DS's first real big School Project--Looking for ideas

[debster812]

Well, it's happened. DS was assigned his first big school project yesterday. He's in Grade 4, and they have to write 2 paragraphs (not bad) and build a monument to someone, or something that changed the world we live in today.

We have 2 possible ideas (both of which DS came up with on his own) but we want to get a nice big list to go to the teacher with tomorrow. Their subject has to be 'approved' by the teacher.

The criteria:

Has to have been someone or something that changed the world
Had to have happened PRIOR to 1904.

I'll come back later with our 2 ideas, but wanted to see what else my fellow DISers might think up.

 

[Skatermom23]

I would probably say an inventor right off the top of my head.

 

[goodeats]

Not sure on my dates, but what about someone related to aviation. I don't know what year the Wright brothers flew at Kittyhawk, but I'm sure there was some sort of flight before then (like with a balloon).

Or, somebody related to shipping or the steam engine.

 

[mickeyboat]

http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa111100a.htm

Cool ideas here.

Denae

 

[hidmickey:myantidrug]

Hmm...I was going to say Hitler but that year thing killed me. I'd go with an inventor, as previously stated by other posters, or an explorer. For the later I'd probably do Balboa (he's just my favorite ) but stray away from Columbus because he tends to be overdone. Best of luck to your son!

 

[Frantasmic]

Da Vinci
Shakespeare
George Washington Carver
Jenner (or whoever invented the smallpox vaccine)
Any of the discoverers
Ben Franklin

 

[DisneyFunfor3]

Galileo
Abraham Lincoln
Marie Curie
Abner Doubleday (or more correctly Alexander Cartwright)

 

[kandeebunny]

what about an author who changed or started a literary movement

Or Pulitzer or Hearst (newpaper)

 

[AprilShowers]

Do Ben Franklin (my favorite!)
and instead of going with some of the more obvious stuff, do some of his more obscure inventions. There's a ton of stuff about Ben on the internet and at the library.
Did you know that Ben invented the idea of the lending library?
He also helped start the first University?

 

[hidmickey:myantidrug]

Oh, I thought of who I was trying to think of before.
Gutenberg. He invented the printing press which made written works available to more people increasing intellegence during the Renessance (I know, I killed that spelling).

 

[Hedy]

I'd say whatever your son thinks up is perfect.

 

[debster812]

I'd say whatever your son thinks up is perfect.

Oohhh these are all great ideas, well, with the exception of Hitler. I don't know that ANYONE would want to memorialize him, especially a 4th grader.

ITA with Hedy though, DS just called me, and came up with a 3rd one. All his ideas have been touched on here.

The Wright Brothers
First Gasoline Powered Car
Benjamin Franklin

He has to decide tomorrow and fill out his 'subject form' for his teacher.

I actually LOVE this assignment, and how his teacher has laid it out for them. It's not due until November 8th, but there are steps along the way that have to be checked off by the teacher. They'll not only be doing the project, but learning HOW TO DO a project.

 

[hidmickey:myantidrug]

Hey! I'm insulted debster! I always did Hitler for these projects because he did change things...not for the better, but he did change things!

Nah, I'm not really insulted.

Best of luck to your son on this and all of those fun projects yet to come! I'm sure he'll do great!

 

[N.Bailey]

My favorite is Benjamin Franklin too. You could concentrate on his invention of the lightening rod rather than everything he'd done.

I also liked the Wright Bros. idea.

Go the humorous route, Alexander Cummings invented the first flushable toilet. He gets my vote for making a HUGE difference.

Isaac Newton and the telescope

I also liked Johannes Gutenberg for the printing press. I couldn't answer the question in 7th grade as to who invented it and I had to stand in the corner holding books for the ENTIRE class. I never forgot who that was after that!!!

 

[Caropooh]

Is he in Boy Scouts?
If so, how about Lord Baden-Powell, founder of Boy Scouts.

 

[bbangel]

Alexander Graham Bell!

 

[golfgal]

Thomas Edison--the light bulb

The Assembly Line--invented by Marc Brunel, perfected by Henry Ford

I have read many times and totally agree that the single most important invention that changed the world was the Gutenberg Press. It allowed the WORLD to learn to read, learn, develop, expand, everything!

The wheel-invented WAY before 1904


Fire, while not "invented" it's use changed the world

 

[FroggyinArk]

you could do Elias Disney,, He fathered Walt prior to 1904....

 

[N.Bailey]

I just thought of Betsy Ross.

 

[jan/cape]

How about
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin
Harriett Tubman
Clara Barton Started the First Red Cross VERY Brave woman in the Civil War era