Supporting Innovation

Making Literacy-Innovation Connections: RUNNING the Program

RUNNING THE PROGRAM: Here, you can access many print-ready digital products that can be used as you implement this literacy-innovation initiative. These include 11 character cards, 13 character bookm…

1,000 Inventions & Discoveries

"Starting in 3,000,000 BC., each chapter covers a distinct historical period, offering tightly constructed chunks of information alongside more in-depth explanations. A timeline along the bottom of e…

10 Amazing Inventions by Teens

Some really amazing ideas from 10 teenagers and their inventions - may provide some inspiration for other young innovators

10 Best Books to Inspire Makers

A list of 10 books that inspire making, such as "Practical Duct Tape Projects," written for the adult or near-adult maker.

10 Great Inventions Dreamt Up By Children

10 young innovators and descriptions of their inventions (including the trampoline!)

10 Steps to Teaching Your Kids to Become Entrepreneurs

Slideshow/article for parents to teach their children how to become entrepreneurs

10 Tips to Achieve Creativity and Innovation in Education

Thorough resources for educators to inspire innovation in their students. Explains and links to resources on several teaching methods, assessment methods, and "design thinking tools and methods."

10 Ways to Teach Innovation

A collection of ten ideas and strategies for educators to foster innovation through curiosity, critical thinking, deep understanding, the rules and tools of inquiry, and creative brainstorming.

100 Inventions That Shaped World History

"The perfect desk reference for trivia fans and anyone interested in the history of technology. Bill Yenne is extremely thorough and explains clearly the historical context as well as the inventions'…

101 Ways to Bug Your Parents

"When 12-year-old Steve Wyatt's plans for attending the Invention Convention (with his contraption The Nice Alarm) are dashed due to a family money shortage, he concocts a clever money-making plan" (…

101 Ways to Bug Your Teacher

Sequel to 101 Ways to Bug Your Parents; Steve Wyatt, young inventor, is "back in another fast-paced and humorous adventure" (School Library Journal). Deals with a young inventor experiencing "invento…

125 Cool Inventions: Supersmart Machines and Wacky Gadgets You Never Knew You Wanted!

"The future is now! Super smart toilets, sweet dream machines, bread buttering toasters, and flying hotels -- this fun and informative book gives curious kids the inside scoop on 125 amazing real inv…

20 ideas for teaching coding in math, science, social studies, and ELA

This article from eSchool News provides teaching ideas for students to learn coding skills.

21st Century Skills Innovation Library

"Did you ever wonder how innovation happens? Or what it takes to turn a new idea into something that works? The Innovation Library takes a look at people and their creative ideas. It explores how las…

3 Reasons Why Making and Literacy Aren't Mutually Exclusive

Article discussing "three specific ways that making and makerspaces can support literacy in the school library"

3 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Entrepreneurship

Article on skills to teach kids about entrepreneurship

3,2,1, Go!

"Ann is playing school with her friend Bess. "Oh, no. Here comes Min!" Ann says. "This is a school zone, Min. School is hard. You are not ready. Here is the line. You may not step over it."Min is cle…

5 Reasons Your School Needs a Makerspace

This blog entry focuses on reasons to have a makerspace.

5 Ted-Ed Lessons to help you teach critical thinking skills

This eSchool News article provides five lessons from Ted-Ed to help students develop critical thinking skills and "dig deep".

5 Ways to Encourage Kids to Grow Up to Be Innovators

A quick read that provides five key principles to cultivate in children to encourage them to be innovators.

5 Ways to Teach Your Kids to be Kidpreneurs (Infographic)

Infographic depicting ways to inspire innovation in children.

50 Things You Should Know About Inventions

"In the ancient world, philosopher Archimedes designed new machines for farming. During the Renaissance, artist Leonardo da Vinci sketched his ideas for wondrous flying machines. Scientist James Watt…

6-Year-Old Entrepreneur Pitches Idea on 'Shark Tank'

Kiowa Kavovit goes on Shark Tank to try and get a deal for her invention, BooBoo Goo, which is a colored liquid bandage for small scrapes and cuts

62 Projects to Make With a Dead Computer

"Computer hacking takes on a whole new meaning when you're going at it with a screwdriver and hammer: announcing the most wildly inventive, eco-friendly craft book on repurposing everyday objects sin…

8 Entrepreneurial Skills You Should Teach Your Kids

Article on 8 skills to teach kids about entrepreneurship

8 Inspiring Green Kids and Their Amazing Eco-Inventions!

Article about eco products made by kids (one was a grand prize winner from By Kids For Kids!)

A plan to recycle the unrecyclable

"From packing peanuts to disposable coffee cups, each year the US alone produces some two billion pounds of Styrofoam -- none of which can be recycled. Frustrated by this waste of resources and landf…

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine

"Ada Lovelace, the daughter of the famous romantic poet, Lord Byron, develops her creativity through science and math. When she meets Charles Babbage, the inventor of the first mechanical computer, A…

Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer

A biography written for young readers (grades 3-5) about Ada Lovelace. School Library Journal gives a review that states it is "great for read-alouds and lesson plans on coding."

Ada Twist, Scientist

"Like her classmates, builder Iggy and inventor Rosie, scientist Ada, a character of color, has a boundless imagination and has always been hopelessly curious. Why are there pointy things stuck to a …

Ada's Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's First Computer Programmer

This picture book biography of Ada Lovelace is a compelling portrait of a woman who saw the potential for numbers to make art.

Adafruit Learning System

Projects, guides, and tutorials on Arduino, microprocessors, and more. Thousands of shared projects from customers and other makers.

African American Women Scientists and Inventors

Tells what is known about 26 African American women inventors such as Ellen F. Eglin who invented the clothes-wringer. In the introduction, it is explained that there is a lack of information about t…

Africans Thought of It: Amazing Innovations

"Did you know that aloe vera—now found in countless products, including sunscreens and soaps—was first used by Africans? They ground it into powder and used it to treat burns and other skin condition…

After School Invention Club--Lessons Learned!

The article describes an after-school invention club's experience.

Age Didn’t Matter for These Young Entrepreneur Stars of ‘Shark Tank’

Summarizes four child/teen entrepreneurs who appeared on Shark Tank and how they fared.

Alanna Wall and Polish Girlz!

A 12-year-old girl talks about her non-profit, which provides manicures for children in hospitals.

Amazing Inventions Series

A series of 6 books for children from Pre-school to grade 2, each focusing on a single invention. "Young readers will learn about inventions that changed the world with the Amazing Inventions series.…

Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself

"Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself introduces readers to the life, world, and incredible mind of Leonardo da Vinci through hands-on building projects that explore his invent…

An 18-year-old boy has invented a bra that detects breast cancer

Julian Rios Cantu, an 18-year-old student in Mexico, inspired by his mother's experience with breast cancer, invented a bra, called EVA (the auto-exploration bra), which uses biosensors to detect for…

Andrea Beaty resources for classroom and home use

"Andrea Beaty is the bestselling author of ROSIE REVERE, ENGINEER. Her other books include the award winners Iggy Peck, Architect, Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies, and Secrets of the Cicada Summer. Andr…

Arab World Thought of It, The

"Ink-filled pens, mattresses, and bars of soap—these are only some of the inventions and innovations that have been passed down through the millennia from the peoples of Arab lands. Readers may be su…

Are They Really Learning? A Case Study of a School Library Makerspace

An "empirical study that investigates what and how students learn as well as challenges that teachers experience" (Koh) in Makerspaces, or, "these emerging learning spaces" (Koh).

