Teacher's Guide for COBBLESTONE ^® Thomas Edison

Ask students what they know of Thomas Edison and any of his inventions. Edison once said, "Genius is one percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration."

1. What do you think he was trying to say with this quote?
2. When Edison's first invention was not met with popularity, Edison said he would only invent thigns that people wanted. Do you agree with Edison on this?

Vocabulary:

Patent
incandescent
addler
embark
idle
eccentric
scam
philanthropist
savvy
prolific

Read a "Lifetime of Inventions" pages 2-5

1. What is a patent? Why do you think many inventors get them?
2. Many times, we get discouraged when we try something and fail. What did Edison think about his share of flips and failures?
3. How many inventions did Edison patent and which was his very first?
4. Which invention formed the basis of TV, radio and radar?
5. Why do you think Edison's concrete furniture didn't catch on?
6. What was Edison's greatest military contribution?
7. Of the inventions mentioned in the article, which do you think was the most helpful to others?

Read "What's That Edison Boy?" pages 6-8

1. After reading the article, list three characteristics of Edison. What kind of characteristics do you look for in a friend? Would you have liked Edison as a friend? Why, why not?
2. While experimenting, young Edison, burned down his dad's barn. Have you ever done something that got you in trouble with your parents?
3. Edison's teacher said he was an addler. What are two comments you'd like your teacher to say about you?
4. According to the article, what was Edison's happiest time?
5. In what ways did Edison feel that going deaf had a positive side?
6. How did Edison get lessons to learn how to operate a telegraph machine?

Read "Idea Business" pages 9-11

Before reading, have students discuss how Thomas got the nickname, "Wizard of Menlo Park."

1. Thomas Edison was a tough boss. Find examples in the reading to prove this statement.
2. What was the term for the young people that worked for Edison at Menlo Park? Go to the website on p. 11 and try the sample questions to see if you could have made it as a worker at Edison's Menlo Park.
3. What did Edison say about the different and sometimes, "odd" materials kept in his lab for his workers to use for experiments?
4. Why didn't Edison wear a watch?

Read "Family Life" page 12

After reading about Edison, do you think you would have liked Edison as a parent? Why, or why not?

Read "A Brilliant Idea" pages 13-15

Read the article on the invention of the light bulb and then draw a light bulb on a sheet of paper and write 5 specific facts ( in complete sentences ) you learned about the invention from the reading.

Read over the things we can't use when there is no power. List the top three thigns you miss during a power failure.

Read " Edison's Baby" pages 16-19

Edison said that all of his inventions, his favorite was the phonograph. Which invention do you think would have been your favorite Edison invention?

"Experiment with Sound" pages 20-21

Try the experiment with your students

Skim the article "A List Achievers" pages 22-23

Break into groups of two and find the answers:

1. What did the Curries discover?
2. What layer of the atmosphere reflect radio waves back to earth?
3. Why didn't people think sending radio signals would be possible?
4. Why is 1905 called Einstein's Miracle Year?
5. Who discovered penicillin?
6. How did Dimitri Mendeleyev organize the periodic table?
7. Who discovered vaccines for rabies, anthrax, the plague and cholera?
8. Who discovered X-rays?

Read "Behind the Camera" pages 26-29

Use the vocabulary words mentioned and have the students placed them into sentences.

1. What was the first move?
2. What was unique about Edison's building called the Black Maria?
3. What was the negative side to the kinetoscope?
4. Although the very first movies were made in New Jersey, what was the original reason movie making moved to California? Why was this location additionally posistive for movie making?
5. William Dickson is today listed Number one in contributions to movies with Edison listed as tenth. What did Dickson want to see develop with the ideas of movie making?

Read "The Four Vagabonds" pages 30-33

1. Do you have a nick name?
2. If you could get in a car and take a road trip, where would you go and why?
3. Where are some of the places the Vagabonds and their families traveled?
4. How did the travelers have energy for lights on the trips?
5. After reading about the adventures of the Four Vagabonds, write a journal pretending to be along for one of the trips and include 5 specific facts learned from the reading.

Read "Light's Golden Jubile" pages 34-37

2090 will be the 150 year anniversary of Edison's incandescent light bulb and a system to power it. Brainstorm ideas to celebrate this day...

Read "Are you Meant to Invent" page 38

Brainstorm ideas of things we don't have today in our daily lives that people living 100 years from now may have.

Read"What's New in West Orange", pages 39-41

Pretend you are a guide giving a tour at the facility. What would be 5 things you'd tell visitors about Edison's laboratory?

Brain Ticklers page 48

Review the magazine to find the answers to the 7 questions.

Trivia Activity

Review the magazine to find the answers to the following questions.

1. To see pictures move, the human eye needs to see at least how many pictures per second?
2. Why was Edison's "talking doll" not popular?
3. What was the first recording on Edison's phonograph?
4. For the GOlden Jubilee of the electric light, radio listeners were told to turn off theri lights and turn them on with which famous sounds?
5. What were the nicnames of Edison's first two children?
6. How did Edison's second wife accept his proposal of marriage?
7. What interesting thing did Edison bring along on one of his road trips?
8. Which of Edison's inventions was the most commercially successful?
9. What was the nickname of Edison and his three friends?
10. Who invented earmuffs?
11. Where is the National Inventor's Hall of Fame?

Answers:

Read "A Lifetime of Invention" pages 2-5

1. Government giving you sole ownership to make something to sell for a certain length of time/so others don't profit from your idea and effort without your permission.
2. part of the invention process and that he couldn't succeed all the time.
3. 1093/voting machine for lawmakers
4. the Edison effect
5. perhaps, uncomfortable and not attractive looking
6. getting Congress to establish a Naval Research laboratory in Washington, D.C.

Read "What's That Edison Boy?" pages 6-8

1. adventurous, sickly, curious, imaginative, brave/trustworthy, fun to be with, honest, caring, good listener, etc.
2. 4. reading in a library in Detroit while waiting for the return train ride home increased his concentration
3. 5. Edison saved the life of the operator whose son had been playing on the railroad tracks

Read "Idea Business" pages 9-11

1. workers worked hard, long hours/Edison's ideas prevailed
2. muckers
3. everything from "the hide of an elephant" to the "eyeballs of a U.S. senator."
4. Didn't want to knwo the time feeling it would interfere with his working.

Read "Family Life" page 12

1. Crictical of children, not home very much, his work seemed to be more important.

Skim the article " A List Achievers" pages 22-33

1. raduim and polonium
2. ionosphere
3. didn't think it was possible since the earth is curved
4. three important works were released
5. Sir Alexander Flemming
6. according to similar properties
7. Louis Pasteur
8. Wilhelm Roentgen

Read "Behind the Cameras" pages 26-29

1. Fred Otts Sneeze
2. the rof could be opened and the whole building was able to rotate on a track
3. only one person could view it at a time
4. Away from Edison's ability to monitor who used his patented equipment/better climate and more on site locations available.
5. invent a production device for more than one person to see a movie at a time.

Read " The Four vagabonds" pages 30-33

1. Adirondacks, Great Smokey Mts, Blue Ridge Mountains, Florida, Tennessee, etc.
2. brought along electric lights and storage batteries

Trivia Activity

1. 24
2. too fragile and unreliable/reciting the poem, " Mary had a Little Lamb"
3. The Liberty Bell
4. Dot and Dash after the Morse Code
5. she responded in Morse Code
6. an electric player piano
7. alkaline storage batteries
8. the Four Vagabonds
9. 15 year old Chester Greenwood
10. Akron, Ohio

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Updated: 11/21/09 02:59 am
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