Third Grade Hosts Annual Invention Convention

On Wednesday, AFS third graders had the exciting opportunity of hosting the annual Invention Convention.  Third grade students from Penn Charter and Plymouth Meeting Friends School joined us on our campus for an amazing gathering!

 The theme of the convention this year was "Playground," and pairs of students created unique models of inventions that would add even more excitement and fun to our outdoor space.  Our students worked diligently to create inventions that incorporated a variety of materials including a number of simple machines.  Each group also created a binder of write-ups about the process, future possibilities for related inventions and even a commercial to advertise their invention.
  
 
 
The convention was set up in the Faulkner library in a science fair like fashion.  Each pair had a chance to stand by their invention to present their concept and answer any questions, and they also had the opportunity to explore all of the other inventions.  As they explored, it was great to see our AFS third graders mingle with their peers from other schools.  During lunch and recess the kids had even more opportunity to connect. 


The day ended in the meetinghouse where the students and teachers all had time to reflect upon the day.  Students and teachers alike shared their thoughts of what they learned and appreciated about both the Invention Convention and the process of creating their invention.  It was clear that a big part of the learning process involved trial and error and that the necessary changes that students made to their inventions were not just frustrating, but also a reason to be even more proud of their final product.

The students not only had a great time sharing their inventions and learning about their peer’s inventions, but also took great pride in their hard work and had a blast!