Be a Maker! Book Series

"The Maker movement celebrates qualities such as ingenuity, problem solving, collaboration, and thinking “outside the box.” The Be a Maker! series embraces these same ideas to inspire new “makers” to…

Beam Center

"Beam Center builds communities of making and learning that enliven student curiosity, bridge the opportunity gap and prepare youth for the way the world works. Beam Center builds together with NYC y…

Ben Franklin's Big Splash: The Mostly True Story of His First Invention

"Every inventor has to start somewhere, and one of the greatest innovators in our history was no exception. Ben Franklin developed his first invention while doing what he loved best: swimming! Ben's …

Benji Franklin: Kid Zillionaire

"After inventing a bestselling excuse-generating app, twelve-year-old Benjamin ""Benji"" Franklin became the world's youngest and, well, only ZILLIONAIRE. Unlike other fat cats, this tiny tycoon uses…

Best of Instructables Volume I: Do-It-Yourself Projects from the World's Biggest Show & Tell (v. 1), The

"In just three years, Instructables.com has become one of the hottest destinations for makers and DIY enthusiasts of all stripes. Known as "the world's biggest show & tell," makers from around the gl…

Best STEM Books 2017

The NSTA explains in this article how they choose the best STEM books for children. The winning books "invite STEM-like thinking" (and NSTA explains exactly what is meant by that), and appropriately …

Billy Sure, Kid Entrepreneur

"Everyone is talking about Billy Sure, the twelve-year-old CEO of Sure Things, Inc. and genius inventor of the All Ball, a ball that turns into different sports balls with the push of a button. Now B…

Biohackerspace, DIYbio, and Libraries

Explains what a biohackerspace is and how libraries can become involved. A biohackerspace is a place where tools are provided to the public that they do not have at home, and in a biohackerspace, thi…

Blast Off! A Summer-Learning Challenge Uses Space Travel to Teach Twenty-First Century Problem-Solving Skills

The article reviews several books and websites on scientific topics; an excellent resource for teachers and parents looking for books on STEM topics for their children. Resources are provided for the…

Blog Basics: Copyright and Fair Use

This is a free lesson for students about fair use and copyright. The web page provides text and videos in a straightforward way, appropriate for upper elementary and secondary students.

Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The

Young Reader's Edition of the best-selling memoir of 14-year-old William Kamkwamba who uses scraps of metal, bicycle parts, and ingenuity to design a solution for his drought-ravaged African Village

Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth, The

"Plowing a potato field in 1920, a 14-year-old farm boy from Idaho saw in the parallel rows of overturned earth a way to “make pictures fly through the air.” This boy was not a magician; he was a sci…

Brainstorm: The Stories of Twenty American Kid Inventors

"Of the thousands of inventions filed each year since 1790 with the United States Patent Office, some have come from enterprising kids, and not just those who have grown up to be famous adult invento…

Breakthrough: How One Teen Innovator is Changing the World

Story of Jack Andraka and his breakthrough for detecting pancreatic cancer; includes do-it-yourself science experiments; a National Science Teachers Association Best STEM Book of 2017

Bringing Design Thinking to the School Library

Deisley explains how design thinking is a process we are beginning to teach students in classrooms across the US, a very specific process that leads to innovative solutions to problems. She then expl…

Build a Better Mousetrap

"Through observation, experimentation, and perseverance, humans through the ages have managed to solve a whole array of perplexing problems. These solutions have included such incredible inventions a…

Building a Culture of Collaboration: Most Likely to Succeed

Moreillon reviews the book, "Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era. In the review, she discusses the topics of innovation, makerspaces, student learning, and the power of …

Building a Culture of Collaboration: The Innovator's Mindset

Moreillon reviews George Couros's book, The Innovator Mindset, pointing out how important it is in creating a culture of collaboration and innovation in education.

Building Big

"As only he can, David Macaulay engages readers’ imaginations and gets them thinking about structures they see and use every day — bridges, tunnels, skyscrapers, domes, and dams. In Building Big he f…

Built By Kids

Their goal is to "empower families through building and bonding and encourage the next generation of makers to tackle the do-it-yourself projects of their dreams" (Built By Kids). Kids may join a kid…

By Kids For Kids (BKFK)

Caleb Davis Bradham: Pepsi-Cola Inventor

OUR COMMUNITY is a collection of motivated kids, parents, family and friends with impeccable taste and a serious knack for DIY.

Call for Innovative US Society Raises Important Questions About Education

"The article discusses the drive of U.S. President Barack Obama for a nationwide focus on innovation, yet raises a challenge on education. It offers tips on how to teach the five I's which stand for …

Calling All Minds: How to Think and Create Like an Inventor

" Have you ever wondered what makes a kite fly or a boat float? Have you ever thought about why snowflakes are symmetrical, or why golf balls have dimples? Have you ever tried to make a kaleidoscope …

Can we use competitions to create academic heroes?

Neubert contrasts how academic and athletic achievement is qualified and quantified, respectively. As a result, students easily make heroes out of athletes and scientists have little notability. Coul…

Center for Childhood Creativity

An organization founded to bridge the gap between academic research and putting the research into practice on young innovators; provides resources for schools, libraries, and other organizations

Changing Who Gets to Make the World

Highlights two videos (3 minutes and 1 minute in length) that show how REALM Charter School in Berkeley, CA has impacted students' lives and learning with their "Studio H" class, a design and build c…

Changing Who Gets to Make the World

Two videos (3 minutes and 1 minute in length) that show how REALM Charter School in Berkeley, CA has impacted students' lives and learning with their "Studio H" class, a design and build class. Video…

Children's Innovation Project

A project at Pittsburgh Allegheny K-5 (Pittsburgh Public Schools) that "embraces innovation as finding something new inside something known" and provides a space for children to "gain access to the t…

Chinese Thought of It: Amazing Inventions and Innovations, The

"Acupuncture, gun powder and the secrets to spinning silk are innovations that we have come to associate with China. But did you know that the Chinese also invented the umbrella? And toilet paper, in…

Classroom Connections: Overlooked Inventors and Their Notable Inventions

This Booklist review features 27 books (for audiences ranging from Kindergarten to Grade 6) about overlooked inventors and the stories behind their inventions. This collection of books should " inspi…

Clean Sweep! Frank Zamboni's Ice Machine

"When Frank Zamboni, along with his brother and cousin, opened their own skating rink in 1940 in Paramount, California, it could take an hour and a half for a crew to resurface the ice. They had to l…

Code.org

" Code.org® is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and underrepresented minorities. Our vision is that every student in every school s…

Collegiate Inventors Competition

"The Collegiate Inventors Competition was founded in 1990 to encourage and drive innovation and entrepreneurship at the collegiate level. The Competition brings together the nation’s brightest colleg…

Common Sense - Digital Compass game

An online choose-your-own-adventure game that allows students to determine which choices will lead them to desired outcomes. *The character with the pile of books will follow a path related to decisi…

Content-Rich Maker Project, A

Patterson shares a project in which students craft cardboard suits of armor while simultaneously working on literacy, math, and collaboration, and then teaching character traits instead of having a b…

Controlling the Ozobot (Makers as Innovators)

A book designed to foster creativity and problem solving while teaching young innovators how to control, and complete activities with the Ozobot (a small robot designed to follow user-created paths).

Copyright and Fair Use Lesson Plans

"These lessons engage advanced high school and college learners in understanding the role of copyright and fair use to support innovation. Created by Renee Hobbs, Sandra Braman and Katie Donnelly, th…

Copyright: Curriculum Resources

Resources for educators of high school and college students. Many resources are available for educators and librarians to train their colleagues on copyright and fair use. Teachers who are encouragin…

Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program Honors Two Top Winners and Ten National Finalists - from 8,000 Entries Nationwide

Article covering the 2003 Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program, including the winners and their winning inventions.

Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program: Students of Invention

"Thomas A. Edison said, "To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk." Well, the finalists in this year's Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Award Program had no shortage of imagination but…

Create, Explore, Tinker, and More

"The article presents a number of maker programs for kids. Information maker-themed summer reading program "Make It," by Arlington Heights Public Library in Illinois is offered. Makey Makey Invention…

Creating a Culture of Innovation: An Excerpt from T&L Leader

An article that addresses how to incorporate innovation in not just the students, but the teachers and librarians as well, so as to fully integrate an innovative culture in the classroom.

