Inventors and Their Invention Worksheets
In 1875, Alexander Graham Bell developed the first telephone. This is seen as the single most important invention in human history. Now just under 150 years later you are reading information thousands of miles from your location in seconds. Inventors are the people who make Science Fiction a reality. We look at those visionaries and world changers in this set of printable worksheets.
- Acrostic Poem
- Bank On It!
- Cryptogram
- Do The Research!
- Group Creative Writing
- I Can Live Without It! - You are a member of the United World Invention Commitee. It seems that the world's citizens has decided that there are just too many inventions. Using the table below, state which invention you would get rid of and explain your reasoning.
- If I Were A.... ? - Choose any invention ever developed. Pretend you are this invention for the remaining questions.
- Invention Timeline - For each time period indicated below, name the invention that was created during that time period which had the greatest impact on you.
- Inventor Biography Worksheet
- KWL
- Maze
- Reading Comprehension
- Then and Now... - Fill in the table to show items used in the past and their modern day equivalent (improvement). In the three blank spaces, at the bottom of the table, add three of your own.
- Vocabulary Quiz
- Vocabulary List & Definitions
- What's In A Name? - Most inventions are given names based on actions they perform or the scientific priniciples the invention is based on. Try to think of new names for the inventions below.
- Word Chop
- Word Search
- Inventors, Inventions Teaching Theme
What Are the Greatest Inventions of All Time?
Man has been creating tools and machines to improve the quality of life, optimize efficiency and overcome hurdles since he rubbed two rocks together and sparks flew. The inventions that have had the most impact on our lives have made remote communication possible, improved medical procedures, increased the volume of cargo that could be transported, and sped up travel.
Following are some inventions that have had the most significant impact on our lives and have laid down the foundation for further inventions.
The Wheel
The invention that got things rolling! The wheel was born in ancient Mesopotamia in 3500 BC. The very first wheels were made from wooden disks shaped from tree trunks. This was first used for pottery, which resulted in household objects for storage and consumption. The wheel was attached to an axle three centuries later, and transportation of goods and longer commute became possible.
The Nail
Raw materials can never be entirely valuable on their own. They have to be shaped and hammered into use. An independent wheel was not of much use compared to one attached to an axle. Therefore, the nail proved to be a revolutionary creation that brought two components together and resulted in more tools and better infrastructure.
The credit for the nail goes to the Romans 2000 years ago after discovering how to shape metal into sharper form. Screws are another invention that has been derived from the family of nails.
Paper
Ever since the concept of writing came into being, people used parchment, papyrus, and barks to scribble their thoughts. We have had entire generations engrave literature onto stones because paper had not been invented. With the invention of paper in 105 AD by the Chinese, keeping records became easier.
Paper also changed the way we traded since it eventually took the form of paper currency. Money, before paper currency, was present in tangible forms such as livestock, vegetables, metal, and intangible form such as services. Anything that could be bartered was deemed money.
With the introduction of paper, banks started using it as a legally binding note that promised a future payment. Soon, paper gained enough value and elevated itself as the ultimate mode of payment. Today, each country has its own, though not all have the same value.
The Printing Press
Imagine taking notes by hand. Now imagine repeating the same process a thousand times to ensure a thousand people have access to the same information. This is why the Gutenberg Press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1439, is said to have revolutionized the dissemination of information, be it academic, religious, or simply news.
Gutenberg's press improved the design and mechanics of the existing printing presses. He came up with the idea of transferring ink from a movable type onto paper, which resulted in an increased and faster yield of printed material.
This is how the masses got access to the Bible and other educational and informative material as well.
The Compass
The earliest explorers, traders, and sailors, who weren't afraid they would fall off the world's edge, were using the night sky's stars and constellations to navigate unchartered land and sea. But was this to suggest that these men would be anchored or camped on cloudy nights and during the daytime?
The compass invented by the Chinese dates back to 200 BC. It used lodestone, which is a naturally magnetized material. The compass is touted as the single most important invention that escorted man into the Age of Discovery.
Electricity
We often regard Benjamin Franklin, the man with the key and kite, as the individual who introduced the world to the idea of electricity. However, around 620 BC, Thales of Miletus was delving into experiments to understand the phenomenon.
Electricity is not an invention per se. However, the operationality of numerous other inventions depends on it, and it cannot be overlooked in changing the way we live our lives.
The Light Bulb
The light bulb is one of the first electricity-based inventions that lit up our lives, and they were never the same again. Books will say that Thomas Edison invented the first bulb in 1879. However, it is crucial to know that he developed the inexpensive, practical bulb, which was the 27th iteration of the filament bulb.
Spaces can't be imagined without this particular light source anymore. From domestic to industrial applications to fittings in vehicles big and small, the incandescent bulb threw light on a whole different way of living and industrial progress. Whether they were merchants, tradespeople, or regular individuals, the duration of their workday increased as they were not bound to daylight anymore.
The Telephone
In March 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone and thus began the process of communicating with people remotely. This was demonstrated by Bell, who placed the first phone call to his assistant in another room, beckoning him to come see him in his office.
The invention of the telephone shook up global businesses. Communication no longer had to take weeks or months, and the world felt slightly more tight-knit afterward.
The telegraph and the radio are also inventions that made remote communication possible, though they function differently and are used in different contexts.
The Steam Engine
In 1781, James Watt improved the design of the pre-existing steam engine, which could stay in continuous motion. This engine could power turbines, pumps, ships, and trains. The steam engine accelerated the growth of the agricultural, mining, and industrial sectors.
The Internet
Can you imagine a world without the internet? In the 1960s, a more contained version of the internet called ARPANET was created for and used by the US Defense Department. In 1989, the primitive and limited internet evolved into the World Wide Web, which essentially opened up the world of the internet to everyone across the globe. And the world has changed drastically for individuals and industries alike.
Summing it up
From creating the first wheel to global internet access, the sign of a groundbreaking invention is the stark contrast in the functionality of work and quality of life before and after its creation. Everything around us is an invention and probably not in the same shape and form as initially conceived. The abovementioned inventions have drastically changed lives and propelled growth in industries.