The first week of school can be a bit chaotic until rosters are finalized! Because of this, many teachers wait to start actual course content until then and fill in with a variety of team building or get to know you types of activities. With the Invention Mash-Up, students can have fun being creative, collaborating and communicating as they design a new product! Read on to see what this is all about.

Set

• Ask students what the term “mash-up” means. It means combining two items or elements together to create something new. Mash-ups are often done in music.
• Explain that they will be mashing-up two items to create an innovative, useful new product.

Materials

• iPads or Laptops (optional)
• Basket or Container for Cards
• Colored Pencils & Markers (optional)
• Construction Paper (optional)

Activities

• First decide if you are going to have students create their visuals digitally, using technology or hand-generate them using paper and colored pencils or markers. Also, be sure to have all of the common household items cut apart into slips and placed in a basket for students to select from.
• Go over the guide sheet of the assignment with students, explaining the criteria; show them an example if desired.
• Place students into groups of two either randomly or allowing them to choose on their own. Once partners are created, then have each person select a card from the basket.
• Students must collaborate to create a new invention that merges their two items together. They must also brainstorm the function or job this new product will do.
• If using technology, students could put their items and description into Chatgpt or Canva’s AI and allow it to generate an image/visual of their new invention. Students can share that with their teacher via Gogle Classroom who will put it in a Google Slide Deck or students can add it themselves to the slide deck if the teacher has created one.
• If students are hand-generating their visuals, give them the art materials they need to create it and then collect them.
• When all visuals are complete, students will share or pitch (Shark Tank Style) their new inventions with the class. If you want to add a competititve element to this activity, you could ask students to vote for their favorite invention(s) based on the following categories: Most Creative, Most Useful, Funniest, Best Image.
• Finally, you can hang these as a bulletin board or wall/hall display for all to see. Guaranteed to spark some conversation among other students and classes!

Attachments

• Invention Mash-Up (PDF)
• Common Household Items (PDF)