Discover the five secrets every inventor uses to turn a problem into a solution! Tune in as inventor Josh Miele — a scientist, MacArthur Fellow, and someone who’s been blind since childhood — walks us through his own invention story, from spotting a real problem to building downloadable tactile maps that help blind people navigate the world. Grab your thinking cap and get ready to invent something of your own!
In This Lesson
This lesson contains several resources developed to help students follow the podcast, including a hands-on invention design activity that lets students apply Josh’s five-step process to a problem of their own.
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
- 3-5-ETS1-1 – Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
- 3-5-ETS1-2 – Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- 3-5-ETS1-3 – Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
Common Core Standards
- RI.4.1 – Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
- W.4.7 – Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
- SL.4.1 – Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.