Creating in Technology Education: Providing Children With Glimpses of their Inventive Potential

"This article examines the claims of the school subject technology education (called Design and Technology in some countries) as a vehicle for inculcating creativity in the curriculum, by introducing…

Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World

Tony Wagner, an education expert, explores what parents, teachers, and employers must do to develop the capacities of young people to become innovators and provides a powerful rationale for developin…

Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors, The

"A discovery that made the world a brighter place! Joe and Bob Switzer were very different brothers. Bob was a studious planner who wanted to grow up to be a doctor. Joe dreamed of making his fortune…

Design Dossier: Graphic Design for Kids

"Kids will be encouraged to experience design firsthand in this interactive series that encompasses a variety of learning styles, develops creative problem-solving skills, and expands the ways in whi…

Design Dossier: The World of Design

"Kids experience design firsthand in this interactive series that engages a variety of learning styles and develops creative problem-solving skills. Books in the series focus on a wide array of desig…

Design Thinking: Prioritizing Process Skills

Part of the Schools that Work series, this video shows how students at Birmingham Covington School "become master problem solvers and collaborators by designing, building, and iterating on prototypes…

Designs From Our Past

A fourth grade teacher shares her lesson plan, implementation, and results. She encouraged her students to build replicas of inventions people used in ancient times. Photographs included.

Digital Shop Class: Fun and Profitable

Jarrett shares his design class (middle school students) experiences, ideas, and inspiration. His students are making and designing and becoming entrepreneurs.

DiscoverE

Engineering activities for kids, resources for teachers, and more to inspire students in the field of engineering.

DIY Kids

This website provides a sort of "Maker Scouts" program. Kids can "discover new skills, try hundreds of challenges, get peer feedback, and earn patches" (DIY).

Dos & don’ts for fostering creativity and innovation in the classroom

Sometips for helping teachers add creativity to the curriculum.

Dumpster Diver, The

"Anyone can dive for treasure in the ocean, but Steve dives for it in his neighborhood dumpster! As he delves into the trash each weekend, Steve encourages his young neighbors (aka the Diving Team) t…

Earmuff's for Everyone! How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs

"As a young boy, Chester Greenwood went from having cold ears to becoming a great inventor in this nonfiction picture book….Chester decided to do something about his freezing ears, and he designed th…

Edison Muckers

This website has much information on Thomas Edison in the form of nonfiction text and celebrates him and invention every day with a daily blog. There is an amazing collection of resources for teacher…

Educator's Room, The

The mission of the Educator's Room is "to empower teachers to be the experts in education. Through articles, events, and social media we will advocate for honest dialogue with teachers about how to i…

Eduplace's Invention Convention

This website is a resource for teachers who want to start their own Invention Convention. It's a step-by-step guide and overview.

Electric Ben: the Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin

"A true Renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin was the first American celebrity. In pictures and text, master artist Robert Byrd documents Franklin's numerous and diverse accomplishments, from framing th…

Ellen and Ford Surprise an Inspiring 10-Year-Old Entrepreneur

Cory Nieves goes on Ellen to talk about his cookie company (and exquisite fashion taste) and is surprised by a new car for his company from Ford

Embrace the Near Win

At her first museum job, art historian Sarah Lewis noticed something important about an artist she was studying: Not every artwork was a total masterpiece. She asks us to consider the role of the alm…

Embracing Failure: Building a Growth Mindset Through the Arts

Part of the Schools that Work series, this article and 5-minute video features New Mexico School For the Arts and how they are teaching high school students to embrace failure as part of cultivating …

Emmet's Storm

"Long before the discovery of Asperger's syndrome; long before STEM was a teaching approach, there were quirky, "different" kids who didn't quite fit in but were very intelligent. Often they were obs…

Encouraging Creativity and Innovation in Yourself and Your Students

While this article is geared towards higher education, there are principles that can apply to all ages, and certainly any educators can take advice or suggestions from this resource.

Engineer Girl

"The EngineerGirl website is designed to bring national attention to the exciting opportunities that engineering represents for girls and women" (Engineer Girl). The site provides information about f…

Engineering is Elementary (EiE)

"Engineering is Elementary supports educators and children with curricula and professional development that develop engineering literacy." Premade engineering lessons are available for purchase.

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) K-12

"This resource is designed to help you understand the mission and vision of EPICS as well as provide resources to learning communities to begin the journey to provide Real Design for Real People" (EP…

Engineering, Go For It (eGFI)

"Here you will find a variety of tools to boost your students’ math and science skills, enliven the classroom with engineering projects, expand your own professional horizons and stay informed. Subsc…

Entrepreneur.com

The online version of Entrepreneur magazine, readers can access articles on the topic of entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, and more, and many articles feature advice from successful entrepren…

Eureka! Great Inventions and How they Happened

"Eureka! Looks at the instances in which some of the world's greatest inventions were conceived and explains how creative genius has enabled some individuals to look right through a problem and come …

Eureka! How Inventions Happen

"Tracing the long pre-history of five twentieth-century inventions which have transformed our lives, Gavin Weightman reveals a fantastic cast of scientists and inspired amateurs whose ingenuity has g…

Everything Inventions (Time for Kids Book of WHAT)

"TIME For Kids The Book of What: Everything Inventions presents kids 8-12 years old with answers to the kinds of intriguing questions that appeal to their sense of curiosity. Colorful graphics, spect…

Evil Intentions (Horrible Science Series)

"A romp through the history of invention and machines covering everything from the bicycle to the atomic bomb. Crammed full of fun features, quizzes and cartoons" (Jacket flap).

Exploravision

This website is where students and teachers can find out about the Exploravision challenge for students K-12. Students combine science and innovation to explore a vision of future technology. At the …

Exploring Flight the Wright Way

"The Wright brothers' example of determination and creative thinking encourages kids to be inventive, to learn from their mistakes, and to explore things that no one has yet had the courage to explor…

Extraordinaires Design Studio

"The Extraordinaires® Design Studio is the creative thinking game for problem solvers aged between 8 and 108" (Self-description). "Wehad made an activity kit to introduce children to the world of inv…

Fablearn Fellows

"We bring together experienced educators from around the world to create an open-source library of curriculum and contribute to research about the “makers” culture and digital fabrication in educatio…

Failure: Seeds of Innovation

"Lesson focuses on how failure is part of the engineering process." For ages 8-18 and comes with a full lesson plan and student worksheets, as well as a "curriculum alignment" sheet.

Fantastic Ferris Wheel: The Story of Inventor George Ferris, The

The story of George Ferris's invention of the Ferris Wheel.

Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and her Flying Machine

"Ruth Law, 1916 biplane pilot, improves and redesigns flight equipment" (NSTA) and flies cross-country, setting a new record.

First Lego League

"The mission of FIRST is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting Mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technolog…

Float

"A boy’s small paper boat—and his large imagination—fill the pages of this wordless picture book, a modern-day classic...that includes endpaper instructions for building a boat [and paper airplane] o…

For Kids About Inventors and Inventing: African American Inventors

25 African American innovators and their stories

Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor (Book 1 in 6-book series)

"Clever science experiments, funny jokes, and robot hijinks await readers in the first of six books in the New York Times bestselling Frank Einstein chapter book series from the mad scientist team of…

Furs, Fins, and Feathers: Abraham Dee Bartlett and the Invention of the Modern Zoo

"Abraham Dee Bartlett knew from a young age that he wanted to spend his life working with animals. But in Victorian London, there weren’t many jobs that provided an opportunity to do that. Still, Abr…

Future City Competition

An annual competition for middle school students. A project-based learning program where the students imagine, research, design and build future cities.

Future of Libraries, The

An article written for the Smithsonian Magazine, this resource highlights a collection of winners, chosen by the Knight Foundation, who came up with the best, most innovative ideas for helping librar…

Future of Library Services Supporting Teen Learning: Perceptions of Professionals in Learning Labs and Makerspaces

"Learning Labs and Makerspaces provide informal learning spaces in which teens can create, invent, socialize, and work with mentors and peers. These innovative learning spaces facilitate teens’ authe…

Genetic Engineering

"From apples that don't turn brown when you slice them to new ways of treating deadly diseases, genetics are at the heart of many of today's most incredible innovations. Readers will learn about the …

Genius Inventors and Their Great Ideas Series

This biography series of great inventors highlights the lives of 6 inventors and their inventions: Vivien Thomas (heart surgery); James Naismith (game of basketball); George Ferris (Ferris Wheel); Ph…

Girl Who Thought in Pictures: the Story of Dr. Temple Grandin, The

"When young Temple was diagnosed with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science. Yet, the determined visual thinker did just that. Her un…

Girls and Young Women Inventing: Twenty True Stories About Inventors Plus How You Can Be One Yourself

"In these first-person stories, readers discover the problems and frustrations of 20 young inventors and learn what motivated them and how they solved their problems. Step-by-step instructions on how…

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women

Inspiring history of women and girls and their ingenious innovations, such as the windshield wiper, disposable diaper, ice-cream maker).

