Welcome Fellow Teachers!  This activity is designed for you to enhance a variety of lessons in grades 3-5.  The Bright Minds, Bright Inventions Activity allows students to be creative while strengthing their skills in technology, writing, communication, independent research and applications of aquired knowledge.  There are endless possibilities for integration with this activity.  For example,  the Kellerscope Invention can be used for Grade 4.  Among the goals in fourth grade Science are to explore the use of tools in science and their progression over time.  Students beging to understand how technology contributes to the way we investigate our world.  Grade Four Science  competencies covered in this activity include: 4.01, 4.02, and 4.03.  The Information Skills Curriculum   is standard for Grades 3-5.  In just one activity, students will cover several competency goals such as: 1.04, 1.05, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 2.03, 2.06, 4.09, 5.01, 5.02, and 5.03.  Computer and Technology Skills are grouped for Grades 3-5.  Through this activity, Fourth Grade students will work on goals 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, and 3.4. Lastly, students are achieving goals in English and Language Arts.  Within the goals and objectives students will cover 2.03, 3.03, 3.06, 4.02, 4.03, 4.04, 4.05, 4.07, 4.09, 4.10, 5.01-5.09.  I've listed goals covered in Fourth Grade, but have provided a link to all grades in Language Arts.
 

The students work in pairs, depending on the grade level.  You can bring the activity together in any way you wish.  One example I've used is the Bright Minds, Bright Inventions Convention.  Students collaborate their work and have it all available on the web, linked to one another and also in the form of a brochure.  You can invite other classes and parents to the convention so the students can present their work!
Have fun with this activity and use it whenever you see fit.