At Hearthstone, we recognize one simple fact:
Every child is born with inventiveness
but not every child gets a chance to invent.
Hearthstone is dedicated to changing that.
“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
”
Invent Wisconsin and the light bulb IW logo are trademarks of Friends of Hearthstone, Inc.
2023-24 Suggested Timeline
September - February
Implement curriculum as you are able, making sure to allot at least a few lessons on projects and the invention process.
February - March
Consider holding a school competition for Hearthstone staff to judge. Determine which students should move forward to the state competition.
March - April
Prepare students who will move forward and ensure their materials are ready to submit for the state competition.
April 8 - 10
Hearthstone judges submissions from across the state using a virtual, asynchronous platform called zFairs.
April 11
Students and teachers are notified of whether they will move forward to the U.S Nationals competition at The Henry Ford. They also receive feedback to improve their inventions and submission materials.
April - May
Students can make changes to inventions and materials as needed. Fundraising and registration for U.S Nationals.
June 5 - 7
U.S Nationals competition in Dearborn, Michigan.
For additional information, check out…
To sign up as an interested educator or facilitator and to get more information, please fill out this inquiry survey.
Convergence Education through INVENTION CONVENTION
Hearthstone, through its Invent Wisconsin initiative, has partnered with The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation (Dearborn, MI) to bring new STEAM curricula to students to ensure that every child, in every circumstance, gets the opportunity to create and learn, or simply put, to invent.
This is particularly important for students who are typically underrepresented in STEAM areas.
While Hearthstone mainly works with Northeastern Wisconsin schools, the program is open to any interested student, anywhere in the state. This includes homeschool students and students in after-school programs.
Invention Convention comprises a 10-week set of fully supported lessons available for grades K-12 that teach the scientific method, the invention method, the engineering method, and the entrepreneurship method through interdisciplinary and dynamic activities and experiential learning.
The comprehensive curricula are provided ENTIRELY FREE to area schools, after school programs, libraries and other organizations, and parents. The curricula include everything needed to give students the opportunity to invent. This includes:
Lessons
Associated lesson plans
Supporting materials
Activity resources.
Hearthstone will also help fund “Maker Spaces” at each participating organization where all students, regardless of economic strata, have access free materials to create their inventions.
The resources provided in Invention Convention align with Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. The lessons are designed to augment, not replace, current lessons in math, science, and art. Professional development resources are provided for educators. But the resources also create a fun and interactive, hands-on learning environment that any organization or parent can use. In fact, the curricula are extremely flexible and can be shorten to just a week or two to meet specific needs of shorter time frames. They are easily adapted to hybrid school schedules, after school programs, home-schooling, and non-classroom settings such as libraries or living rooms.
The initial pilot program was conducted at Kaleidoscope Academy Middle School in Appleton during SY 2018-2019. All 116 sixth graders participated, bringing a marvelous array of new inventions to life. In SY 2019-2020, the pilot program was successfully expanded to 150 students at Kaleidoscope Academy. While COVID forced a suspension of in-school programming for SY 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, Invention Convention is back in schools across the state.
SY2022-23 saw the program expand out of Northeastern Wisconsin though a partnership with Random Lake Middle School. In fact, four of their students were the first to represent the state at US Nationals at the Henry Ford Museum since COVID.
In addition to providing the curricula, Invent Wisconsin organizes Invention Convention competitions at the organization, regional, and state levels for those students participating in the program. These “science fair” type of events are designed to recognize the hard work and inventive genius of the students in a low-stress and fun setting. The best of the best at the state competition are eligible to participate at Invention Convention U.S. Nationals held at The Henry Ford Museum each summer.
If your student, class, school, or district is interested in using the curricula and/or participating in an upcoming Invention Convention, please contact:
Lauren Kelly
Museum Educator
information@hearthstonemuseum.org