Summary Statement for Session Two of MASL's Making Them a Class Act workshop  
Understandings:
Students will:
· Learn about famous inventors and inventions.
· Learn how to use computers for doing research.
· Present oral and written information about an inventor.
· Brainstorm ideas for inventions.
· Plan and design an invention.
· Understand trademarks and design one of their own.
· Understand the importance of a patent and how to get one.
· Participate in an “Invention Convention”.

During this unit, the teachers and library media specialist work together to help students research for and write a report on inventors and inventions and to produce a slide show.  Since students had just learned how to use email, they were introduced to the unit with a series of emailed invention facts, such as “Did you know that Kevlar, the material used in bullet-proof vests, was invented by a woman?”  Students also took an invention quiz, which gave us an idea of how much they know about inventing.

On the first day of research, the library media specialist “booktalked” the list of inventors students could choose from.  This was important because we deliberately chose less famous inventors, women, and minorities.  After inventors were chosen, students filled out the first two sections of a KWL work sheet.  They used the “What I want to learn” section of the KWL work sheet as a basis for brainstorming the questions they need to find the answers to in order to write a good report.

Research includes using both print resources and the internet.  Attention is paid to evaluating web sites, since some inventors will only be found on the internet.  We use an abridged form of the MLA for bibliographies, and those worksheets are filled in as a source is used.

When the reports have been written, students will be asked to fill in the third section of the KWL and to again take the invention quiz.  This, in addition to the reports themselves, will give us a good idea of what students have learned, not only about their specific inventor, but about inventions in general.

The second part of this unit on which the teachers and library media specialist work together is a slide show.  All students will be expected to design their own invention.  When the invention is complete, students will take a picture (pictures) of their invention and create a simple slide show (minimum three slides) with information on what the invention is and why it is a good idea.