Great Inventors and Their Inventions by Frank Bachman is a well-known public domain work widely used in homeschool circles. The text weaves the story of famous inventors and their famous inventions together in a way that captures the attention of the reader.
These materials are not only interesting, but they convey their own vivid lessons on how big things are brought about, and on the traits of mind and heart which make for success…. While appealing to [the readers’] interest in inventions and in men who accomplish great things, may it also bring them into contact with ideas which will grip their hearts, fire the imagination, and mold their ideals into worthier forms.
The scientists covered include names we all recognize, such as:
- James Watt.
- Robert Fulton.
- Eli Whitney.
- John Gutenberg.
- Samuel Morse.
- Alexander Graham Bell.
- Thomas Edison.
- Orville and Wilbur Wright.
A few lesser-known individuals whose contributions have proved no less important to civilization’s growth are also included.
There are sixteen inventors and inventions. If you spend two weeks on each inventor/invention, you’ll have 32 lessons for the year.
In the younger years, science can focus on familiarization while the math necessary for advanced scientific studies catches up. Great Inventors and Their Inventions provides a great way fill that need!
Free eBook
Suggestions
- Spend the first week familiarizing yourself with the inventor, the type of inventions he was known for, and the impact those inventions had on those who used them.
- Spend the second week with kits, projects, and experiments that flesh out the lessons.
- Include oral or written narrations, depending on the age of your child. By “telling back,” the information is more likely to stick.
- The text lends itself very well to notebooking. Create a notebook page for each inventor.
- Add additional notebooking pages for the inventions mentioned. Include hand-drawn illustrations.
- Create models for some of the inventions using K’Nex, Legos, or other modeling tools. Be sure to take a picture of the creation to add to the notebook!
Books
Great Inventors and Their Inventions by Frank Bachman
Paperback version published by Yesterday’s Classics for those interested. Also available in a Kindle version at a reasonable cost.
The Story of Inventions by Frank Bachman
A revised and updated version published by Christian Liberty Press.
Notebooking Pages
10 Ways to Use Notebooking: #7 Science
Notebooking ideas, forms, and other resources.
Enjoy the entire series:
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