National STEM Day (November 8) is the perfect spark for curiosity. But what if that spark became a flame that burned all year long? Inventionland Education’s Innovation Science Course helps elementary, middle, and high school classrooms do exactly that. Built around hands-on invention, real-world problem solving, and student creativity, the course turns National STEM Day into a year-round event.

A clear path to learning Innovation Science

The Innovation Science Course guides students through an exciting process that mirrors how real innovators work, moving from problem discovery to ideation, prototyping, testing, and storytelling. Young learners investigate everyday challenges in their homes, schools, and communities. Middle schoolers build confidence with more structured, creative design challenges using various materials. High school students level up with deeper research, more advanced inventions, and pitch-ready presentations. Across all levels, students learn to think like scientists and create like inventors.

STEM that connects to every classroom

Innovation isn’t a silo. The course intentionally blends STEM with literacy, art, and entrepreneurship so students see how innovation science shows up in the real world.

Empowered teachers equal engaged students

When students are invited to solve problems they care about, engagement rises dramatically. When teachers have a structure and rich resources, confidence follows. The Innovation Science Course supports both through professional learning using readily available materials and a supportive community of professionals working in STEM fields who share ideas, exemplars, and encouragement. The result is a classroom where students are excited, educators are facilitators, and innovation flourishes.

Ready to bring the wow year-round?

This November 8, celebrate National STEM Day by igniting a journey that lasts well beyond a single calendar date. With Inventionland Education’s Innovation Science Course, your students will innovate, design, build, and share. Together you’ll discover that the real magic of innovation and STEM is not just learning about the world, but inventing a better one together.

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What does it take to turn vision into reality when $15 million and the future of thousands of students are on the line? For Pueblo School District 60 in Colorado, the answer lies in bold leadership, innovative design, and a commitment to equity, backed by a robust partnership with Inventionland Education.

A $15 Million Vision for Change

In 2024, Pueblo School District 60 received a transformative $15 million Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Under the leadership of Drew Hirshon, Director of Magnet Schools, the district launched Project Heroes, an ambitious initiative to introduce STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) programming across three newly reimagined magnet schools.

These schools, including Park View School of Discovery (elementary), Risley School of Exploration (middle school), and Centennial High School’s Design and Innovation Academy, were designed with a single purpose: to connect classroom learning to real-world problem-solving and career pathways that inspire the next generation of innovators.

Designing Immersive Spaces That Spark Curiosity

To bring this vision to life, Pueblo partnered with Inventionland Education, known for creating immersive Innovation Labs® and applied STEM curriculum programs that reimagine what’s possible in education. Together, they built five groundbreaking Innovation Labs across the district. The immersive spaces combine design thinking, fabrication, storytelling, and collaboration into a hands-on experience that enables students to innovate, explore, and take the lead.

Each lab features themed environments that inspire imagination and support project-based learning (PBL). Here, students don’t just learn science or technology; they live it, experimenting, designing prototypes, and pitching solutions to real-world challenges.

“In these spaces, students are not just learning facts,” Hirshon explains. “They’re developing empathy, creativity, collaboration, perseverance, and reflection. These are the very skills they’ll need for the workforce of tomorrow.”

A Culture Rooted in Innovation and Equity

Project Heroes is about more than STREAM courses or lab equipment; it’s about redefining learning for all students, especially those furthest from opportunity. The district’s magnet programs provide equitable access to specialized instruction and career exploration, ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, can envision themselves as creators and problem solvers.

By shifting to project-based learning and a makers’ mindset, Pueblo is already seeing promising results: reduced absenteeism, higher engagement, and stronger community buy-in. Teachers are empowered through professional learning that connects innovation with classroom practice, and students are energized by experiences that feel meaningful and relevant.

Leadership That Makes Change Possible

The success of Project Heroes reflects a clear lesson: true transformation requires both vision and execution. Hirshon and his team turned complex funding requirements into an actionable plan by aligning curriculum design, space transformation, and professional learning around a shared purpose.

From kindergarten through high school, students are part of a seamless STREAM pathway that connects imagination with innovation, preparing them for college, careers, and beyond.

Inventionland Education partners with schools and districts nationwide to create immersive Innovation Labs®, innovation curriculum, and professional learning that inspire creativity and deeper learning. Featured on the Discovery and Science Channels, Inventionland Education’s award-winning approach transforms classrooms into spaces where students dream, design, and develop real-world solutions through the power of invention and imagination.

Contact us to see how you can bring this experience to your school or district.

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Viewers across the nation tuned in to the Discovery and Science Channels for something truly special: the premiere of Inventionland Education on the award-winning television series Tomorrow’s World Today. The program, which has earned four prestigious Telly Awards, is known for showcasing groundbreaking innovation, creativity, and discovery. Now, it shines the spotlight on the incredible students, educators, and staff who power Inventionland Education’s mission.

A Celebration of Student Innovation

The featured segment highlights Inventionland Education’s 2025 Invention Contest, a national event that brings together some of the brightest and most imaginative young minds. Students who have won their local school competitions earn the opportunity to pitch their inventions at Inventionland’s world headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA.

