March 18, 2013 To: All 4th and 5th Grade Parents Dear St.

Pius Families, The school is planning an Invention Convention that is to take place at the Spring Fling on April 24, 2013. Each student will be given instructions and handouts during class for the various steps of his/her project. Your support is key to a successful project. Your child may need you to monitor his/her progress and most importantly provide encouragement, help brainstorm ideas, and possible daily problems that could be solved with a little innovation! Please do not allow your involvement to extend any further in or order to assure equity and promote student learning. We are encouraging students to spend little or no money to create an invention/innovation. Recycling materials found in the home is not only innovative but good for our environment as well. We also encourage students to pick topics that they are genuinely interested in, since they will be working on this project for the next month. Topics must also be original-something students do not already know and something that (to our knowledge) has not been invented/innovated before. The following highlights reasons for doing Invention Convention, student expectations, and some helpful hints for providing encouragement. Please take time to read this information carefully. We hope that the Invention Convention is a wonderful learning experience for your child and will promote a love of learning and science. This project is extending across the 4th and 5th grade curriculums. In reading they will be reading about inventors and in writing they will be researching an inventor and writing a paper. You may access my Invention Convention wiki page at http://spsfourthgrade.wiokispaces.com/ for copies of these documents and examples of student inventions, etc. I am so excited to be a part of the first St. Pius Invention Convention! If you have any questions please feel free to email me. Mrs. Piechocki

Why An Invention Project?

Students use the scientific method to solve a problem. Students use an open and creative approach to problem solving. Students sharpen their writing skills. Students develop research skills. Students improve time management and organizational skills.

Below is a list of student expectations for the Invention Convention: 1. Brainstorm ideas for an invention/innovation to solve a problem 2. Completing a patent application (invention/innovation proposal) Patent Application Due by March 25, 2013 3. Design a plan for building your invention/innovation (hypothesis) Planning Page/Original Sketch Due by April 10, 2013 4. Maintaining a scientists data journal (Project Log) Project Log Due by April 22, 2013 5. Making a display board that includes the following: problem, purpose, background research, plan, procedure, materials, results, conclusions, bibliography and any pictures you may have taken along the way. Invention/Innovation and Display Board Due by April 22, 2013 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I have reviewed the Invention Convention information and due dates with my child, _____________________________, and we understand the requirements for a successful project. ______________________________________________Parent Signature/Date ______________________________________________Student Signature/Date