EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE INVENTED, HAS ALREADY

BEEN INVENTED
THE YEAR IS 1899 AND THE US PATENT
OFFICE COMISSIONER HAS DECLARED
THAT EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE
INVENTED, HAD ALREAD Y BEEN
INVENTED. IF THIS BECOMES THE NEW
POLICY, THE OFFICE WILL NO LONGER BE
GIVING OUT GRANT MON EY TO FUND
DEVELOPING PROJECTS.
YOU ARE AN ENGINEER SPECIALIZING IN
SIMPLE MACHINES. IT IS YOUR JOB TO
INVENT NEW PRODUCTS FROM SIMPLE
MACHINES. YOU NEED TO CONVINCE
THE DIRECTORS OF THE PATENT OFFICE
THAT SIMPLE MACHINES HAVE LIMITLES S
POSSIBILITIES THAT C OULD BE
DEVELOPED, OR YOU WI LL LOSE YOUR
JOB.
THE DIRECTORS AT THE US PATENT OFFICE HAVE INVITED YOU TO THE IR UPCOMING MEETING TO
PRESENT YOUR OPINON OF THE DECLARATION. YOU ARE TO PREPARE A NARRATED POWERPOINT
TO PROVE THAT THERE ARE AN INFINATE AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT SIMPLE AND
COMPOUND MACHINES CREATE.
YOU WILL PRESENT THIS POWERPOINT TO THE DIRECTORS ON NOVEMBER 22. IN ORDER TO
PURSUADE THE DIRECTO RS, YOUR PRESENTATION MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING:

EXPLAIN HOW SIMPLE MACHINES HELP PEOPLE

PICK ONE SIMPLE MACH INE AND SHOW HOW IT BY ITSELF CAN BE MODIFIED IN MANY
WAYS TO CHANGE ITS U SFULNESS
EXPLAIN WHAT A COMPO UND MACHINE IS AND HOW IT IS EFFECTIVE
SHOW HOW THERE ARE A N ENDLESS AMOUNT OF COMBINATIONS AND ALTERATIONS THAT
CAN BE MADE
PRESENT THE DESIGN O F A NEW COMPOUND MAC HINE OF YOUR OWN INVENTION TO
PROVE THAT THERE IS STILL MORE TO BE INVENTED

WHAT IS A PBE?
Dear Parents,
For the past few weeks we have been learning all about simple and compound machines.
The students have learned how they are used in the world. They have created their own
machines to solve different problems. Your children are building their scholarly minds not only
by gaining knowledge about these facts, but crafting an understanding and being able to
transfer their knowledge to use in the world around them. As we are wrap up our unit, the class
will begin to work on Performance Based Evidence (PBE) tasks.
PBEs are a way for me to assess beyond a typical test or quiz. PBEs allow for me to
document a students understanding of content by having them use their knowledge and apply
it to a real world scenario. The students are given a scenario, in this case that it is 1899 and the
Commissioner of the US Patent Office has declared, Everything that could be invented, had
already been invented. The students will be taking on the role of engineers specializing in
simple machines. They will create a narrated power point to patent classifiers from the local US
Patent and Trademark Office employees acting as the directors of the US Patent Office in 1899.
The presentation will showcase their knowledge of simple and compound machines, as
well as their understanding that the possibilities simple machines have are endless. They will
even create a design for a new machine of their own invention. All of the preparation will be
done in class. I have attached a copy of the assignment as well as the rubric. I will be filming
the final presentations to send to each of you. You are also welcome to come to your students
presentation, I will send an email out with the date and time of the presentations.
Feel free to send mean email with any questions,
Ms. Ellison
emailaddress@email.com

RUBRIC
DIMENSION

COMPONENT

Effectiveness of Simple and Compound

Machines

You used the correct terminology to describe

the six simple machines and what a
compound machine is.

10 points
Modifications and Combinations
10 points
Invention Design
15 points
Presentation
5 points

You picked one simple machine and

accurately described how it can be modified
to change its efficiency depending on the
work.
An original design was created to build a
compound machine. The machine had a
clear purpose and realistic application.
The information was correct. There were no
spelling errors. The product is well organized
and visually appealing. Your voice projected
clearly and spoke with fluency.
Your Score:
Comments:

Total: 40 points

Checklist:
You submitted your work on time.
You followed all the directions.
You proofread your work.

___ YES
___ YES
___ YES

___ NO
___ NO
___ NO