This capstone event is more than just a contest. It’s the culmination of months of creativity, hard work, and learning. The students face the exciting challenge of presenting their ideas to a panel of judges, who evaluate ingenuity, problem-solving skills, and presentation abilities. Supported by teachers, parents, and the Inventionland Education team, these students gain invaluable real-world experience that will serve them for years to come.

Middle School Division Winners

1st Place: “The Untie Not”

• Created by: Olivia Adams and Samantha Preist, Grove City Middle School (Grove City Area School District)

• Product Description: A simple solution for shoes that come untied. A small mechanism attaches to the shoelaces to keep the knot securely in Place.

2nd Place: “Need Guard”

• Created by: Ethan Cooke, Elijah Lawson, and Gavin Purdy, Grove City Middle School (Grove City Area School District)

• Product Description: The Needle Guard prevents losing the pump needle for sports balls and helps keep it from breaking.

3rd Place: “Crayon Cast”

• Created by: Abby Borsa, Maggie Paxton, and Kinsley Elkins, Neil Armstrong Middle School (Bethel Park School District)

• Product Description: A clever “cast” for crayons designed to prevent breakage and make them last longer.

The Science of Invention in Action

At the heart of this event is Inventionland Education’s Science of Invention curriculum. This program goes beyond textbooks, giving students hands-on opportunities to explore invention and problem-solving in a way that mirrors real-world innovation. Through this approach, learners develop not only technical skills but also creativity, resilience, and teamwork.

The contest perfectly embodies the mission of Inventionland Education: to inspire a new generation of inventors and innovators. By encouraging students to dream big and pursue their ideas, the curriculum helps prepare them for future careers in engineering, design, entrepreneurship, and beyond.

Inside Tomorrow’s World Today

Now in its ninth season, Tomorrow’s World Today continues to explore the worlds of inspiration, creation, innovation, and production. Past episodes have featured global leaders in science and industry, including NASA, Toyota, Caterpillar, and U.S. Steel. By featuring Inventionland Education, the program underscores the importance of cultivating innovation at the earliest stages of learning.

Viewers not only see the excitement of the competition unfold but also gain insight into how applied STEM education nurtures imagination and equips students with the skills to tackle real-world challenges.

Stream the Episode Now

The premiere aired Saturday, August 30th, at 10 A.M. on the Science Channel, followed by an encore presentation on Sunday, September 28th, 2025, at 8:30 A.M. on the Discovery Channel. The episode has since become one of the most-watched installments of the four-time Telly Award-winning Tomorrow’s World Today, inspiring audiences nationwide.

For those who missed the broadcasts, the full episode is also available for streaming on YouTube, giving educators, students, and families a front-row seat to the next generation of inventors in action.

This premiere was more than a television segment; it was a national stage for students to showcase their creativity and celebrate education that inspires invention. It reminds us what’s possible when young minds are empowered to innovate.

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For example, if your classroom has four desks set up so that each desktop is touching one another, you can use a 2×2 divider which is one divider that will act as a barrier for all four desks. Another example would be a Floor Standing Divider, if you’re planning on separating the desks further you can use one of these which will be a stand holding up a piece of cardboard or polypropylene which will block the students from one another. In addition, if you still want students to be able to interact with either their fellow classmates or if you want a front divider where they’d still be able to see you, you can install desk dividers with window slots and polypropylene in these slots so that students can safely interact in the classroom.

Given the state of the world right now, it may seem beyond your means or budget to purchase dividers for your entire classroom (and sometimes multiple classrooms). Luckily, our incredible ILI team have created step-by-step instructions on how to build a divider that would best fit your classroom. Using these directions, you can build your own desk dividers using cardboard that you can either laser cut or cut yourself. And, if you’re into recycling, you could use discarded packages or cereal boxes for the divider materials depending on the width of the cardboard and the rigidity of the piece you’re attempting to construct. These guides specifically use low-cost materials in order to make it both affordable and possible for you to create a safer environment for your students.

Even with our building instructions, however, you may wonder whether a project like this is really within your means, budget, and time constraints. Luckily, we’ve taken the research element completely out of your hands because our team has created guides breaking down the cost based on the materials and distributors you could use. So say you wanted to use Corrugated Plastic from United States Plastic Corp (1/8″-3/16’) – that should cost you roughly $21.63.

Our team has also provided teachers with direct links on where to buy each of the materials as well as the direct contact information for the companies listed. This is because, in addition to many educational resources making their products available for a free or reduced cost due to COVID-19, many companies are stepping up to help educators during these trying times. If you’re having trouble finding the budget or supplies needed to create these classroom materials, it is well worth your time to reach out to one of the companies listed or even a local hardware store. There may be a local Makerspace that would allow you access to their laser cutter or CNC machine. There may even be parents or volunteers in the community who would be willing to help make these supplies with you. People care about the wellbeing and health of students, it’s not all on you!

