The Moriah fourth grade is gearing-up for Invention Convention! Last week, the fourth graders went on a field trip and hosted a speaker to reinforce their present unit on inventions.

The students took an amazing step back in time when machines were run by belts and pulleys, and music was played on phonographs at the Thomas Edison National Historic Park where America’s greatest inventor changed our world forever. A guided tour through Edison’s laboratories, workshops, library and office fascinated the children as they were able to experience firsthand Edison’s passionate life work and observe thousands of original inventions including the 1877 tinfoil phonograph and the kinetoscope.

The fourth graders were also privileged to hear from Moriah parent (and alum) Daniel Setton. Setton spoke about how his company Quirky helps inventors bring their ideas to life. Inventors come to Quirky with an idea and they help develop it from idea all the way to store shelves. He taught them about concepts like the invention process and real property vs. intellectual property. He stressed the idea of the invention process. The students were so fired up they shared their own ideas with him. Finally, he showed the students some of the outcomes that the invention process produced—even some products invented by kids!