article about young thomas edison -...

Copyright© 2013 Michael Dooling

ARTICLE ABOUT

YOUNG THOMAS EDISON DETAILED TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS READY TO PRINT STUDENT WORKSHEETS

ANSWERS INCLUDEDALIGNED WITH

COMMON CORE STANDARDSGRADES 4, 5 BUT CAN BE USED

WITH GRADE 6 AS A REVIEW

YOUNG THOMAS EDISON

Born in 1847, Thomas Edison lived in an era very different from ours. There was no electric light, no telephone, no radio, CD player or movie theater.

As a boy, Thomas loved to experiment. He experimented with everything: chemicals, gadgets, test tubes, beakers, “doohickeys”, and “thingamajigs”. Usually, his experiments did not work, but he kept trying.

A bout with scarlet fever left Thomas hard of hearing, which made school difficult. He was always getting in trouble for not listening. One day his teacher called him addled.This upset his mother, so she took him out of school after only three months. From then on, Thomas’ mother, a former teacher, taught him at home. She made sure he received an excellent education. She always encouraged him to ask questions, and he did. What is this? Why does that happen? How does it happen?

Thomas loved to read and always carried a book in his pocket. He also always had a job. As a boy, he sold newspapers and candies because he needed money to purchase chemicals for his experiments. At age fifteen, he took a job as a telegraph operator at a train depot. It was his job to send messages by Morse Code to other train depots using a telegraph key. Throughout his childhood, he continued to experiment. He was curious as a cat and loved to learn. .

By the time he was an adult, he had his own invention factory. He invented a machine called a Carbon Transmitter that could amplify the human voice making the telephone and microphone possible. He invented a machine called a “phonograph” that recorded sound. He discovered the principle of sound waves in a little box he invented called an Etheroscope. He filmed motion pictures in his Black Maria movie studio and showed the films on his Kinetoscope. And, to the world’s amazement, he discovered a filament for an electric light bulb that would burn for hours, making it possible to light homes and businesses. Such strange, incredible inventions were coming out of his laboratory that people started to call Thomas “The Wizard.”

Because of Thomas Edison’s genius and hard work we can now turn on a light, talk on the telephone, listen to the radio or CD player, and even go to the movies.


YOUNG THOMAS EDISON

1. What year was Thomas Edison born? _____________________________________________

2. How was the era he lived in different than ours? ______________________________________

3. What did his mother always encourage him to do? _____________________________________

4. Why was school difficult for Thomas? ______________________________________________

5. How long did he attend school? ___________________________________________________

6. Who made sure Thomas received a good education? ____________________________________

7. What did he always carry in his pocket? ____________________________________________

8. What did Thomas experiment with? _______________________________________________

9. What was a telegraph operator’s job? ______________________________________________

10. What was the name of Thomas’s invention that amplified the human voice? __________________

11. What was the name of Thomas’s invention that recorded sound? __________________________

12. What was the name of Thomas’s invention that discovered the principles of sound waves? _______

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13. What year did Thomas develop the Incandescent Lightbulb? _____________________________

14. What was the name of his movie studio? ____________________________________________

15. What nickname was given to Thomas? ______________________________________________

Extension Activities - Do research about Thomas Edison by reading a book or searching on the Web.

16. How many inventions did Thomas Edison patent in his lifetime?___________________________

17. What year did he die? ________________________________________________________

Name _______________


Name _______________

YOUNG THOMAS EDISON

18. Write a brief summary of the article. _____________________________________________

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19. Describe two main ideas in the article. Include important facts to support your description.

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20. Find a simile in the story and write it on the line. ____________________________________

21. Compare the story with another biography you’ve read. Write one fact about how they’re similar

and one fact about how they’re different.

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22. How does the author present the story so it’s logical and makes sense?

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23. According to the story (paragraph 3) what does the word “addled” mean? What clue is given to

support your answer?

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24. Write two things you liked about the story.