In addition to desk dividers, another way to add additional safety precautions to your classroom is to add covers for phones, desks, computers, etc. During this strange time we’re living through, we’ve all become experts at tracing the spread of germs (whether practically or simply due to sheer paranoia).  Someone sneezes on their phone, they hand their friend their phone, their friend uses that same hand to touch their nose or mouth, and suddenly that student is now at risk. It’s hard for kids to both have that foresight and have an enjoyable educational experience, so it’s up to us as educators to create as many precautions and barriers as possible.

In one of our July Hour of Innovation seminars, we highlighted one company in particular, Jokari, who is developing a line of protectant covers using a material called Nano Silver. The material is specifically designed to attach to bacteria walls and suffocate the bacteria cells, making them consistently 99% bacteria-free. The material holds its potency for several weeks and has passed several ‘bacteria tests’ including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia Coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Thus far, the line has announced plans to release a phone pouch, mask pouch, surface protector, office partition, car window shade, screen protector, and mask. Products like these or comparable models would go a long way to reduce the spread of germs within your classroom.

The post Classroom Safety Tips & DIY Supplies appeared first on Inventionland Education.

However, although our course is adaptable for different schooling levels (elementary, middle, and high school), from year to year within each level our curriculum remains relatively the same in structure, instruction, and material. That often leaves some of our friends in education scratching their heads, asking us- what’s the merit of taking the course multiple times? Well, we spoke with some of our curriculum students and educators from Burgettstown School District to shed some light on the subject.

One way we’ve noticed students grow throughout multiple years of taking the course is that they further improve their problem-solving skills. Over the course of the independent work and the various steps needed (prototyping, packaging, researching, etc.) you’re naturally going to encounter a few hiccups. Our first-year students are able to work their way around those roadblocks, but our second and third-year students can anticipate them before they even happen in a lot of cases. According to student Daniel from Burgettstown, who has taken the course for three years, “The first year we were diving in headfirst, we didn’t really know what we were getting into. Now, we’re like seasoned vets… We’ve done a few inventions now and we’ve run into many problems along the way, but it’s helped us realize how to overcome and adapt to problems.”

Another manner in which our ‘veteran’ students gain more throughout their multiple years is that they get more creative and confident in their products the more years they stick with the curriculum. When asked if students should take the course multiple times, Evan, a senior year student at Burgettstown who has taken the course for six semesters, stated, “Most definitely, yes. This first year can be a lot to take in, so you just have to get a feel for the course… I’ve done a different project every semester. That has been a lot of work, but I feel like it’s helped me develop my products and it’s given me a better understanding of what it takes to actually create something and start a business. You learn from each failure, that’s the biggest thing.”

Teacher at Burgettstown, Laura Wells, stated when asked how taking the course multiple years had benefited her students.

” It has helped students have a better understanding of design and how to solve a problem,” said Wells.

“They make an observation and then ask themselves, ‘Hey how do I solve this?’ This allows them to become better problem-solvers… Some of them take the class seriously and really want to move forward with their projects. And I think some of them are going to take it beyond just the classroom. That would be the dream, if they come back in five years and they say, ‘Hey Ms. Wells, I made this product and it changed my life.’

I’ve already had that kind of experience with a student who was in my class the first year. He got accepted at Penn State’s main campus, and he was in landscape architecture… He came back and he said ‘Ms. Wells, I just want to say thank you. I was so far ahead of my peers.'”

Returning students also benefit from being able to work with multiple groups over the various semesters. So perhaps their first semester they play it safe and work with friends, but their next semester they take a risk and work with people they don’t know as well. Not only does this benefit them socially, but being able to work collaboratively with a variety of different personalities is an amazing real-world experience to bring into the workforce.

On this subject, senior at Burgettstown Michael, who has taken the course for three semesters, stated, “I would definitely recommend you take it more than once. I recommend taking it once with a group and once by yourself because when you do it with a group you learn how to work with a team, trust each other, and coordinate everyone’s roles in the project. Then you should do a semester by yourself so you can understand how some of the greatest inventions have been invented by one person.”

Finally, returning students become an excellent resource to help shape and guide students who are taking the course for the first time. Evan, who we spoke about earlier, worked with two first-time students in his most recent project- Riley and Cody. When asked how it has helped them to be working with a seasoned curriculum student, Riley stated, “It has helped us to have him on the team. He has more experience and knows what [the presentation judges are] thinking more than we do, so he can guide us more.” In addition, in regard to working with his partners, Evan stated, “Yeah, it’s definitely been exciting because you get to take what you’ve learned and pass it down in a way.”

Although the material remains relatively the same from year to year, there is so much our students get out of taking our course two, three, or even six times! Just ask one of our most seasoned students ever, Evan, what he has learned from his years of experience with the Inventionland® Education Curriculum, “Well, the course is what actually encouraged me to create my own company. So that’s definitely going to follow me through the entirety of – hopefully, my life! I’ve also learned about the ability to take the role of making something and presenting, not only the product but also yourself. Because you’re selling yourself just as much as your product.”

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