Yes, there is plenty to support Young Inventors’ Program educators! The pandemic allowed us to examine our resources and enhance our digital materials to differentiate learning and teach in both traditional and novel formats.
Find resources to help you implement the YIP curricula, host an Invention Fair, and share best practices. If you register your school/program, you will receive exclusive access to more tools as well as live trainings and webinars.
Inventor’s Journals
The YIP Inventor’s Journal provides space for students to journal, brainstorm, and record their invention journey. Journals include valuable documents to mark important milestones in the invention process as well as space for drawing and note taking. Journals align with the YIP curriculum- there are different journals for our unique units. Choose the one that works for you.
YIP may be completed without journals; however students competing in the Northern New England Invention Convention, Vermont Invention Fair and Invention Convention U.S. Nationals are required to present an invention journal or other logbook that documents their process.
Inventor's Journals may be requested in a YIP Pack Order, or are available for download.
More Resources
Here are more teaching tools and resources to assist you.
YIP Educator Guides
- YIPLit Educator Guide
- YIP Grades 3-8 Educator Guide
- YIP After School Educator Guide
- High School YIP Educator Guide
- Rube Goldberg Machine Educator Guide
YIP Pacing Guides
- YIP Lit Pacing Guide
- YIP Grades 3-8 Pacing Guide
- YIP After School Pacing Guide
- YIP Rube Goldberg Machine Pacing Guide
Assessment and Evaluation Rubrics
- YIP Invention Prototype Rubric
- YIP Display Board Rubric
- YIP Invention Presentation Rubric
- YIP Rube Goldberg Machine Project Rubric
Sample Emails/Letters
- YIP Family Email Template
- YIP After School Family Email Template
- YIP After School Invention Fair Email Template
Other Resources
- Examples of YIP Invention Display Boards
- Examples of YIP Invention Presentations (both live and video)
- Examples of YIP Rube Goldberg Machine Presentations (both live and video)
- Rube Goldberg Machine External Resources
Coming Soon
For schools/programs who register (it’s free!)
- Resources on how to organize an invention fair
- Professional development & best practice sharing webinars
- Best practices for display boards and student presentations
YIP Leader Webinar Series: Teaching the Young Inventors’ Program
In our first YIP Leader Webinar Series, veteran Young Inventors’ Program educators share their best practices for implementing the YIP curriculum and inspiring youth innovators.
A special thanks to Chrissy Rapoza of Crescent Lake Elementary School in Wolfeboro, NH and Laura Vittorioso from Barrington Elementary School in Barrington, NH for sharing their experiences and answering questions.
Among the many tips and practices shared, Laura and Chrissy offered the following advice:
Just like inventing, running a YIP program will not always go according to plan. Be willing and prepared to adapt and to make changes along the way to meet your students where they are. The process is what makes the YIP experience so transformative.
Start small. We all have many grand ideas, but be realistic in what you can do. And use lots of volunteers! Volunteers are critical for the school invention fair.