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25. Why did the author, Michael Dooling, write the story about Edison? ______________________

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Answers

1. 1847

2. There was no electric light, no telephone, no radio or CD player, not even a movie theater.

3. Thomas’s mother always encouraged him to ask questions.

4. School was difficult for Thomas because he was nearly deaf.

5. He attended school for three months.

6. Thomas mother taught him at home and made sure he received an excellent education.

7. He always carried a book in his pocket.

8. He experimented with everything: chemicals, gadgets, test tubes, beakers, doohickeys, and

thingamajigs.

9. A telegraph operator worked at a railroad depot. He sent messages on his telegraph key by

Morse Code to other railroad depots.

10. In 1877, Edison invented the carbon transmitter that amplified the human voice.

11. In 1877, Edison invented the Tinfoil Phonograph. It was the first machine to record sound.

12. In 1875, Thomas discovered the principle of sound waves in his Etheroscope.

13. In 1879, Thomas developed the Incandescent Lightbulb.

14. Black Maria was the name of Edison’s movie studio.

15. Such strange incredible inventions were coming out of his laboratory that people started

calling Thomas “The Wizard”.

16. EXTENSION ACTIVITY Thomas Edison patented 1,093 inventions.

17. EXTENSION ACTIVITY He died in 1931

18. Answers will vary

19. Answers will vary

20. Simile (curious as a cat)

21. Answers will vary.

22. The author presents the story in sequence using events that happened in order.

23. “Addled” means distracted or confused. Thomas didn’t pay attention in class and was always

in trouble for not listening.

24. Answers will vary.

25. To inform people about Edison’s inventions. To persuade readers to learn more about Edison.


1879 Incandescent LightbulbEdison was not the first to experiment with electric light, but he was the first to make it practical for home use. Edison also developed an entire electrical power system so that electric light could be used in homes and businesses.

1877 Tinfoil PhonographThe first recording of sound. Sound was recorded on tinfoil wrapped around the cylinder. A message was shouted into the cone (which was attached to the cylinder) as the cylinder was cranked by hand. Sound was reproduced by cranking the cylinder again. The first recorded sound was “Mary Had a Little Lamb”.

THOMAS EDISON’S INVENTIONS

What kind of lighting do you use in your home?

What kind of lighting is used in schools?

How are lights powered today?


What inventions make sound today?

What are you favorite sound inventions?

Thomas Edison invented many machines that changed our lives. What would you invent? Think of an invention that would change your life or make life easier in some way. What does it do? What is it made of? How does it work?

Write a paragraph about your invention. Write the name of the invention in the box then draw a picture of it.

ILLUSTRATOR’S NAME ____________________

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CREATE AN INVENTION


These pictures are paintings Mr. Dooling created for his book “Young Thomas Edison”. An artist’s illustrations help create visual images in readers’ minds that give them a good idea of the place, time, and events in the story. Study the pictures below and think about the questions next to each one.

What mode of transportation is pictured?

What kinds of transportation do we have today?

Is young Edison absorbed in the book?

Is he in danger?

Do you think there were traffic lights when Edison was young?

What is the barrel used for?

What is the building made of?

What book might Edison be reading?

What do you think Edison’s shoes are made of?

What are many shoes made of today?

Thomas Edison was an avid reader. It’s said he always had a book in his pocket. Write a paragraph about why reading is important. Give examples to support your answer. _____________________________________________________________________________________

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Does the story take place in the present, past, or future? Draw a star next to the picture that helped you draw your conclusion.

THE ARTIST’S STUDIO

INSTRUCTIONSPRE-READING - Do this before distributing the worksheets.

Ask: Think of an invention. How does it function or work and how does it make life easier?

Allow time for students to share their reponses.

Ask: What’s an inventor? Discuss some famous inventors. Henry Ford, Charles Goodyear, Eli Whitney,etc.

Ask: Does anyone know who Thomas Edison is?

If they don’t know him, explain that he was an inventor who lived a long time ago and he invented many things that they might be familiar with.

