K L3: I am a Problem Seeker

Lesson 3: I am a Problem Seeker

Ready to practice the next habit of INVENTORS? They LOOK around their community and notice ways to help solve problems.

Think about all the devices and objects you used coming to school today. A few might be:

Alarm clock
Microwave
Velcro on your shoes
Backpack

The list goes on and on! All of these items were invented by an INVENTOR because there was a need to solve a problem for each of them. What problems do these inventions solve?

Alarm clock? To get up from bed on time
Microwave? To heat up your favorite food or drink
Velcro? To attach your shoe snuggly around your foot
Backpack? To have an easy way to carry your books and other school items

INVENTORS LOOK at problems they see around them and solve them!

Task 1: Perspective

We are going to practice looking at problems from different perspectives. Your teacher will give you a frame to decorate and we will use it as we look at a variety of problems.

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Good job practicing looking at problems from different perspectives! Can you contine to look at problems that need to be solved in your school? Home? Your favorite sporting event? Your favorite hobby? The opportunities to identify problems are endless!

TASK 2: I am a Problem Seeker!

Meet some young inventors who looked at problems as solutions . . .

Problem: Abbey was 8 years old when she noticed her parents struggle with soaking up bacon fat after cooking.

Solution: She realized that it might be easier to hang bacon while it cooks- that way you wouldn’t need paper towels and it would even make the bacon healthier. She then worked with her father to design a microwave-safe dish that hangs bacon while it cooks. They patented her idea in 1993 and landed a distribution deal with Walmart the following year.

Problem: When Alana was a young girl she went to the bank with her dad. He would not allow her to receive the sucker they gave out to kids due to the sugar and how it causes cavities. Alana was so disappointed that she turned her anger into action. Solution: Alana created sugar free "Zollipops" and you can now find them in stores. Now Alana is smiling!

Problem: Meet Samuel Houghten. When he was 5 years old he noticed his dad using two brooms at a time. One broom was very large items and one was for dust particles.

Solution: Samuel joined two brooms together to make one to solve the problem his dad experienced when having to hold two brooms. He is the youngest patent holder. A patent is a way to protect your idea and invention so no one can steal it.

Task 3: Empathy

Now let's say this word together . . .

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . EMPATHY

It is good to know how to pronounce this word, but it is even better to know what this word means. Let's get some help from our Sesame Street friend, Murray.

EMPATHY means to care for and understand others' feelings.

Remember when we discussed how INVENTORS look for problems? When we use empathy, we look with our eyes and our heart.

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EMPATHY

Time to practice empathy by using our eyes and heart to see how the people in these images feel.

Extension

Practice looking for problems around you in your classroom, school, home or anyplace you spend time and record them by drawing them or describing them. Share your problems and solutions with our class.