I Can Be an Awesome Inventor

By Anna Claybourne and Katie Kear

Do you have what it takes to be an awesome inventor? Yes, of course you do - and this action-packed book will prove it!

Doodle the designs for your own egg parachute before testing it out; fix the plans for an over-engineered car by crossing out the bits that aren't needed; and build the world's greatest marshmallow catapult! While you're drawing, making, and playing, you'll be learning all kinds of exciting facts and ideas about the world of S.T. E.M - science, technology, engineering, and maths.

This book supports the key stage 1 (KS1) and key stage 2 (KS2) curriculum and is great for home learning. An awesome book for both boys and girls, aged 7+.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcturus Publishing
• Release date: Aug 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9781398802100

Anna Claybourne

Anne was born in Portland, Oregon, and received her BFA from Oregon State University. In addition to her collaboration with Trina Robbins on the Lulu Award-winning GoGirl!, Anne's work includes the Eisner-nominated Dignifying Science and Pigling: A Cinderella Story for Lerner's Graphic Myths and Legends series. She has illustrated and painted covers for children's books and provided interior and cover art for regional and national magazines, including Wired, Portland Review, and Comic Book Artist. Anne's art also appears in the anthology 9-11: Artists Respond and is now in the Library of Congress.

Book preview

Always Inventing!

Since prehistoric times, humans have been coming up with inventions to make life better. From stone hammers and wooden spears, to boats, wheels, money, toilets, telescopes, light bulbs, and today’s TVs, computers, and phones ... we’re always inventing!

In this book are loads of amazing inventions, along with games, puzzles, and activities for you to try.

Animals can invent, too. Dolphins use sponges to keep their snouts safe from sharp coral while foraging for food.

But humans are the most awesome inventors of all. We have created millions of inventions, big and small!

Activity: Catch That Mouse!

Here’s a simple invention challenge to start off with. Nobody wants mice in their home, but many people don’t want to harm an animal. They want a device that will trap the mouse safely inside, so it can be released later.

Can you invent a mousetrap that catches a mouse without harming it? Draw your design to show how it would work.

Look out!!!

Think about:

• how to lure the mouse inside

• how the mouse will trigger the trap to close

• how to release the mouse.

Inventing the Wheel

The wheel is one of the most important inventions of all time. Try to imagine life without it ... you probably wouldn’t get far!

Wheels are a vital part of bikes, cars, trains, and most other forms of transportation. But they’re also used as parts inside all kinds of machines.

Waterwheel

Washing machine

Ferris wheel

Well

Ancient wheeled toy from Ukraine

Wheels were used in Europe and Asia over 5,000 years ago. Archeologists have found cartwheels and small wheeled toys. Other evidence comes from ancient pictures showing wheeled vehicles.

Illustration of Sumerian wheeled cart

Old wooden cartwheel found in Slovenia

Activity: From Logs to Wheels

No one is sure how the wheel was invented. But we do know that some ancient peoples used to move large objects, such as blocks of stone for building, by rolling them along on logs. Some experts think this led to the invention of the wheel over a series of stages.

Can you match the pictures to the text?

A

B

C

D

E

1. Object rolled along on logs. People had to