Draw or display a picture of an incandescent lightbulb on the board. Ask what it is. Explain that Edison invented the incandescent lightbulb.

Ask: Do you use lightbulbs that look different than this one? Energy saving lightbulbs of today. Fluorescent lights (usually in schools, stores, businesses).

Explain that they’ll be reading a story about Thomas Edison’s early life and you want everyone to look for connections of his life and theirs, as they read the story.

ACTIVITIES

Distribute a copy of the article.

Have volunteers read the story paragraph by paragraph. Stop after they’ve read a paragraph and ask them to summarize it.

Distribute the student worksheets on pages 3 and 4. Remind them to put their names on their papers!

Give ample time for students to finish the two worksheets. Small groups are suggested so they can collaborate, and discuss their answers. This helps those who have difficulty reading or writing answers. Collect the answer sheets.

Distribute the sheet of Edison’s inventions. Use the questions on the page as discussion prompts.

Distribute the sheet “The Artist’s Studio”. Have a volunteer read the top statement. Have others read the questions next to each picture. Discuss. Have them read the “present. past, future question and discuss the pictures they starred and why they chose them. Most will choose the top picture because of the horse and wagon.Students write the paragraph about why reading is important. When they’re finished have volunteers read their paragraphs aloud.

CREATE AN INVENTION - Culminating activity.Display these when they’re finished.

ARTIST’S STUDIO - Stress the importance of illustrations and how they enhance text.

POST READING Oral discussion / Chart paper

Divide the class into four groups. Explain that each group has to make a list of the topics below. They’ll share their answers with the whole group when they’re finished.

Group One: Facts about young Edison’s life

Group Two - A list of Edison’s inventions in the story.

Group Three - People who influenced Edison when he was young and how they influenced him.

Group Four - Jobs that Edison did up to age 15.

Groups share their answers with the whole group when they’ve completed their assignments.

The culminating activity can be a whole group discussion about likenesses and differences of kids today and long ago and inventions. Encourage them to make connections of their lives with Edison’s.

2013 All rights reserved. This product is bound by copyright laws. Redistributing, editing, selling, or posting this item (or any part thereof) on the Internet are all strictly prohibited without first gaining permission from the author. This product can be located by doing a Google search if placed on websites without permission from the author. Violations are subject to the penalties of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Please contact the author if you wish to be granted special permissions.

Copyright Michael Dooling 2013

The activities in this packet are aligned with the Common Core Standards, grades 4 and 5. Those displayed are for 5th grade and are comparable with the 4h grade standards. For teachers whose states haven’t aligned with the Common Core Standards, these activities cover informational text and literary requirements.

~English Language Arts Standards Reading Informational Text Grade 5

CCSS.ELA Literacy RI.5.1 and RI.4.1





~English Language Arts Standards Reading Literature Grade 5CCSS.ELA Literacy RL.5.1 and R.4.1

CCSS.ELA Literacy RL.5.2 and R.4.2

CCSS.ELA Literacy RL.5.3 and R.4.3

CCSS.ELA Literacy RL5.4 (not 4th grade)



SUGGESTED EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

Research Thomas Edison’s life and create a time line of important events.

Research one of Edison’s inventions. Prepare an oral report to present to your class. Be sure to create a drawing of the invention to share.

Write a letter to Thomas Edison and tell him what you liked best about the article “Young Thomas Edison”.

The book “Young Thomas Edison” has just come out in movie theaters. Design a movie poster that will be displayed in theaters around the country. Have your family members and friends be listed on the poster as the stars in the movie.

Design a board game based on “Young Thomas Edison”. Have the squares on the board include facts from the book.


Author and illustrator Michael Dooling has visited over 900 schools nationwide inspiring children to read, write, and draw. Even the most reluctant readers and writers join in the fun. “You have truly made a difference in the life of a child,” said one librarian. Michael is the illustrator of over sixty books and the author of four including “Young Thomas Edison” that the School Library Journal said, “belongs in every library.”

