Peanuts, Presidents, the Pentagon…and Chap Stick???
Inventions,
Inventors and Virginia!
When
students in Virginia are asked to name things for which the state is famous,
certain topics immediately come to mind.
Presidents? Absolutely!
Virginia is the birthplace of eight presidents.
Peanuts? Most certainly! Virginia peanuts are famous and can be found
on grocery shelves from coast to coast.
The
military? Of course! Historic battles of both the Revolutionary
War and the Civil War were fought in Virginia.
In modern times, Virginia is home to Langley Air Force Base, the
Atlantic Fleet, and the Pentagon.
But
Chap Stick? Microphones? Swivel
Chairs?
Hold
on! Maybe it is time to rethink the list
for the Commonwealth of Virginia?
Going
back to colonial times, Virginia has been home to many amazing inventions. George Washington established the first
patent grant, and Thomas Jefferson was the first patent examiner. Our third president was also a prolific
inventor, and is credited for designing a plow for hillsides, a machine to make
macaroni, a wheel cipher for writing and deciphering messages in code, a
mechanical copying machine, the folding ladders, a gravity powered clock, and
the swivel chair.
But
what about some of the other inventors who don’t roll off the tongue as easily?
To discover the names of other Virginia inventors, travel to Old Town
Alexandria and you will find the Inventors Hall of Fame. Here are some of the
inventors that you will meet:
Virginia Inventors
Whether
you want to explore Virginia inventers or inventors in general, there are many
helpful resources to help you.
Located in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, The National Inventors Hall of
Fame celebrates American inventors from colonial to current times.
Also
located in Old Town Alexandria, the US Patent and Trademark’s site’s online
K-12 outreach materials include activities, trading cards, and other great resources.
The
Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation is an
extraordinary exhibit and lab. Check out the website for research materials,
contests, and rich resources.
We
love Kids Discover materials and their magazine Inventions is excellent.
The teacher guide is free to download and is filled with ideas.
Maker Spaces to the Rescue!
Finally,
check out this contest for inventors. Deadline for entries is in March so get
your student busy doing brain push-ups. Who knows? You might have the next
Thomas Edison or Grace Hopper sitting right in your classroom!
We
hope you “Get Caught Engineering”!
Wendy
and Cheryl
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