Interested in Invention Education in Your Classroom? – Listen to these young inventors talk about the impact of Invention Education in the Youtube video below.
We have lots of resources for educators — including curricular resources, videos, professional development training, ideas, materials, mentors. Much of this becomes available to you when you let us know that you are interested in having either your school or classroom participate. Just contact us.
Plan the implementation and register with us.
Go to the Professional Development training.
Engage your parents and students.
Teach the curriculum and guide the inventors.
Hold a local Invention Convention to celebrate all the inventors.
Select students to attend a regional California Invention Convention, held in April. Dates are listed under Find A Competition
Top inventions from regional California Invention Conventions are invited to attend the National Invention Convention at the The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mi held in early June.
The California Invention Convention builds standards-based inquiry skills in students K-12 by introducing and leading them through the creation of their own invention to solve a problem of their own choosing
Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and each educational unit “covers the standards” effortlessly and naturally.
STEM Integrated – Linked with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as English, economics, sociology, presentation skills, information technology, art, marketing, and much more.
Differentiated Education – Accommodates different student needs and learning styles.
Founded on Higher Order Thinking Skills – Problem-defining and problem-solving techniques are taught and utilized.
21st Century Skills Related – Age appropriate links to personal growth, learning paths, and global issue.
Synopsis Outreach Foundation is offering financial grants to educators in the following counties:
Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma Counties.
Building STEM Classrooms – Teaching students STEM requires additional materials that might not be in your supply budget. The Synopsis Outreach Foundation can help. Teachers have used these funds in the past to buy Display Boards for their Invention Education students.
Applications normally open in early August.
The curriculum and activities materials are password protected and can be accessed here:
Other Invention Convention teacher materials are available below.
We recommend Invention Convention Professional Development to any teacher or program leader.
If you attended Professional Development Invention training, then you will received an email with the password. If you attended training, and have not received an email with the password, (or have forgotten it!), please contact us.
Getting Started with Invention Education in Your Classroom
FAQs for Teachers – This is fairly comprehensive and should answer many of your questions regarding implementation in your classroom, timelines, and having your students attend the Spring Invention Convention.
FAQs for TeachersHow To Guide (Starter Kit) – Available as PDF — a complete and concise guide with tips and step-by-step guidelines for bringing Invention Education into your classroom, as well as the Judging Rubric used in the regional California Invention Convention event.
How to GuideIntent to Invent – This documents the initial thinking about the problem solution and should be signed by the parent and reviewed by the teacher. It helps to ensure that the student is on the right track and not violating any restrictions.
PDF Version Intent to InventWord Version Intent to InventInvention Log – Every K-12 student must complete this log. For K-2 students, it is designed for the student to work with an adult; either the adult records what the student dictates or the beginning writer can fill in a modified form of the log with adult help to read/interpret the questions. We have provided both a PDF and Word format. The Word format is useful for those students using computers to fill in the log.
PDF Version CAIC Invention LogWord Version CAIC Invention LogGuide to Invention Log – This PDF contains a graphic illustrating the Invention Process, invention terms and their meaning, an outline of the steps each inventor will take. Be sure to review this document with your students.
Guide to Invention LogIntroduction Letter to Parents — Communicating with parents and letting them know about this new program is essential for a successful start. Modify these Word documents to meet your needs.
Restrictions and Requirements — In order for a student to participate in the California State Invention Convention and/or the National Invention Convention, the invention and presentation materials must conform to these requirements. Be sure to be familiar with them so the students don’t go too far down a particular path and then find out they can’t be part of the state and national conventions.
Requirements & RestrictionsCreating Invention DocumentationCreating Your VideoPlanning Dates for Regional California Invention Conventions — If you think you might be interested in having your students participate in a regional California invention Convention, you can learn more on our website - Find A Competition
Upcoming dates and more infoInspiration and Invention Information
Invention and/or Entrepreneurial Books — Our thanks to the Connecticut Invention Convention for these lists of books and their summaries. Some of the books are about inventions, others about inventors, some are specifically directed to younger inventors. There are books here on how to patent an invention, the history of invention, the theory and philosophy behind the invention process.
List of Video Links used in Professional Development Training
Training VideosList of Video Links about Invention efforts around the world
List of Invention VideosSupport for Your Class and/or School Invention Convention
Media Release Form – Your school may already have a Media Release Form, but if not modify this Word doc as you see fit and have the parents/legal guardians sign it. A PDF version is available as well. You will want to take and share pictures of your students and their inventions — and we would love to put them on ourWeb site!
Media Release – General PDF Media Release – General WordJudging Criteria – National Invention Convention – This is includes the Judging Rubric, Video Guidelines, Display Board and Log Criteria used at the 2025 National Invention Convention.
Nationals CriteriaJudging Rubric – California Invention Convention — This rubric will be used at the 2026 Northern / Central Region California Invention Convention, shown on a Judging Form.
CAIC RubricSimple Rubric. This rubric hits all the high points and has been used successfully in several classroom conventions.
Simple Rubric – PDFSimple Rubric – WordRubric used in Classrooms in Southern California.
Rubric SOCALQuestions for Judges. Some sample questions for judges.
Sample Questions for JudgesTraining for Judges. This is a slimmed-down version of the training we use with Judges at the California Invention Convention. This is a Powerpoint File that you can modify to your needs.
Judging by Design – trainer copyParticipation Certificate for School / Classroom.
PDF Participant CertificateCertificate for Student Invited to Northern / Central Region Competition.
PDF Certificate for Northern / Central RegionalCertificate for Student Invited to Southern Region Competition.
PDF Certificate for Southern Region RegionalTeacher Exchange and Additional Resources for Students
Materials from 4th Grade Chadbourne Elementary in Fremont. 4th Grade teacher Jennifer Mead put together a lesson sequence, YouTube and other videos for each lesson, materials to capture initial thoughts about problems and inventions prior to using Invention Log. She asked her class to SCAMPER ideas around food for a Pirate and also a cup. She has included their completed forms and pictures. She also asked parents to come to the class and help with research (schedule). All 4th grade materials / plans should work with 3-5th grades.
Lesson Sequence – 4th GradeApp Developer from MIT: MIT App Inventor is a free, intuitive, visual programming environment that allows everyone – even children – to build fully functional apps for Android phones, iPhones, and Android/iOS tablets.
MIT App Inventor
The California Invention Convention is a registered 501(c)(3) with a tax-exempt EIN 84-3492216. We currently do not charge the schools for the curriculum. We rely strictly on sponsors and donations for which we are most grateful.
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