Invention Project | STEM Activities for Middle School

Invention Project Offers Empowering STEM Activities for Middle School Students

Collaboration

Self-expression

Entrepreneurship

Bring out your child’s inner inventor

With Invention Project®, students can learn the business of innovation, from prototype to product launch. Through high-energy, hands-on activities, our program empowers each participant to turn ideas into inventions, and find out how to bring those inventions to market.

Creative Challenges

Each day brings new, inspiring activities to spark imaginations.

Real-World Skills

The business deals may be simulated, but the lessons are all real.

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Discover a few of the Invention Project sessions

Mini-Bot

Students will explore the basics of circuitry and counterbalance as they design and challenge their own motor-powered creatures.

Extreme Shoe

Teams will explore Business 101 as they develop and market innovative shoes in a mock free-market economy. Style matters, but so do features and pricing, as well as marketing and manufacturing.

Video Game Design

Young innovators are challenged to promote health and wellness through innovative video games.

Tech Messaging

Teams collaborate to evolve text messaging while discovering their own personal problem-solving style.

Watch our program in action

See a typical day at Invention Project

9 a.m. — Hangout Space

Students sign in as a day of inventing begins. At Hangout Space (the room where they’ll start and finish each day), students will join up with friends and engage in one of several targeted activities to get warmed up for brainstorming, designing and teamwork.

9:15 a.m. — Session 1: Brainstorm and Build

Students will hear their first challenge of the day (like inventing a new way to use solar power) and brainstorm in teams to come up with as many solutions as possible. Once each team decides on an idea, they’ll get to work building their inventions using special materials that are provided, as well as recyclables from the Inventor Supply Room.

10:45 a.m. — M.O.V.E.

Next, it’s time for our participants to get moving and play invention-themed games. They’ll use their minds, hands, feet and a little imagination to race across the “ocean” by stepping on “boats,” dodge water balloons and strategize tactics with teammates.

11:45 a.m. — Lunch

All great inventors need to take a break and refuel.

12:15 p.m. — Session 2: Design and Sell

Teams jump back into invention mode, but this time, they’ll receive a totally new challenge, such as designing the next all-star athletic shoe. The sky is the limit, but teams will need to think fast and build fast. They’ll also need to figure out how to take their inventions to the next level using marketing and entrepreneurship skills.