The students in School Library Media Specialist Roslyn Claytor’s Library/Inquiry Skills class are celebrating the wonder that comes from observing, questioning, and celebrating African-American inventors during Black History Month -- thus sparking their imagination to become inventors.
This month’s lesson focuses on African-American inventors, inventions, and the process of inventing, requiring our students to utilize critical-thinking skills to find appropriate and workable solutions to improve the way we live. After hearing stories of African-American discoveries and inventions, students become inspired and excited about brainstorming a unique, creative, and useful invention item, concept or three-dimensional model, individually or in collaboration with their team.
The process includes the following:
- Ask: Define the problem.
- Imagine: Brainstorm solutions; designs, drawings.
- Plan: Consider how to best solve the problem.
- Create: 3D model - construct your solution.
- Test: Determine how well the solution will work.
- Improve: Make their solution better.
In order to flourish in our modern global world, students need critical thinking skills, the ability to explore and examine, to build and design their concepts, which are key components of inquiry-based learning.