Go

A "stunning introduction to the ways in which a designer communicates his or her ideas to the world. It’s written and designed just for those curious kids, not to mention their savvy parents, who wan…

Going Places

"It's time for this year's Going Places contest! Finally. Time to build a go-cart, race it - and win. Each kid grabs an identical kit, and scrambles to build. Everyone but Maya. She sure doesn't seem…

Going Up! Elisha Otis's Trip to the Top

" In 1818, seven-year-old Elisha was fascinated by farm machinery. As a young man, he tried a variety of ways to make a living, but nothing fired his imagination more than the job he found in a bed-f…

Google Patent Search

Search and read the full text of patents from around the world.

Green City: How One City Survived a Tornado and Built a Sustainable Future

"In 2007, a tornado destroyed Greensburg, Kansas, and the residents were at a loss as to what to do next--they didn't want to rebuild if their small town would just be destroyed in another storm. So …

Growing Learning Communities Through School Libraries and Makerspaces--Creating, Constructing, Collaborating, Contributing

This slideshow presents and introduction to makerspaces and the maker movement as well as provides examples of the possibilities of successful maker activities and programs in libraries. Links to fur…

Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding

""Hello Ruby is half picture book and half activity book rolled into one adorable package. It introduces programming without requiring a computer at all. The point of the book isn’t to teach you a pr…

Hello Ruby: Journey Inside a Computer

"What exactly is a computer? How does it work? What is it made of? Learn all this and more with Ruby! In Ruby's world anything is possible if you put your mind to it―even fixing her father's broken c…

Here's how to foster creative problem solving

This article from eSchool News provides four ideas to foster creative problem solving in children of all ages.

Here's What You Do When You Can't Find Your Shoe: Ingenious Inventions for Pesky Problems

Poetry about imaginary inventions to make life easier for kids. High-energy, humorous poems.

High School Kid Develops a Wearable Device for Parkinson's Patients

A ring designed by Utkarsh Tandon as a freshman in high school in 2014 which monitors Parkinson's patients' tremors and delivers the data to an iOS app as a daily report

High Tech Invention

"This article proposes a more complex consideration of the idea-generation stage of the document design process. Survey data collected from multiple sections of graphic design and technical communica…

Hole Story of the Doughnut, The

"In 1843, fourteen-year-old Hanson Gregory left his family home in Rockport, Maine, and set sail as a cabin boy on the schooner Achorn, looking for high-stakes adventure on the high seas. Little did …

Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball

"Taking over a rowdy gym class right before winter vacation is not something James Naismith wants to do at all. The last two teachers of this class quit in frustration. The students—a bunch of energe…

How the Maker Movement is Transforming Education

Article about the history of the maker movement, its importance, and how to bring it to your school.

How to get students interested in STEM

5 ways to expand science curricula and get children excited about learning

How to Kickstart Maker Education

Boss offers advice on how to start a makerspace with specific strategies.

How to Promote Creative Thinking

An article on Scholastic's website for promoting creating thinking in grades Pre-K to K - provides a definition for "creativity" and suggestions for cultivating creative thinking in classrooms.

How to Think Like a Scientist: Answering Questions by the Scientific Method

"Every day you answer questions-dozens, even hundreds of them. How do you find the answers to questions? How can you be sure your answers are correct? Scientists use questions to learn about things. …

Howtoons: Playground

"This 24 page booklet teaches kids (ages 7-12) how to use tools and build projects including a swing, zipline, a see saw, monkey bars, and a rope ladder" (Lemelson-MIT).

Howtoons: Seeing the Future: A Guide to Visual Communication

"This booklet teaches kids (ages 7-12) how to get their ideas on paper by creating a patent drawing. Activities include drawing 2D lines and figures, creating thumbnail sketches of their invention, a…

I am Inventing an Invention (A Charlie and Lola Book)

"Charlie and Marv have to create an invention for school. But it's due tomorrow! Lola thinks she is an amazing inventor, and she keeps pestering Charlie and Marv with her ideas. But just as the boys …

I is for Idea: An Inventions Alphabet

"For every budding scientist who would like to think beyond the smoking volcano, diorama, and colored graphs of the typical school science fair. I is for Idea explores the development of bicycles, zi…

Idea Hacks: Come up with 10x More Creative Ideas in 1/2 the Time

"I. C. Robledo has developed and tested 16 “idea hacks”. You can use them to come up with many more creative ideas, and in much less time than you ever have. The more you use the hacks, the more you …

If I Built a Car

"Young Jack is giving an eye-opening tour of the car he'd like to build. There's a snack bar, a pool, and even a robot named Robert to act as chauffeur. With Jack's soaring imagination in the driver'…

If I Built a House

"In If I Built a Car, imaginative Jack dreamed up a whimsical fantasy ride that could do just about anything. Now he's back and ready to build the house of his dreams, complete with a racetrack, flyi…

Iggy Peck, Architect

This picture book is "about believing in yourself and pursuing your passion" (Amazon), and in Iggy's case, building and designing.

iKids (Inventive kids)

"The Inventive Kids site is a place where children and adults can learn about inventors and inventions, and their own creative potential!" (iKids). The website includes lists of books for kids on the…

Imaginative Inventions: The Who, What, Where, When, and Why of Roller Skates, Potato Chips, Marbles, and Pie (and More!)

"Written in verse and filled with full-color illustrations drawn by the author, this book invites young readers inside the minds of great inventors, encouraging them to think imaginatively as it offe…

In the Bag! Margaret Knight Wraps It Up

"Tundra's Great Idea Series are early-reader biographies. The third book in the series introduces the fascinating Margaret Knight. Known as Mattie, she was different from most American girls living i…

Incredible Inventions

"Inventions can be big, like roller coasters, or small, like crayons. And inventors can be scientists or athletes or even boys and girls! It's hard to imagine life without Popsicles, basketball, or B…

Indian teenager develops technique to detect silent heart attacks

"Akash Manoj discovers method of analyzing a specific protein in the blood that determines if patient is at risk" (Independent).

Innovation 101

A set of five 45-minute lessons plans centered around innovation and historic innovators - includes post module activities for students. Can be used by school teachers, youth service providers, and i…

Innovation in Libraries Grant

A grant that was recently created (March, 2017) to fund innovative, library-related projects. Winners receive $50/month for up to $1,000, reporting back publicly on what worked, what didn't, etc.

Innovation Nation: How Canadian innovators made the world smarter, smaller, kinder, safer, healthier, wealthier, and happier

A collection of 50 kid-friendly Canadian innovations that changed the world - published to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday. "Innovation Nation moves through history to explore what circumstances, i…

Innovator's Mindset, The

"In The Innovator's Mindset, George Couros encourages teachers and administrators to empower their learners to wonder, to explore--and to become forward-thinking leaders. If we want innovative studen…

Innovators: How a Groups of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution, The

"The Innovators is a masterly saga of collaborative genius destined to be the standard history of the digital revolution—and an indispensable guide to how innovation really happens." - follows the st…

Inside Look at an Award-Winning Maker Program

Jerrett's students' work with design got them invited to the White House to celebrate the National Week of Making. Provides links to resources for other teachers interested in design thinking program…

Inspire Innovation Lab

An online and in-person resource for educators, students, and the community with a goal of "connecting educators, students, and the community to STEAM education through creativity, innovation, and fu…

Inspiring Invention

Advertising a 2009 Public Service Announcement Contest for students, this website also provides resources for teachers including lesson plans on inventions and inventors, quizzes, and biographies wri…

Instructables for Education

For students, "A premium membership means access to all of our classes. Learn everything that Instructables has to offer with classes ranging from electronics to pasta making to leatherworking. If yo…

Instructables.com

"Instructables is a platform for you to share what you make through words, photos, video and files. From a one step recipe to a 100 step jet engine build, everyone has something to share…the biggest …

Introduction to Inventions, An

"Anyone with a great idea can create and commercialize their own invention, but it helps to know the basics. Get started by learning about the relationship between patents and the market value of inv…

Inuit Thought of It, The

"Today’s Arctic communities have all the comforts of modern living. Yet the Inuit survived in this harsh landscape for hundreds of years with nothing but the land and their own ingenuity. Join author…

Invent To Learn

This website has "hundreds of curated resources, links, and shopping recommendations for making" (Martinez & Stager) including hundreds of project ideas.

Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom

"There’s a technological and creative revolution underway. Amazing new tools, materials and skills turn us all into makers. Using technology to make, repair or customize the things we need brings eng…

Inventing Stuff

"Empower students to tap into their creativity and ingenuity to invent toys, games, and solutions to everyday problems. An ideal resource for students submitting entries to science fairs or invention…

Inventing the Future

This article for kids describes some interesting inventions on which inventors are currently working (as of May 2, 2017). If the article is accessed online, links to videos and other relevant content…

Inventing the Invented for STEM Understanding

"The reverse engineering of simple inventions that were of historic significance is now possible in a classroom by using digital models provided by places like the Smithsonian. The digital models can…

Inventing the Skateboard

"Compelling narrative nonfiction text presents the story of the skateboard's invention: why there was a need for it, its design and testing, the science behind it, and its lasting impact. Additional …

Inventions That Could Have Changed the World…but Didn't!

"The fascinating stories of inventions that could have changed the world, should have made a difference, or would have astounded us all, but for one reason or another, didn’t. Some inventions were to…

Inventor Handbook

Students will learn about intellectual property, what can be patented, whether or not their own invention is patentable, how to conduct a patent search, whether or not the idea is worth patenting, ho…

Inventor McGregor

"Inventor McGregor can invent most anything that needs inventing, from a barking bag for the postman to bouncing boots for wee Willie. At his home workshop, McGregor never knows when inspiration will…

Inventor's Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford, The

"Thomas Edison and Henry Ford started off as insatiably curious tinkerers. That curiosity led them to become inventors--with very different results. As Edison invented hit after commercial hit, gaini…

Inventors at Work! Series

"Written for the upper elementary student, these are fun biographies of inventors of major items young readers’ know or use in their daily lives. Each title includes anecdotes and details the invento…

Inventors Educational Programs

"Inspired by the Inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, our educational programs are designed to impact young minds through fun, hands-on activities infused with the spirit of innovation. …

Inventor’s Workshop

"Our classic, kid-tested, inventor-approved kit teaches and inspires inquisitive children and nurtures innovative minds. By reading the 96-page Inventor's Handbook, young inventors will learn how to …

Izzy The Whiz and Passover McClean

"Izzy the Whiz is an amateur inventor who, right before Passover, creates a super duper machine that whirs and purrs and munches and crunches and miraculously cleans the entire house just in time for…

Jack Andraka, the Teen Prodigy of Pancreatic Cancer

A sophomore in high school, Jack Andraka, invented a new test for pancreatic cancer

Journal of Library Innovation

A peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, literature reviews, commentaries, case studies, reports on innovative practices, and book, conference and product reviews.

Kid Inventors Day (K.I.D.)

This website helps kids celebrate the annual "Kid Inventors' Day," January 17, and to help celebrate, this website provides a list of teacher resources for helping kids become inventors, a list of bo…

Kid Who Invented the Popsicle: And Other Surprising Stories About Inventions, The

"Beginning with animal crackers and ending with the zipper, this book alphabetically lists 114 inventions and briefly describes how they came into being. Among the items noted are blue jeans, doughnu…

Kid Who Invented the Trampoline: More Extraordinary Stories of Inventions, The

"This book is packed with fifty incredible stories about how things we now take for granted came to be. Perfect for trivia fans of all ages, The Kid Who Invented the Trampoline has a hip retro look a…

Kidpreneurs

Blog on kids talking about their inventions

Kidpreneurs: Young Entrepreneurs With Big Ideas!

Book introducing children to basic business and entrepreneurship principles

Kids Inventing: A Handbook for Young Inventors.

" Kids Inventing! gives you easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for turning your ideas into realities for fun, competition, and even profit. From finding an idea and creating a working model to…

Kids' Invention Book, The

13 vignettes about modern-day kid inventors, the steps of the invention process, information on applying for a patent and starting an inventor's club. Many resources provided for young inventors.

Klutz Book of Inventions, The

"This volume is a 200-page catalog of never-before-seen contraptions that are equal parts brilliant, useful, and ridiculous. None of them exist as actual products, but in a better world, a funnier wo…

Latin Americans Thought of It

"Travel from the ancient hidden city of Machu Picchu high in the Andes, past Mayan ruins over 2,000 years old, to the bustling modern cities of São Paulo and Buenos Aires. Along the way, readers will…

Learning to take risks, learning to succeed

An article sponsored by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), based in the UK. The ultimate goal of this organization is for students to be prepared before entering the…

Lemelson--MIT InvenTeams

"The Lemelson-MIT Program celebrates outstanding inventors and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.We recognize emerging collegiate inventors whose inventions…

Leonardo da Vinci Gets a Do-Over

The story of three American middle school students who meet da Vinci in Florence and discover the secrets of science, math, history, etc. Part of a "Innovators in Action" blended fiction series.

Lesson Ideas to Inspire Innovations

A slide share of lesson plans, apps, websites, and other resources for educators to use to inspire innovation in their students.

Let's raise kids to be entrepreneurs

Recognizing traits in children, such as the having trouble in structured classes, and raising them to be entrepreneurs, as opposed to restricting them to choices like lawyer or doctor

Librarian's Guide to Makerspaces: 16 Resources, A

A list of 12 articles and blogs about makerspaces, and 4 Makerspace directories. A resources for makers, librarians, and educators.

Librarian's Guide to OER in the Maker Space, A

Fleming explains how Open Educational Resources (OER) can help librarians and teachers in their maker movements; the article also provides links to specific OERs specifically related to the Makerspac…

Library As Makerspace

This library blog is frequently updated with articles, posts, and resources that highlight this Massachusetts library's transition to "adding content creation" to their list of services. Ideas for ma…

Library Innovation Toolkit, The

A collection of articles made into a sourcebook for librarians to discover new ways to be innovative within the library and to encourage innovation in their communities.

Little Clickers

"LittleClickers is created by Children’s Technology Review, and is sponsored by Computer Explorers. Neither have commercial interests in the sites. Sites and videos were selected by the editorial tea…

Maker Ed

"Across a varied number and type of opportunities, Maker Ed works closely with individuals and institutions to provide training, resources, and a community of support. We offer everything from nation…

Maker Education

"Find resources and tools to help bring elements of maker culture into schools and classrooms, and encourage students to explore STEAM subjects within the context of maker projects" (Edutopia)

Maker Faire

"We call it the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth. Maker Faire is part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new! As a celebration of the Maker Movement, it's a family-friendly sh…

Maker Movement 2.0

Describes the Maker Movement in terms of college Maker Spaces and how educators K-12 are trying to include making to inspire students to become engineers. AnneMarie Thomas is featured and described a…

Maker Movement, The

From the authors of Invent to Learn, this article focuses on the maker movement. "Several technologies that enable students to solve real-world problems are given including personal fabrication, phys…

Maker-Centered Learning: Empowering Young People to Shape their Worlds

"The Agency by Design guide to implementing maker-centered teaching and learning Maker-Centered Learning provides both a theoretical framework and practical resources for the educators, curriculum de…

Makerspace Starter Kit

Jones's blog is a resources to educators and librarians who would like to start a makerspace. Includes links to resources, examples from her own makerspace, and more.

