Lesson Plan - History Makers: Thomas Edison

Watch a Slideshow: 5 Things You Need to Know about Edison
After reviewing the slideshow, ask: Why do many people consider Edison one of the greatest inventors of all time?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know. 

• practical
• patents

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about the qualities that helped Edison succeed as an inventor.

1. What physical challenge did Edison face when he was a child?
A physical challenge Edison faced as a child is that he started to lose his hearing in both ears when he was around 12.
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2. What materials did Edison try using for the filament inside a light bulb?
What eventually worked best? Edison tried many materials for the filament, including fishing line, the stringy part of a coconut shell, and hair from a friend’s beard. Cotton thread worked well, but a bamboo filament ended up working best.
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3. What did Edison mean when he said that no experiment is a failure?
Edison meant that even if an experiment did not work, you could always learn something that would help you.
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FEATURED SKILL: Synthesize Information
Use the skill builder “All About Thomas Edison” to have students use details from the article to complete a profile of Edison. 
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