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STEM Activity: Internet Invention Quest

STEM Activities

Whether we’re searching for information, connecting with friends and family, reading about local restaurants or looking at cute cat photos, many of us use the internet every day.

Of course, this wasn’t always the case. The earliest message shared via the internet was sent on Oct. 29, 1969. A small group of computer scientists from UCLA planned to transmit the word “LOGIN” but the system crashed after just the first two letters, making “LO” the first web-based message ever sent.

When you complete the word puzzle below, you can uncover your own secret message!

 

Materials Needed:

  • Copy paper
  • Device with access to the internet
  • Pencil

 

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Ask an adult to help you complete the following Internet Invention Quest.
     
  2. Using safe web browsing, search the following questions and write down your answers to unlock a secret message!
    Hint: Highlight (on a computer) or select (on mobile) the space below each question to reveal the answer.
     
    • Who is known as the “Father of Computer Graphics” for his development of Sketchpad, a program that allowed users to use a light pen to design and draw on a computer display in real time? Write down the first letter of their first name.
      I – Ivan Sutherland
       
    • Who invented the field of bioorthogonal chemistry, allowing researchers to chemically modify molecules within living systems? Write down the first letter of their first name.
      C – Carolyn Bertozzi
       
    • To create devices like LEDs or lasers, a process called molecular beam epitaxy is used to layer materials atom by atom. Who developed this important process? Write down the first letter of their first name.
      A – Alfred Cho
       
    • Which of the inventors of stannous fluoride toothpaste was born in 1914? Write down the first letter of their last name.
      N – William Nebergall
       
    • Who invented color photography using the Photochromoscope system? Write down the first letter of their last name.
      I – Frederic Eugene Ives
       
    • Who helped sugar become a commonplace item by inventing an automated process for refining sugar? Write down the first letter of their first name.
      N – Norbert Rillieux
       
    • Which National Inventors Hall of Fame® Inductee led development of the “Studio Encoder”? Write down the first letter of their first name.
      V – Victor Lawrence
       
    • Which inventor founded the company that developed the first computerized standalone word processor for business use? Write down the first letter of their first name.
      E – Evelyn Berezin
       
    • Who invented the seat belts that keep us safe in cars, known as the three-point seat belt? Write down the first letter of their first name.
      N – Nils I. Bohlin
       
    • Which inventor became known as “The Sun Queen” for their contributions to the field of solar energy? Write down the first letter of their last name.
      T – Mária Telkes
       
  3. Congratulations – you completed the Internet Invention Quest! Write out your answers to each question to discover the secret message.
    Hint: Highlight (on a computer) or select (on mobile) the space below to reveal the answer.

    I     C A N     I N V E N T

 

What Are We Discovering?

The internet is a global network that allows people to connect and share information. Thanks to inventors worldwide, we can access the internet to find information, communicate with others and so much more!

National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Marian Croak made advancements in VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, giving us the capability for audio and video conferencing over the internet. Inductee Chieko Asakawa invented the Home Page Reader, the first practical voice browser to provide adequate internet access for blind and visually impaired computer users. What other inventors can you find who contributed to internet innovations?

 

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