Makerspace tips and advice from the front lines

Three makerspace experts share their best practices

Makerspaces, Hackerspaces, and Fab Labs: Resources

This webpage is the ultimate resource for connecting with other makerspaces. Martinez and Stader provide directories for makerspaces, hackerspaces, museum makerspaces, library makerspaces, and fab la…

Makeshop

"MAKESHOP is a space for hands-on building and tinkering with old and new technologies, exciting projects and cutting-edge media. Here you can play around with ideas, make things together and mess ar…

Makezine.com

"Make: is the magazine for Makers, which was first published in 2005 and used the word “Maker” to name the community. Now in its 13th year, Make: is published bi-monthly in print and features dozens …

Making + Learning

"The goal of Making+Learning is to build the capacity of libraries and museums to create and sustain effective makerspaces and related programs for learning" (Making + Learning). The website includes…

Making and Learning in Museum Libraries: A Practitioner's Guide and Framework

"The goal of Making+Learning is to build the capacity of libraries and museums to create and sustain effective makerspaces and related programs for learning" (About Us

Making Literacy-Innovation Connections - EVALUATING the Program

EVALUATING THE PROGRAM: Libraries place a high importance on being able to evaluate the effectiveness and reach of their programming effort and share with stakeholders. Under "Notes" below, you can a…

Making Literacy-Innovation Connections - MARKETING the Program

MARKETING THE PROGRAM: Under the Resources field below, you can access several products of this IMLS-funded grant that may be helpful as you market the program to parents and children. These include …

Making Literacy-Innovation Connections - PREPARING for the Program

PREPARING FOR THE PROGRAM: Under the Resources field below, you can access products of the grant that will help you prepare to deliver this program beginning with the detailed Program Handbook. The h…

Making Makers: Kids, Tools, and the Future of Innovation

"This is a book for parents and other educators—both formal and informal, who are curious about the intersections of learning and making. Through stories, research, and data, it builds the case for w…

Making of an Elementary School Makerspace, The

A blog created and maintained by the teachers of a K-5 elementary school in South Portland, Maine. This blog mainly provides suggestions and tools about creating Makerspaces, but there are other stor…

Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor

"With her sketchbook labeled My Inventions and her father's toolbox, Mattie could make almost anything – toys, sleds, and a foot warmer. When she was just twelve years old, Mattie designed a metal gu…

Marvelous Thing that Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy that Swept the Nation, The

The story of the accidental invention of the slinky

Meet a young entrepreneur, cartoonist, designer, activist…

Maya Penn started a retail website when she was 8 to sell her line of knit scarves and eco-friendly hats, and she recently started a side non-profit called Maya's Ideas 4 the Planet.

Megan Frazer Blakemore website

Megan Blakemore is a school librarian and author who has created a website for teachers and kids that includes a blog, an FAQ for kids, writing lessons for educators, and projects for promoting liter…

Metal Man

"Devon visits the Metal Man at his fiery workshop every day, despite the scorching heat of the city where he lives. At the Metal Man's shop, sparks fly from his welding torch as he cuts and melts tog…

Milton Hershey's Sweet Idea: A Chocolate Kingdom

"Who hasn't tasted a Hershey chocolate bar? Milton Hershey’s chocolate is famous around the world, but his chocolate empire didn't happen overnight. Learn the story behind the name as you follow alon…

Minecraft: Education Edition

"Minecraft: Education Edition is an open-world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive environment where the only limit is your imagination" (Mojang). Search…

Miracle Mud: Lena Blackburne and the Secret Mud That Changed Baseball

"Lena Blackburne loved baseball. He watched it, he played it, he coached it. But he didn't love the ways players broke in new baseballs. Tired of soggy, blackened, stinky baseballs, he found a better…

Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions and How They Came to Be

"Popsicles, potato chips, Silly Putty, Velcro, and many other familiar things have fascinating stories behind them. In fact, dozens of products and everyday items had surprisingly haphazard beginning…

Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era

"Most Likely to Succeed presents a new vision of American education, one that puts wonder, creativity, and initiative at the very heart of the learning process and prepares students for today’s econo…

Most Magnificent Thing, The

A young girl is going to create a "magnificent thing," but fails in early attempts. She copes, resumes her work, and ultimately succeeds. "For the early grades' exploration of character education, th…

MOVING PAST START-UP: SUPPORTING LIBRARY MAKERSPACES OVER TIME

This article features ways that libraries have overcome the initial hurdles involved in creating a makerspace and have moved to maintaining programming and reaching sustainability, particularly by co…

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel

"Capturing an engineer's creative vision and mind for detail, this fully illustrated picture book biography sheds light on how the American inventor George Ferris defied gravity and seemingly impossi…

MSI Chicago Games: Simple Machines

The MSI Chicago's website provides games for educators "to inspire the next generation of innovators (MSIChicago). The Simple Machines game is a fun challenge for players as they create simple machin…

My Robots: The Robotic Genius of Lady Regina Bonquers III

"In this intriguing volume, noted monstrologist and alienologist Johan Olander reveals the works of the talented inventor Lady Regina Bonquers III, a genius recluse who mysteriously disappeared in 19…

National Gallery for America's Young Inventors

This is a Hall of Fame for young inventors, and this site lists all inductees (1988 to present), serves as a gallery of photos from all of the ceremonies, and a source of brief descriptions of each i…

National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo (NICEE)

"STEMIE is a new education framework that elevates youth invention and entrepreneurship education to a core part of K-12 education. STEMIE stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math linked…

Native American Thought of It: Amazing Inventions and Innovations, A

"Everyone knows that moccasins, canoes and toboggans were invented by the Aboriginal people of North America, but did you know that they also developed their own sign language, syringe needles and a …

Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci

"An introduction to Leonardo da Vinci's genius focusing on his famous notebook sketches and the modern inventions they predicted...At once an artist, inventor, engineer, and scientist, da Vinci wrote…

Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives

1

Novel Engineering

"Inspired by kids and grounded in research, Novel Engineering is an innovative approach to integrate engineering and literacy in elementary and middle school. Students use existing classroom literatu…

Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin

"What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Benjamin Franklin, you'd set up these organizations yourself. Franklin also de…

Odyssey of the Mind

"The largest creative problem solving competition in the world!" (Odyssey of the Mind). An international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from Kin…

Organizing for Innovation

A lesson plan offered by PBS in which "students will learn the mechanisms by which to filter their ideas and narrow their focus to select only the best, most viable potential innovations for further …

Our Schools Should Teach Kids to Fail

Keith Peters, an educator and elementary school principal, shares some ideas on the importance of making failure a part of our school curricula.

Out of the Box

"Twenty-five interactive cardboard model projects that engage kids' creativity and "out of the box" thinking skills through hands-on learning and the application of science-based principles. Kids can…

Pint-Size C.E.O., The

A video about Moziah Bridges, who learned to sew from his grandmother, and then started his own high-end bow tie fashion line. The video focuses on the parent-child relationship, the role the mother …

Poco Loco

"Meet Poco Loco. He's a very unusual ratón. He likes to invent wacky things. When Poco Loco's Waffle Iron-Weather Forecaster predicts mal tiempo, Poco Loco runs to tell his barnyard friends. But it's…

Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum

"Gum. It’s been around for centuries—from the ancient Greeks to the American Indians, everyone’s chewed it. But the best kind of gum—bubble gum!—wasn’t invented until 1928, when an enterprising young…

Problem Solving Activities: How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills in Kids

Suggestions for parents on how to promote critical thinking in their young children

Red Madness

"One hundred years ago, a mysterious and alarming illness spread across America’s South, striking tens of thousands of victims. No one knew what caused it or how to treat it. People were left weak, d…

Renovated Learning

One librarian's experience renovating her library into a Makerspace, plus multiple resources for librarians or educators who would like to do the same, including a blog, videos, brief articles, links…

Research Summary: Competencies for Information Professionals in Learning Labs and Makerspaces

"In order for these innovative programs and spaces to be sustainable [makerspaces and learning labs], it is essential that they are staffed by qualified professionals and support staff... The authors…

Resources for Maker Education

"Find resources and tools to help bring elements of maker culture into schools and classrooms, and encourage students to explore STEAM subjects within the context of maker projects" (Edutopia). Inclu…

Rethinking failure: Barbara Corcoran at TEDxBarnardCollege

In her TEDxBarnardCollege talk, Barbara Corcoran kicks off the day with her personal, first hand experience of embracing failure and re-imagining what it has meant for her own path to success.

Rosie Revere's Big Project Book

"Embark on an adventure of personal creativity and invention with fan favorite Rosie Revere! This activity book features art from the picture book Rosie Revere, Engineer and will inspire young reader…

Rosie Revere, Engineer

"Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she’s a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her great-great-aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes f…

Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors

Students, grades 5-8, are invited to participate in this national contest in which they create something out of rubber bands. The website provides information about participation but also lesson plan…

Rube Goldberg Machine Contest

Rube Goldberg, Inc. is a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting STEM & STEAM education for students of all ages. It's "dedicated to keeping laughter and invention alive through the legacy of its names…

School Libraries as Innovation Spaces: Stimulating Creativity and Inventive Thinking

DOUBLE CHECK WITH DR. RUTH THAT IT IS OKAY TO INCLUDE THIS RESOURCE

Scratch

"With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively…

Secret Subway, The

This is the award-winning story of the invention of the subway and how Alfred Ely Beach was inspired to design an create it. He solved a transportation problem.

