Blog - Inventionland Education

Teachers are always looking for new ways to inspire their students. We asked members of the Inventionland Institute team to give us their top three tweaks teachers can make in the classroom spark student creativity.

Did you know that over 10 million students take part in after-school programs in the United States? The demand for high-quality after-school programs is constantly on the rise as more and more students live in households where their parents or guardians work full-time jobs. Trying to find a way to keep students motivated without it seeming too much like “school after school” can present challenges. This month, we speak with Barb Thornton, who uses The Inventionland Institute Curriculum at the Evergreen Boys and Girls Club to help build students’ self a-STEAM.

The story of Three Little Pigs is not only a staple in the lives of most children, but it’s also the perfect STEAM lesson plan for elementary school students. In this STEAM lesson, students will work in three teams to build houses that will (hopefully) withstand the huff and the puff of the big bad wolf. This lesson will take approximately one 45-60 minute class period to complete.

Teaching elementary school students poses different challenges than teaching middle and high school students. To be able to take complicated STEAM topics and introduce them in a way that is not only exciting but understandable to younger minds is no easy feat. Adrienne Hoffman, the Inventionland and STEAM Facilitator for grades K-5 at Cambria Elementary School is doing just that this year. We talked to her about the challenges she faces, her greatest successes, and how parents have supported her in her inaugural year teaching the Inventionland Institute curriculum.

Kurt Mahan may be in his inaugural year of teaching the Inventionland Institute Curriculum, but he’s no stranger to the classroom or the world of business. Mahan, whose class list includes courses such as Intro to Business, Entrepreneurship, Banking and Personal Finance, Computer Applications, Marketing and Product Development, Broadcasting and Video Production, and Advanced Career Preparation, was a natural fit to lead his students through the ILI curriculum for the Brownsville Area School District.  He’s been teaching for nine years after a successful career in the business field. We spoke to him about his experiences so far using the Inventionland Institute Curriculum.

Meghan Hull began her teaching career 15 years ago, but, like any seasoned pro, knows that she constantly has to change what and how she teaches in order to meet the needs of her students. Berkshire School District implemented Inventionland Institute’s curriculum for the 2018-2019 school year and she is helping both students and teachers adapt to the new technology in its inaugural year.