How to implement an Invention Convention in your school in Tennessee:
Implementing an Invention Convention with your students and/or in your school is an exciting endeavor. With a few key people and a healthy dose of planning and organization a valuable and fun event can occur for everyone involved!
A brief outline for suggested steps are as follows:
- Prior planning:
- Key People:
- Teachers, enrichment leads, STEM coordinators, Teachers for the Gifted Programs or after-school coordinators – many people can play a role. Typically a single person can handle the local logistics for coordinating the program.
- Students and Event Schedule:
- Key people decide:
- Grade levels to be involved
- Time allotment (when/how much per day or week)
- Date and location for invention convention at the school
- Note the date when Regional or State Invention Convention is held so your school winners can participate leading to the National Invention Convention
- Establish budget and secure funding:
- While running an Invention Convention program at your school is not expensive, some funds are required. The average school could spend the following each year:
- Teacher stipend (if required, school dependent)
- Awards and incidentals for local school convention (approximately $25- $200 total)
- Bus to transport winners and their families to the State-wide event held annually at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. (if required, school dependent)
- While running an Invention Convention program at your school is not expensive, some funds are required. The average school could spend the following each year:
- Key people decide:
- Key People:
- Contact Tracey Huddleston: thuddleston@inventionconvention.org for additional information for the state competition.
- Hold a “Kick-Off Meeting” for all interested students
- Get students excited and motivated to participate in invention convention. This is particularly important if you are running the invention convention program outside of your normal school curriculum.
- Tell parents about your plans and solicit participation.
- Post events on your school calendar.
- When working with teachers and parents, it helpful to discuss benefits for student participation; such as application of basic skills and opportunity for integration of grade level standards with each invention.
- Instruction time — Mentor the students
- Most of the inventing is done at home, or at least outside of the classroom. Use the time inside the classroom — generally about an hour a week — to mentor the students with their inventions. Ask parents and corporate sponsors to come and help too.
- Time applied will vary according to grade level and knowledge base of students. Teachers will know best how to schedule and pace this time for students.
- Typically allow 6-8 weeks overall with students on task. Some schools build this into their daily or weekly coursework during school; some make this an after-school or enrichment program.
- The Big Day:
- Hold your own local Invention Convention. This could be just one school or combined with other schools in your area.
- Many schools cohost the Science Fair and Invention Convention on the same day since many kids do one or the other.
- Invite families and other classes to come in and view the displays.
- Engage local businesses, civic organizations and other volunteers to come and judge the exhibits. Judge training is available upon request
- Select the inventors to attend the State Invention Convention
- The number of students/inventions permitted at the state competition can be found in the informational brochure. Please email thuddleston@inventionconventionl.org for more information
- Register students for State Convention:
- Informational brochures are mailed each October with information regarding how to participate in the annual Invention Convention at MTSU.
- Select winners from state competition will be invited to participate in the National Invention Convention held annually in late spring. More information can be found on the STEMIE website: www.STEMIE.org.