If I Built a Microwave: Reflecting on Innovations in Our Daily Lives

Day 1:

Librarian describes his/her morning to get ready for work. Example: "This morning my alarm clock went off at 5:30. I hit snooze for five minutes. I got up and put on my glasses. Then I went into the kitchen and turned on the coffee maker to make coffee. While my coffee was brewing I put a pot on the stove to make oatmeal. I got milk out of the refrigerator for my coffee and then I sat down for breakfast." The librarian explains that there are many things s/he uses every day that were new innovations at one time. S/he asks students to identify some of the innovations mentioned. As students provide answers, write them on board: alarm clock, glasses, coffee maker, stove refrigerator.

Librarian explains that each of those innovations was created because people had a need or a want that led to the innovation. Ask students what need is met by the alarm clock. Ask students to brainstorm what people might have done before there were alarm clocks and problems that might have existed that were solved by the innovation. 

Direct students to work in groups to decide what problem or need was addressed by each innovation listed on the board. Groups should also discuss what life might have been like without the innovation. What else would people have used or done to meet that particular need? Ask students to make a list of questions generated by their discussion. (Example: before refrigeration, how did people preserve food?) On each group's paper, students should have: name of innovation, need met before that innovation, description of what people might have done before that innovation existed, questions they have as a result of their discussion.

As students work in small groups, librarian can assist as needed.

When 10 minutes of class remain, librarian will call class together and have students share out about each innovation and the discussion that their small group had.

Day 2: Librarian will remind students of discussion during previous class. Ask students for reminders of what innovations helped improve their lives and how. Explain that now that they have investigated some of the different innovations that have improved people's lives, they are going to have the chance to think about what other innovations might improve their lives now.

 Librarian will explain that today students will break down their day by hour or by activity. This might be something like 1. Morning at home 2. Transportation to school 3. Morning classes at school 4. Lunch and Recess 5. Afternoon classes at school 6. After school program or transportation home 7. Evening activities at home including dinner 8. Bedtime and sleep

Then students will spend time working individually on thinking about what makes each of those times of day difficult. This could be something like "one problem I have during morning transportation is that we always are stuck in traffic in my mom's car on the way to school," or "I always forget something in my classroom at the end of the day."

Students will begin their independent work as they write out their own schedule and difficulties during that schedule. When most students have worked through their schedule, the librarian will ask students to work in small groups to look at one another's problems that they've listed. Each group will hear one person's problems read aloud and will help brainstorm ideas for what they could do to address this problem. The student who identified the problem should take notes as his or her group shares ideas for innovations. As they discuss, the group should also mention any potential issues raised by the proposed solutions. This should be included in their notes.

After each group has had a chance to work together on each student's issues, they will come back together as a group. Have students volunteer some of their needs and some potential innovations that might meet those needs. 

Finally, have students reflect in writing about what they noticed about the process. How was what they worked on today related to the innovations they thought of during their previous class in the library?