PVPUSD Invention Convention 2023

PROBLEMS! We all have them, right? Some are big, some are small, but they all deserve a solution.

Well, it's time to reach in and pull out your inner inventor! That's right! An inventor lives in each and every one of us.

This year PVPUSD is partnering with some of the neighboring South Bay school districts in providing our TK-8 students with the opportunity to showcase their invention skills. Think of a problem in your life that you (or a friend or family member) have that needs a solution. Now YOU design that solution! An adult in your life can help, but you must do all the work.

Steps should include:

1. Come up with some problems in daily life that need a solution.

2. Pick one problem and invent a solution - Rules and Regulations

3. Do some research to make sure that this invention doesn’t already exist. (If it does exist, how would your solution improve the existing invention?)

4. Keep an Inventor’s Log describing each step of the process along the way from the first sketches to the final dimensions. This includes drawings, written ideas, data/research collected, etc. Sample here. Your log can take any form, but you may use the sample logs posted at the bottom under Invention Documents.

5. Build the invention. Help from an adult is allowed, but most of the work should be yours.

6. Create a display board that tells the story behind your invention, what it does, how it works, who might use it, materials used to create it, how you created it, does it actually solve the problem it was designed to solve, what do people think about your invention? Display board rules here.

Example Layout:

You will also have the opportunity to demonstrate and explain your invention in a 3-6 minute video that needs to be uploaded to the Form below by 10pm on February 10th.

Video Rules
• Grades K-2: 3-6 minute video with permitted use of notecards and/or simple parent prompting (not interview style).
• Grades 3-4: 4-6 minute video with permitted use of notecards but no parent/adult prompting of any kind.
• Grades 5-8: 4-6 minute video with no notecards or adult prompting.
• There should be NO editing or production.
• The video should run continuously.

**While filming on a smartphone, hold the phone horizontally/landscape.

Categorize your invention according to the list below. (It may be that an invention doesn’t exactly fit one of these categories, but have the student choose what is closest.) The categories are also required for the National Convention.

Agriculture and Food
Animal Care and Pets
Consumer Goods and Fashion
Earth and Sustainability
Education (Technology, Systems, Tools, Hardware)
Energy
Health and Medical
Home Organization and Appliances
Manufacturing and Tools
Safety
Sports, Games, and Toys
Transportation

Invention Convention Entry Form - form will open on February 1st for submission

- must be completed and submitted by 10pm on February 10th, 2023

Depending upon the number of entries, projects may be chosen for display at the District-level fair on February 22 and 23rd. From there, select projects will move on to the South Bay Regional Invention Convention which will be held March 13 (Judging Begins), March 20 (Judging Day), and March 24 (Awards Night). Projects will have the potential to move on to the California Invention Convention (April 10-20) and then the National Invention Convention (date TBD).

In the meantime, please direct questions to our Teachers on Special Assignment.

Stacy Dunn - Elementary Instructional Coach - [email protected]

Becky Egan - Secondary Instructional Coach - [email protected]

Invention Documents - Click to expand