African American Inventors

History, level: Middle

Materials Required: computers, Internet access, instruction sheet, graphic organizer
Activity Time: Two 30 minute periods or six 30 minute period
Concepts Taught: diversity

Beginning Internet: Using the Internet to Support Teaching and Learning
Patty AcheyCutts, Instructor
June 18, 1999

African American Inventors

Written By: Carol Ann York, Cedar Falls Community Schools, Cedar Falls, Iowa

Grade Level: 4-6

Description: Students will use the Internet to research African American inventors. They will work with a partner to complete a graphic organizer about the
inventors and the inventions. After the activity, each student will choose one invention, write a paragraph about how life would be different without that invention, and share their findings with the class.

Materials: computers with Internet access
instruction sheet
graphic organizer

Objectives: Students will:
1. Use the Internet to locate specific information
2. Match the inventor with an invention
3. Identify a use for the invention
4. Identify the impact of invention today

Time: Two 30 minute periods – Divide the class into 3 groups – each researching a different group of inventors.
or
Six 30 minute periods – The entire class researches one group of inventors each period.

Procedure: Previous knowledge of navigating the Internet using bookmarks is necessary.
Bookmark the web sites listed in the resources on a computer, and copy the folder on all the computers that are to be used for this activity.

For two 30 minute periods:
1st period: Divide the class into 3 groups, assigning each group a different group of inventors. Have the students complete the chart.
2nd period: Have the students write their paragraph and share
share with the class.

For six 30 minute periods:
Use the same schedule as the first period above except have the entire class research just one group on three different days.
Follow each research period with the writing and sharing period.

Resources: The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: Benjamin Banneker

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsA-H/Banneker

The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: George Washington Carver

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsA-H/carver

The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: Lonnie Johnson

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsI-Q/johnson

The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: Lewis Latimer

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsI-Q/latimer

The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: Elijah McCoy

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsI-Q/mccoy

The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: Garrett Morgan

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsI-Q/morgan

The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: Norbert Rillieux

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsR-Z/rillieeeux

The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: Granville T. Woods

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsR-Z/woods

The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: African American Women Inventors of the Early Twentieth Century

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsA-H/AAweek3

The Lemelson-MIT Prize Program: African American Inventors of Our Time

http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsA-H/AAweek4

About Garrett Morgan

http://education.dot.gov/aboutmorgan

Frederick Jones: Inventor

http://www.lib.lsu.edu/lib/chem/display/jones

Charles Richard Drew

http://sun3.lib.uci.edu/~afrexh/Drew

African American Women as Inventors

http://www.blackhistory.net/bh.nsf/history/w_inventors

Jan E. Matzeliger

http://www.donegal.k12.pa.us/dms/Kif/49/summaryb

Name
Date

African American Inventors Instruction Sheet
Part 1
Directions: Open the Internet navigator to the home page.
Research each inventor on your list by finding the web site in the bookmarks.
Look under Inventors Biographies.
Complete the chart for each inventor on your list.
Work with a partner.

Inventors List – Group 1
For this inventor…..open to this bookmark
Bessie Blount……………………..The Lemelson – MIT Prize Program:African American I…
George Washington Carver..The Lemelson – MIT Prize Program: George Washington…
Sarah Goode………………………www.blackhist…nventors.html
Frederick Jones……………………Frederick Jones: Inventor
Lonnie Johnson……………….. …The Lemelson – Mit Prize Program: Lonnie Johnson
Norbert Rillieux………………… …The Lemelson – MIT Prize Program: Norbert Rillieux

Part 2
Directions: Choose one invention from your list and write a paragraph about how our life would be different without that invention.

Part 3
Directions: Share your findings with the class.
Name
Date

African American Inventors Instruction Sheet
Part 1
Directions: Open the Internet navigator to the home page.
Research each inventor on your list by finding the web site in the bookmarks.
Look under Inventors Biographies.
Complete the chart for each inventor on your list.
Work with a partner.

Inventors List – Group 2
For this inventor…..open to this bookmark
Charles Drew ……….. Charles Richard Drew
Elijah McCoy………… The Lemelson – MIT Prize Program: Elijah McCoy
Garrett Morgan…….. About Garrett Morgan
Alice Parker………….. www.blackhist…nventors.html
Madeline Turner……. www.blackhist…nventors.html
Granville Woods…… The Lemelson – MIT Prize Program:Granville T. Woods

Part 2
Directions: Choose one invention from your list and write a paragraph about how our life would be different without that invention.

Part 3
Directions: Share your findings with the class.

Name
Date

African American Inventors Instruction Sheet
Part 1
Directions: Open the Internet navigator to the home page.
Research each inventor on your list by finding the web site in the bookmarks.
Look under Inventors Biographies
Complete the chart for each inventor on your list.
Work with a partner.

Inventors List – Group 3
For this inventor……………open to this bookmark
Benjamin Banneker…………The Lemelson – MIT Prize Program:Benjamin Banneker
Lewis Latimer………………… The Lemelson – MIT Prize Program:Lewis Latim…
Jan Matzeliger…………………Jan Matzeliger
Garrett Morgan………………..The Lemelson – MIT Prize Program: Garrett Morgan
Sarah Walker…………………..The Lemelson – MIT Prize Program:Women African-Amer… Mary Jane Reynolds……….www.blackhist…nventors.html

Part 2
Directions: Choose one invention from your list and write a paragraph about how our life would be different without that invention.

Part 3
Directions: Share your findings with the class.

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