Have you seen Michael? If you have read his books you probably have. He is always putting on a costume and posing for a character in a book. One day, he poses in costume as an O. Henry character and the next day he is pretending to be a fossil hunter. Michael has modeled as a pirate, pilgrim, patriot, inventor, explorer, and sometimes, even a bit of a rogue. Each book is a new adventure.

Michael’s family and friends also pose in costumes for his paintings. The covers and pages of his books are adorned with illustrations of his daughters, Rachel and Lisa, and the neighborhood children. He and his wife Jane have acquired a collection of vintage clothes and costumes, which they may cut, shape, or sew into something suitable for a seventeenth, eighteenth, or nineteenth century characters. Everyday at Michael’s house is like Halloween!

Born in 1958, Michael grew up in the small town of Marlton, New Jersey, surrounded by peach and apple orchards. He played baseball, built tree houses, and had snowball fights. He also loved to read and draw which was a great combination because it eventually led him to write and illustrate children's books. His mother, Patricia, always encouraged him to draw and he could always be found "doodling" away. Michael even had a dog named, Doodles!

Answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper.

1. Why do you think Mr. Dooling wrote the article about young Thomas Edison?

2. If Mr. Dooling came to your school, to talk about his book, what question would you ask him?

3. What does the word “vintage” mean?

4. Make a connection. When Mr. Dooling and Thomas Edison were growing up who encouraged them to do well?

5. If Mr. Dooling visited your school, what character would you like him to portray? Select one from the list in

the second paragraph. Explain why you chose the character..

6. What kind of book would you write if you were an author?

7. What did you like best about the story of young Thomas Edison?

MEET MICHAEL DOOLING


Thank you for downloading my free “Young Thomas Edison” article and lessons! My “Young Thomas Edison” book is available to purchase and provides students with a much more detailed account of Edison’s early life. Illustrations enable students to put themselves in young Edison’s shoes and experience what it was like to grow up in that era. Classroom teachers use my Edison book as a read aloud or have their students read and discuss it in small groups. You can purchase my books on my website.

Ordering information

To learn about other products I’ll be posting on TeachersPayTeacher.com, please follow my TpT store.

Web Sites for extension activities

Fort Myers, Florida | Museum, Botanical Gardens, Research Laboratory | Tours, Events - Edison & Ford Winter Estates - (239) 334-7419Edison Birthplace Museum Thomas Edison National Historical Park - Thomas Edison National Historical Park The Henry Ford® America's greatest history destination Welcome to Township of Edison, New Jersey Famous American InventorsAmerican Inventors - Choose an American Inventor by State

2013 All rights reserved. This product is bound by copyright laws. Redistributing, editing, selling, or posting this item (or any part thereof) on the Internet are all strictly prohibited without first gaining permission from the author. This product can be located by doing a Google search if placed on websites without permission from the author. Violations are subject to the penalties of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Please contact the author if you wish to be granted special permissions.

Meet Michael Dooling, Children's Book Illustrator acclaimed by librarians, teachers and students.

Recent Books Illustrated by New Jersey Children's Book Illustrator, Michael Dooling

This packet, of activities and my original illustrations, is copyrighted. If someone you know likes this packet, please give them my TpT store link. Thank you for respecting copyright laws! Michael

SPECIAL OFFER! Doodle with Dooling How to Draw Book from Illustrator, Michael Dooling

http://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/




http://www.tomedison.org/

http://www.tomedison.org/

http://www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm

http://www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm

http://www.hfmgv.org/

http://www.hfmgv.org/

http://www.edisonnj.org/

http://www.edisonnj.org/

http://www.american-inventor.com/

http://www.american-inventor.com/

http://inventors.about.com/od/famousinventors/a/american_invent.htm

http://inventors.about.com/od/famousinventors/a/american_invent.htm

http://www.michaeldooling.com/

http://www.michaeldooling.com/

http://www.michaeldooling.com/books.html

http://www.michaeldooling.com/books.html

http://www.michaeldooling.com/doodle.html

http://www.michaeldooling.com/doodle.html

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