Zap.  You and your team must agree on the final selection of 3 inventions.  How will you decide?

Task 3:

    When you return to Planet Zap you are full of good ideas and are keen to try an invention of your own.  Firstly you will need to find out what it takes to become an inventor.

Did you meet any inventors on Planet Earth? 

What makes a good inventor?

You may need to visit these sites to help you. Record your findings on the inventor's worksheet.

Famous Inventors

More Famous Inventors

Zoom Inventions

Technology and Inventions

    Present your findings to your team in a report.  (It could be written or oral).

Task 4:

     Now you are ready to invent your own gadget.  Do  you need any more ideas?  Look at these sites for more innovative designs.

Crazy Inventions

Students as Designers

Futuristic Inventions

  Using the design brief outline your new invention.

  Make a prototype of your invention.  Have fun!

We hope your mission is successful and that the inhabitants of Planet Zap make good use of your new inventions.

Assessment.  Assessment for this project will be based on:

Research skills and co-operative group work.  

  Presentation and completion of time-line activity, retrieval chart, inventor profile and the design brief.  

  Originality of design and construction of invention