On Tuesday, March 15th, Greenview Upper Elementary hosted the 2016 Invention Convention. The event provides cognitively gifted students in the STEP UP program an opportunity to display their creativity and ingenuity by showcasing original inventions. Nearly sixty students in grades 3-6 participated in the project, which required them to utilize the five steps of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) thinking process to create their invention. The five steps are Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create and Improve. In addition to their invention, students created tri-fold presentation boards which described a real-world problem the invention was designed to solve, target sales market and a short advertisement or slogan. Grades 4-6 showcased their inventions in the upper cafeteria, while third grade STEP UP students displayed their inventions inside the classroom of teacher Gina Arnold.
The creativity of the participating students was on full display, as the event featured an assortment of interesting inventions. Third Grader Owen Thompson’s Glue Gone tool featured a pointed tip on one end and a small brush on the other to quickly remove clogs in glue bottles. Fourth Grader Bailey Hedge’s prototype, The No-Waste Case, is designed to protect the environment by using a voice activated prompt that provides individuals feedback on whether their item should be recycled or thrown in the trash. The Zapbot created by fifth grader Aidan Arth is a robot shaped nightlight that charges multiple devices. The Virtual Folder created by sixth grader Stuart Franklin helps students keep track of their homework by scanning QR codes printed on their folder, which directs them to a website listing assignments for each content area.
Each student invention was evaluated by a group of judges, including South Euclid Mayor Georgine Welo and Lyndhurst Mayor Patrick A. Ward, staff and students from Notre Dame and Ursuline College, as well as representatives from Rockwell Automation and Case Western Reserve University. Superintendent Linda N. Reid was also in attendance to view the students’ impressive work.
Congratulations to our STEP UP students for a job well done!