Sharpen Your Skills at a Youth Entrepreneur Camp

Casnocha explains what a teen/parent can expect a an entrepreneur/business camp for teens, and he provides a list of such camps.

Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science & Technology

"The Siemens Foundation established the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology in 1999. The Competition is the nation’s premier science research competition for high school students and se…

Six Dots

The story of Louis Braille's persistence and creativity as he creates a way for reading and writing for people who cannot see.

Sketchup

"There’s a reason SketchUp is synonymous with friendly and forgiving 3D modeling software: we don’t sacrifice usability for the sake of functionality. Start by drawing lines and shapes. Push and pull…

Smithsonian's Maker Lab: 28 Super Cool Projects: Build, Invent, Create, Discover

"Each step-by-step activity is appropriate for kids ages 8–12, and ranked easy, medium, or hard, with an estimated time frame for completion. Requiring only household materials, young makers can buil…

Snowmobile: Bombardier's Dream Machine

"In 1922, when Joseph-Armand Bombardier was fifteen years old he built his first snow vehicle. He had always loved to tinker with motors and make things go, and he dreamed of building a vehicle that …

So You Want to Be an Inventor?

"Enthusiastic, fact-filled picture-book tribute to predominately American and European inventors" (Amazon).

Solar Cooker Promotes Design and Problem Solving on a Low Budget

"The article focuses on the creation of a solar cooker by students of Bremen High School in Indiana initiated by engineering and industrial technology teacher Keith Board. Topics discussed include th…

Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea

The true story of Marie Tharpe, who despite obstacles and failures became the first person to chart the ocean floor and ultimately discovered the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Sources of Innovation and Creativity, The

This paper is also aimed more at organizations and adult employees, but there are a couple of chapters dedicated to recommendations for education and teaching creativity and innovation in students.

Spark of Invention Series

"Compelling narrative nonfiction text[s] presents the stor[ies] of [7 different inventions, one per book, explaining] why there was a need for it, its design and testing, the science behind it, and i…

SparkFun Education

"Spark the spirit of innovation in learners, and ignite great things! When students are free to invent and create, they begin to see technology as a means for solving real-world problems and taking t…

Sparking Curiosity and Solving Real-World Problems

This video features a program at Birmingham Covington School in which students apply science literacy skills "explore science problems outside classroom walls" (Edutopia). Full transcript provided, a…

Stay Current on Copyright

The author discusses the importance for librarians to teach students about the use, nature, and purpose of copyrighted work and its effect on the market. The value of educating students about copyrig…

STEAM Kids: 50+ Science/Technology/Engineering/Art/Math Hands-On Projects for Kids

"A year's worth of captivating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) activities that will wow the boredom right out of kids! Created by an MIT engineer, award winning educators, design…

STEM Education & Activities for Preschoolers

A list of suggestions for STEM activities for kids in preschool - provides further resources at the end of the article for anyone hoping to learn more or dig deeper.

STEMIE Coalition, The

"STEMIE is a new education framework that elevates youth invention and entrepreneurship education to a core part of K-12 education. STEMIE stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math linked…

Steven Caney's Invention Book

"Kids are natural inventors, bursting with notions so crazy they just might work. Chester Greenwood was just a boy when his big cold ears prompted him to fashion wire and fur into the world's first e…

Stinky Sanitation Inventions

"Did you know that people with rakes used to do the work of garbage trucks? Or that porta-potties were put on ships to keep workers from running to shore for bathroom breaks? Get ready to learn the o…

Story of Things: From the Stone Age to the Modern Age in 10 Pop-Up Spreads, The

"Starting with early humans who have no things, through to farming, civilizations, inventions, steam, electricity, computers, and the world we live in now, Neal Layton explores ideas, inventions and …

Stronger Than Steel: Spider Silk DNA and the Quest for Better Bulletproof Vests, Sutures, and Parachute Rope

"In Stronger Than Steel, readers enter Randy Lewis' lab where they come face to face with golden orb weaver spiders, and transgenic alfalfa, silkworm silk, and goats, whose milk contains the proteins…

Student ideas for a better America (SIBA)

This is a national competition for inventors grades K-12, and there is no deadline. The website provides the means to participate as well as many challenge scenarios for teachers ("inventucators") to…

Super Business Girl, Asia Newson

An 11-year old girl talks about her business and motivations. She learned to make and sell candles from her father, and now she is the "founder and CEO" of her candle business as well as an organizat…

Super Cool Tech

"See today's best innovations and imagine tomorrow's big ideas in this cutting-edge guide that explores how incredible new technologies are shaping the modern world and its future with more than 250 …

Super Gear: Nanotechnology and Sports Team Up

"Take a close-up look at sports and nanotechnology, the cutting-edge science that manipulates objects at the atomic level. Nanotechnology is used to create high-tech swimsuits, tennis rackets, golf c…

SWAP!

"In a young scalawag's first tale of bartering, a peg-legged youngster sets out to help his captain repair his vessel. One button for three teacups. SWAP! Two teacups for four coils of rope. SWAP! An…

Sylvia's Super Awesome Maker Show

This website has all of Super Sylvia's DIY maker show episodes (videos). Current episodes include paper projects, arduinos, rockets, squishy circuits, and copper etching, just to name a few.

Teach Engineering: Curriculum for K-12 Educators

"Standards-aligned engineering lessons and hands-on activities for use in science, engineering, and math classrooms." (Teach Engineering). "TeachEngineering is a searchable, web-based digital library…

Teaching Empathy Through Design Thinking

Alrubail defines "design thinking" and gives advice with a step-by-step plan to teachers who want to teach design thinking to their students in order to also teach empathy.

Teaching Methods to Make Your Child More Innovative

Article for parents and teachers on tips to make kids more innovative

Teaching Middle Schoolers to Patent Their Creations

Jarrett, a middle school teacher, shares his experiences and the resources he found most helpful when teaching his students about patents and helping them in the patent acquisition process after they…

Teaching Your Children to Innovate

Boyd gives advice to parents on how to teach children to create ideas systematically.

Team America Rocketry Challenge

"TARC is the world’s largest rocketry contest and the aerospace industry’s signature STEM program for middle and high school students. Over the course of the contest, students learn to use hands on e…

Teen Inventor Alexis Lewis On Youth and the Innovative Spirit

An article released by the Smithsonian Magazine of an interview with Alexis Lewis, a 15-year-old inventor. She speaks on the importance on inventing and innovation for kids and her experiences being …

Teen Inventor Alexis Lewis On Youth and the Innovative Spirit

A video released by the Smithsonian Magazine of an interview with Alexis Lewis, a 15-year-old inventor. She speaks on the importance on inventing and innovation for kids and her experiences being a y…

Ten Inventors Who Changed the World

"Each section offers a succinct yet thorough biography of the inventors. Striking graphic-novel-style art is a visual aid to draw readers into each setting and era. Life-link boxes connect the invent…

The Cardboard Kingdom

"Welcome to a neighborhood of kids who transform ordinary boxes into colorful costumes, and their ordinary block into cardboard kingdom. This is the summer when sixteen kids encounter knights and rog…

The Fix it Man

"Meet Joshua James, the fix-it man. If he can’t fix it, no one can! When a stinky problem arises, Joshua James takes matters into his own hands with a little help from his younger sister, Sophie. Thi…

THE INTRINSIC MOTIVATION OF YOUTH INNOVATORS: INDICATORS BASED ON DECI & RYAN’S SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY

This paper explores whether self-determination theory is a viable foundation for studying youth motivation to engage in innovation. It describes a qualitative study in which 48 recognized youth innov…

The NASA Engineer Making STEM Sing

YouTube video featuring engineer Dajae "Moe" Williams, and her story of how to "infiltrate" the male-dominated field of engineering. She is a manufacturing engineer and musician. This short video tel…

The New Librarian: How I created a makerspace

Here’s how one school transformed a traditional library into an IDEA Lab in only four months

The Turtle Ship

"Long ago in Korea, a young boy named Sunsin spent his days playing with his pet turtle Gobugi and dreaming of sailing around the world. As a poor villager, though, his dream to travel seemed impossi…

There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere

Article about 16 young innovators and their innovations

These Kid Inventors Get What Many Grown Up Entrepreneurs Don't

Several teen inventors share what they've learned throughout the inventing process, and it's about perseverance and failure. The article gives a brief description and a photograph of the different in…

These New York Kids are the Future of Technical Design

Article about a weekly after-school design and engineering lab for 10-13 year olds

Thingiverse

"Thingiverse is the world’s largest 3D printing community. Discover over 1.6 million 3D models, remix them using Thingiverse apps, and share your work with the world" (Makerbot).

