A time line is an easy and inexpensive way to remember Thomas Edison's life and accomplishments. Assign children specific years of Edison's life to include in their timeline. Give each student a 4-inch by 24-inch piece of poster board. They can use markers to indicate specific accomplishments of Edison's life. Pictures can illustrate the events. At the end of the project, arrange the smaller timelines in order, so the children can obtain an overall understanding of Edison's life.
Draw a picture of a light bulb and cut it out to use as a template. Trace one paper light bulb for each member of the class. Provide students with yellow tissue paper and glue. Tell students to glue thin, 2-inch strips of tissue paper in the center of the light bulb to make it appear lit. Students can glue their light bulbs to a piece of dark construction paper, which will make the bulb appear brighter. Encourage students to draw lampshades to cover their light bulbs.
Provide children with a short overview of some of the inventions created by Thomas Edison. Enchanted Learning and Lucid Cafe mention some of his inventions including technology for motion pictures, voting machines and typewriters. Give each student a large piece of paper, scissors, glue, and magazines, Encourage children to browse through magazines, so they can create a collage of different items that Edison influenced with his inventions.
Provide each child with a 10-inch by 16-inch piece of poster board and a coloring sheet of Thomas Edison. Crayola offers a free Edison coloring sheet, and USA Printables offers a coloring sheet that features Edison next to a light bulb. Children can also free-hand draw a picture of one of Edison's inventions, if they prefer. For example, a child can draw an alkaline battery, lamp, light bulb or one of Edison's other inventions. Provide children with crayons and encourage them to color the picture. Students should position the poster board so the length is horizontal and the shorter side is vertical. They should cut out the picture and glue it to the center of the poster board. A teacher can laminate the place mat, so it will be washable.