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grade level: 3-5
curriculum standards:
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posted on: November 29, 1999
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Key Economic Concepts:
This lesson illustrates the differences between inventions and innovations. It discusses what entrepreneurs are and their role with inventions and innovations.
Students will:
- Define entrepreneur
- Explain the difference between invention and innovation
- Determine the skills necessary to be a successful entrepreneur
- How does Rube's invention sharpen a pencil?
- How does Rube keep shop windows clean? <>[The caption to each picture explains the roundabout way in which the task gets done.]
- Why do you think Rube's absurdly complex solutions to simple problems never make it to your local stores? [Answers will vary. The machines exert maximum effort for minimal results. It would be very difficult for these inventions to be shipped and assembled easily. The machines are practical and efficient ways to solve the problems .]
- However, people still need ways to sharpen pencils and clean windows. So, how do these tasks get done without Rube's machines?
- What would you consider the five most important inventions and why?
- Why do you consider those inventions important? [Answers will vary. You may want to help your class brainstorm a big list of inventions. Suggestions for important inventions include Steve Jobs's personal computer, Henry Ford's automobile, etc.]
- Rube's Simplified Pencil Sharpener/How to Keep Shop Windows Clean: At the Rube Goldberg website, one can endeavor to capture the whimsical side of Rube Goldberg’s work and life.
www.rubegoldberg.com/ [1]
- Inventor of the Week Archive: This website offers information concerning how the slinky accidentally was invented in 1943 by engineer Richard James.
http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/slinky.html [2]
- Amazing Inventions Gallery: This website contains a list of inventions that inventors would like an entrepreneur's help in developing.
www.amazinginventions.net/viewInventions.php [3] - Do you see any invention there that you would be willing to invest in? [Answers will vary.]
- What skills do you need in order to transform an idea into a profitable success?
- What risks are involved in putting your product on the market? [Answers will vary. Possible ideas include willing to take risks, accept challenges, work well with others, and become your own boss. These people should be decisive, dedicated, and hard working. People risk losing money because they do not know whether consumers will like the product and whether the customers will be willing to pay for it.]
- How does the free market encourage you to develop your idea? [The free market encourages entrepreneurs through providing profits as incentives.]
It's such a pain to sharpen your pencil, isn't it? And don't you hate it when you can't keep a window clean? Well, cartoonist Rube Goldberg can help you out.
Check out Rube's Simplified Pencil Sharpener
[1]
or How to Keep Shop Windows Clean
[1]
Part of the answer lies with entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are people who recognize opportunities to develop new products and start new businesses. Although Rube's solutions are admirable, the entrepreneurs behind the development of the electric pencil sharpener and the squeegee had more success with solving those problems.
Invention versus Innovation:
When entrepreneurs see an opportunity, they can do one of two things. They can develop either an invention or an innovation. An invention is a new product created by an inventor. When you think of inventions and inventors you probably think of big things like Thomas Edison and the light bulb or Alexander Graham Bell and the telephone. But, little inventions, like the eraser, also play big parts in our lives. 
An innovation is the introduction of an invention into a use that has economic value. Innovations change how people use preexisting products. You probably innovate in some way almost every day. Have you ever used a piece of gum to hold something together? Or have you ever used sock as a puppet? Well, that's innovation. Some entrepreneurs believe that some innovations will be very popular on the market. Check out the web site below and answer the following questions.
A loose spring on a ship becomes a Slinky [2]
In that toy story, it required a person to develop the idea into a tangible marketable product, something Rube never cared to attempt. The willingness of an entrepreneurs to take a risk on a product depends largely on how successful the entrepreneur believes the product will be. A free market economy encourages entrepreneurship by allowing entrepreneurs the opportunity to make a profit on their ideas.
Check out the Amazing Inventions Gallery at www.amazinginventions.net/viewInventions.php [3] and get a list of inventions that inventors would like an entrepreneur's help in developing.
Links Used:
1. ^ ^ ^ "Rube's Simplified Pencil Sharpener" - (www.rubegoldberg.com)
2. ^ ^ "http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/slinky.html" - (web.mit.edu)
3. ^ ^ "www.amazinginventions.net/viewInventions.php" - (www.amazinginventions.net)
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