SummaryWhen he was a little child, George Washington Carver and his mother Mary were kidnapped by Night Riders or slave-stealers. George was rescued but his mother was never heard from again. After he was rescued, George was adopted by Moses and Sue Carver who raised him as their own. As he grew, collections of all kinds fascinated George. He especially loved to collect wild flowers, pods, and seeds. One spring, Moses gave George a plot of land for gardening. George's intense curiosity led him to use his garden for a variety of experiments. The knowledge he discovered in his garden soon earned him the title of neighborhood "plant doctor." George Washington Carver's curiosity made him determined to get an education. When he turned twelve years old he began traveling from town to town, attending schools for black people. Eventually, he found a high school for white people that he could attend. George was the only black person in his class and he graduated in honors. His outstanding high school record helped him become the first black person ever allowed to enroll at Iowa State Agricultural College. Following graduation George was offered a professorship in experimental agriculture at Iowa State. Two years later Booker T. Washington, a great black educator, invited George to teach at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Much of George Washington Carver's work at Tuskegee was designed to help poor southern farmers. He introduced the south to sweet potatoes and peanuts as cash crops. He also discovered 301 products that could be made from the peanut plant, and 118 ways to use sweet potatoes. Born a slave, George Washington Carver took advantage of his freedom and became one of the world's greatest scientists.
Exercises
George Washington Carver was a creative thinker. He invented 118 uses for sweet potatoes and 301 uses fro the peanut plant. What are all the things that don't already exist now that you would like to invent. What is needed and what would be helpful to others? BE CREATIVE! Come up with a number of possible inventions or discoveries. Then select the one you think would be the most valuable to other people
Trial and error provided young George Washington Carver with valuable information he could use later in his experiments. List ALL the steps you can possibly think of that must take place before your most valuable invention or discovery can become a reality. Do not worry about the order. BRAINSTORM to be sure you include every needed step.
Now briefly describe you invention from the above activities. Use the lines provided for you description, and then give your invention a title. Draw a detailed picture of your invention. Then write a commercial to sell your future product.
(Feldhusen, 1988)
on the web
George Washington Carver National Monument
http://www.nps.gov/gwca/expanded/
National Inventor's Hall of Fame Biography
http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/30.html
NY Times Obituary, 1943
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0712.html