The Invention Convention

Every year the fifth graders put on an invention convention. They learn about early civilization and how inventions were started to make our lives easier. Each student comes up with an idea to make life easier, draws up plans, purchases materials, writes a journal entry about it and makes a display board and the invention. They are supposed to do this as much on their own as possible.

Xander's idea was a music bag that would hold his flute and piccolo and music so he doesn't have to have three different bags, which is what he currently does. I am really proud of him! Aside from a few technical issues mom had to tweek for him, he did it pretty much on his own. The biggest challenge is that is has to be a new design. It cannot already exist. They had to do research on the internet to find similar ideas or see if it was already invented. There are flute/piccolo bags, but not like this one! We designed our own style and added things that the other ones did not have.

Most of his friends came up with very simple ideas that took a few minutes to make. Most were additions to things already invented, a lot were pretty simple to assemble. I know some were hard, like Xander's but not very many!

Here's the finished backpack:

We decided to make the backpack out of all recycled materials. We took a backpack his aunt's had used in high school and cut it up. Then we took those recyclable bags you get at the stores. I had some cool zebra print ones that he really liked. We rummaged through my sewing supplies and came up with all sorts of stuff to accent the bag. It is pretty eclectic, but he loves it and it is definitely "green!"

Sewing was actually the hardest because we have a simple sewing machine, not a commercial grade monster that can sew through several layers.

He had to document each step of the way with pictures and journal entries...

At this house, no project is complete without a bowl of popcorn....

Putting the final touches on....

Ah, yes! And what musician or preteen can live without their iPod!

We made a special pocket for the iPod...

And recycled a part of the old backpack to make the cord hole.....

Here's the side pocket with the pencil holder....

The cleaning rod....

He worked so hard on it and I am so proud of him! He is really happy with his invention and plans on using it as soon as the convention is over next week!

Great Job Xander!!!!!