I am an Innovation Academy Student here at UF, meaning I get a minor in Innovation from taking classes on creativity and entrepreneurship. I'm actually taking this class as it counts towards my minor. Through IA I've created two products, a children's toy and a business to help biodiversity, and presented them with my groups to professionals and other entrepreneurs. The children's toy, Picking Petals, helps kids in kindergarten and first grade learn how to add in different ways, like 3+3=6, but so does 2+4, and 5+1. We felt this was a good idea in order to teach kids at an early age free thinking and problem solving skills. Over the summer, I participated in Catalyst with a group. The problem we had to solve was protecting biodiversity in our hometowns. As most of us in the group were from South Florida, we focused on the amount of plastics found in the ocean. We created a business that takes plastics too thin to be recycled and turn them into home products, like plates and reusable bags.
Hi Chloe. I love your math children's toy. I teach at an elementary school and this would fit right in with the curriculum. A big push on math now is for hands on practice versus just worksheets. I might have to share this idea with some of the Kindergarten teachers. Another idea for the toy would be where students could place bugs on the petals themselves. A learning objective for Kindergarten students is to be able to count by 1s with objects. With this adjustment they can meet more than one objective with the same toy. I might have to look into the IA for my children when they go to college. They love thinking of ideas and creating things.
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ReplyDeleteIt's awesome that you've already been able to invent and present products. I've always had ideas for inventions, but I don't really know the steps needed act on the ideas. This is part of the reason why I'm minoring in Entrepreneurship - to learn the steps involved in turning an idea to an invention. Since you're already experienced in the subject, could you me any tips?