Have students come up with a concept and make a blueprint of the invention idea. This allows students to exercise their creativity to the fullest extent, as these inventions do not necessarily have to be something functional that can be executed later. Provide students with materials such as pencils, markers, rulers and large sheets of construction or chart paper. This activity is also useful as you can tie it in to what is currently being studied in the classroom, such as an event or a topic. If you plan on having the students make models of their inventions, instruct them to devise something that can be used in real life.
By fourth grade many children are responsible for household chores such as sweeping, mopping and pet care. Encourage students to discuss the ways in which they help their family at home and what tools could be useful for accomplishing their chores faster or more efficiently. Instruct students to make functional inventions that can be used around the home. Have students consider options such as a tea maker, which incorporates four chopsticks from which to suspend tea bags into cups of hot water or a food cooler, which uses a fan to help food cool down faster.
Fourth graders can come up with inventions that can be used in the classroom. Encourage students to devise useful inventions for classroom chores such as tidying the chalkboard and desks, sharpening pencils and re-arranging the seating. Simple ideas for the classroom include devising ways in which to clean the chalkboard erasers, sharpen several pencils at once and increase air circulation for the benefit of the students. You might assign students to create inventions for certain topics. For example, students can make green inventions, such as reusable bags, during a unit on the earth and recycling.
Arrange fourth graders into small groups. In an idea submitted to the Pro Teacher website by Annette, have each group devise a useful invention and, instead of building it, write a commercial script for it. Each group can then practice and present the commercial for their inventions, describing how the product works, how much it costs and how others can buy it. Another idea from the Pro Teacher website, submitted by Liz, is to have students select and research an inventor from history. The students can then cover a small box with construction paper and use each side to present information about the inventor's life and inventions.