This Scientist is Studying How ADHD Can Help Entrepreneurs Succeed

The qualities of ADHD can lead a helpful mix of traits that lead to successful entrepreneurship.

Ticktock Banneker's Clocks

The true story of Benjamin Banneker, a young African American born in 1731, who tinkers with a pocket watch and uses it as part of his design of a strike clock.

Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives

"Edison is most famous for inventing the incandescent lightbulb, but at his landmark laboratories in Menlo Park & West Orange, New Jersey, he also developed many other staples of modern technology. D…

Timeline for the Future: Potential Developments and Likely Impacts

"The timeline for the future provides some basic information to help with planning for the years ahead. Each of the innovations on the timeline represents a general sort of change. The timeline addre…

Tinkercad

"Tinkercad is used by designers, hobbyists, teachers, and kids, to make toys, prototypes, home decor, Minecraft models, jewelry – the list is truly endless!"

Tinkering Studio, The

The Exploratorium is a Science Museum in San Francisco, CA, and within it is a Tinkering Studio, "a studio workshop for playful invention, investigation, and collaboration" (Tinkering Studio). For th…

Toothpaste Millionaire

"Sixth-grader Rufus Mayflower doesn't set out to become a millionaire. He just wants to save on toothpaste. Betting he can make a gallon of his own for the same price as one tube from the store, Rufu…

Totally Absurd Inventions: America's Goofiest Patents

An archive of real USA patented inventions that the author finds "goofy," such as the "diaper alarm." Browse the list of inventions and click on each for a brief description and cartoon drawing of it.

Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions

"Have you ever wondered who invented Lego, Mr. Potato Head, or toy trains? In Toys! are the fascinating stories behind these toy inventions and many others. Learn why the see-saw was popular with the…

Trailblazers: 33 Women in Science Who Changed the World

"Covering important advancements made by women in fields such as biology, medicine, astronomy, and technology, author Rachel Swaby explains that people aren’t born brilliant scientists. They observe …

Transforming Teen Services: Making in the Library While Learning to Fail

This blog entry focuses on beginning a maker space in the library for teens. The author provides tips including encouraging students to embrace failure as part of the maker movement. The article link…

Trick-or-Treat Candy-Getters and Hornet Scare Devices: Second Graders Make Creative Inventions Related to Animal Adaptations

"A study examined grade 2 students' performance in creating inventions associated with animal adaptations for simple products under two conditions that alternated each week for a six-week period. In …

Turkey Tot

"Yummy-looking blackberries are too high to pick, but Turkey Tot figures out a way to reach them. Budding engineers and other creative-minded kids will love Turkey Tot's optimism and can-do spirit" (…

Turning the Inventions of Kids into Breakthrough Innovations

Article about a company that works with children to build mock-ups of their innovations

Unconventional Invention Book: A Good Apple Activity Book for Grades 3-12, The

"Classroom teachers are always on the lookout for activities that will develop inventive thinking skills, and the collection that follows is a gold mine for such activities. The book provides thoroug…

Universally Accessible Makerspace Recommendation to the District of Columbia Public Library

This chapter seeks to provide guidance to organizations that want to implement universally accessible makerspaces. Written by four students at the University of Maryland.

US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): Kid's Pages

Kid-friendly website that provides videos, interactive games, invention stories, puzzles, factual information about intellectual property, inventors, innovations, the inventing process, trademark, an…

Violet the Pilot

"By the time she's two years old, Violet Van Winkle can engineer nearly any appliance in the house. And by eight she's building elaborate flying machines from scratch—mind-boggling contraptions such …

Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees

"Wangari Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her efforts to lead women in a nonviolent struggle to bring peace and democracy to Africa through its reforestation. Her organization plant…

Way Things Work Now, The

"Famously packed with information on the inner workings of everything from windmills to Wi-Fi, this extraordinary and humorous book both guides readers through the fundamental principles of machines,…

What a Great Idea! Inventions that Changed the World

"Steve Tomecek discusses 45 inventions that really shook up society. These big ideas inspired many other inventions and illuminate the changes that technology has made throughout time. From the hand …

What Do You Do With a Problem?

"What Do You Do With a Problem? is a story for anyone, at any age, who has ever had a problem that they wished would go away. It's a story to inspire you to look closely at that problem and to find o…

What Do You Do With An Idea?

"This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens. Th…

What Does It Mean To Be An Entrepreneur?

"When Rae witnesses an ice cream-and-doggie mishap, she's inspired to create a big-scale solution to help get dogs clean. Rae draws on her determination, resilience, and courage until she―and everyon…

Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions

"You know the Super Soaker. It’s one of top twenty toys of all time. And it was invented entirely by accident. Trying to create a new cooling system for refrigerators and air conditioners, impressive…

Woman Who Invented the Thread That Stops Bullets: The Genius of Stephanie Kwolek, The

"Stephanie Louise Kwolek is an American chemist who invented poly-paraphenylene terephtalamide—better known as Kevlar. She was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of New Kensington, Pennsylvania. In 1964, …

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World

"Highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world" (Amazon).

Women Who Launched the Computer Age

"In 1946, six brilliant young women programmed the first all-electronic, programmable computer, the ENIAC, part of a secret World War II project. They learned to program without any programming langu…

Work That Matters: Teachers' Guide to Project-Based Learning

"This guide is for teachers. It explains how to design and run projects for students that begin with an enquiry and end with a tangible, publicly exhibited product" (Author's abstract).

Worlds of Making: Best Practices for Establishing a Makerspace at Your School

"One of the most exciting movements in education today is the creation of makerspaces. Learn how to create a vibrant, robust makerspace for your school community that can serve as a hub for students …

Young Entrepreneurs Forum

"In this channel, we've covered lots of best small business ideas for starting your own business. Channel Topics : Entrepreneurship. Business Ideas & Start up. Motivation. Self Improvement." This is …

Young Innovators Awards, The

"The Young Innovator Awards (YiA) is a local awards programme for students in Tauranga/Western Bay of Plenty to promote innovation. Each year we ask: Intermediate school students in Yr 7-8 to build '…

Young Innovators to Watch Scholarship

"Founded by the Living in Digital Times team, this regional scholarship program rewards students under the age of twenty who have made contributions to STEM and STEAM, robotics, mobile apps, web deve…

Young Innovators YouTube Playlist

This is a playlist of video of young entrepreneurs (children and teens) and young inventors presenting their creations on Shark Tank and other venues, including competitions. Included are a some vide…

Young Inventors International (Yii)

"Young Inventor International's mission is to work with leading universities, organizations, and entrepreneurs around the world to educate student inventors and entrepreneurs on how to create new ven…

Young Inventors' Program: Meant to Invent, The

Developed for K-8 students, the program helps students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by challenging them invent solutions to everyday problems. The program encourages explorati…

Young Makers Program

"The Young Makers program supports a flexible club model that trains educators to bring together a community of young people with mentors, who together make an interest-driven project and exhibit it …

Young Scientist Challenge

Students, grades 5-8, are invited to create a 1-2 minute video describing a new, innovating solution that could solve an everyday problem. Ten finalists will be chosen for their passion for science, …

Youth Digital

"Go-at-your-own-pace courses provide a slew of supplemental materials and tools for kids to master programming and coding. Because kids aren't known for lengthy attention spans, Youth Digital ramps u…