Ever picked up a radical thing and wondered who invented it? The music player in your pocket? The phone? Stuff you never think about, like traffic signals or microwave ovens or laptops, or how that silver stuff gets put on a CD and why it doesn't come off on your fingers?
This exploration of technology is designed for you to find out about who invented some of the basic things we take for granted every day and learn why they are so important.
The Assignment:
Learn about a person or group of people who invented a technological device or process of importance.
The Learning Criteria:
1) Describe in 350 words or more an individual or group of individuals who invented a technological device or process of importance. (check with the instructor for a definition of device or process of technological importance. He will be the final and ultimate arbiter of what is important, so please do not have an attack of the clevers in arguing what is important)
2) Use a computer program such as Microsoft Word, TextEdit, Write, to create your document. You may submit your assignment on TUSD email.
3) All spelling, grammar, and punctuation norms will be followed. (use spell check)
4) Include at least two pictures in your document that describe or illustrate the individual(s) you have found. You may copy the pictures from the internet if the website you get them from permits it.
5) Cite the source or sources for your information: Provide at least two internet sources with working links that can be verified.
6) Your work may be done in class or at home if you choose.
The website Wikipedia is not an acceptable source for this assignment.
Total points for this project: 200
Grading Criteria:
1) 350 words or more that answer the five basic Ws:
Who the inventor is and what he/she (or the group) invented
What was invented
Where it was invented
When it was invented
Why the invention is/was important- what is it that makes this person or this group so important for inventing the thing they invented.
Weave the five Ws into a smooth, attractive, convincing essay.
2) Answer the W questions competently using a computer program such as Text Edit, MS Word, Wordpad, etc.
3) Good grammar, punctuation & etc.
4) Two pictures
5) A complete bibliography (two or three sources from the Internet with working, verifiable links)
Notes:
Submitting an essay which will earn you an A from your language arts teacher will earn you full credit.
Exceptionally outstanding work will earn extra credit. Copying and pasting vast quantities of blather from the internet is called cheating; it does not fit the qualification of "exceptionally outstanding."
Before beginning, choose your technological device or process and register it with the instructor. Once you have chosen an individual or group of individuals and registered your choice, it may not be used by another student.
It is better to choose to do this assignment early in the semester instead of waiting- the most obvious people will have been chosen and it will be more difficult to do if you wait.
There are many printed works available that may also be used as sources for this project. Cite your source documents with the common methods you have learned, or ask the instructor how it should be done.
The website Wikipedia may not be used as a source for this project.
Check the list below to see which people or groups have already been selected. This list will be updated bi-weekly.
Inventors chosen as of 4/24/13:
Nikkola Tesla
Thomas Edison
Leonardo daVinci
Orville & Wilbur Wright
Richard Drew
Enzo Ferrari
G. W. Carver
Karl Benze
A.G. Bell
Fusajira Yamaguchi
Alexander Fleming
James King
John Browning
Stephen Kawolek
Gordon Murray
Chester Carlson
Charles Richter
Eli Whitney
Samuel Colt
William Burt
Bill Gates
Edwin Binny
Hubert C. Booth
Earl Dickson
Harold Smith
Gideon Sundback
Sony Philips
Steven Jobs
Ferruccio Lamborghini
George Eastman
Philo Farnsworth
John T. Thompson
Martin Cooper
George Claude
Paul Corneau