The invention of this common kitchen tool revolutionized how ice cream was served.
Ice cream was never the same after Alfred Cralle invented the ice cream "mold and disher" in 1897. Not only did his invention make serving the frozen dessert easier, he also became the first black inventor to patent an invention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This historical tidbit can be a fun way to introduce children to more black inventors or to a lesson in invention itself.
Ideas for Pre-k Through Tthird Grade
Nothing gets kids' attention like ice cream. Introduce them to Alfred Cralle by using a modern version of his ice cream scooper while serving them ice cream. It's also a chance to mention another black inventor, Augustus Jackson, a confectioner from Philadelphia who invented an improved method of manufacturing ice cream. Other simple activities include coloring illustrations of Alfred Cralle or reading a short story about Cralle and other black inventors.
Activities for Fourth through Eighth Grade
Older kids can make their own ice cream as an introduction to Alfred Cralle, who made life a little easier with his inventive scooper. Introduce Alfred Cralle and other inventors by displaying several household and everyday items. Ask the students to think about what life would be like without those inventions. Then discuss how those inventions improved or altered their lives. You can segue into a writing assignment that involves researching different black inventors or have them write a summary of the in-class discussion and what they discovered.
High School Students
Take the lesson one step further by introducing students to food science or industrial design. The Ohio State University Extension Invent curriculum lists a few lessons that get students to experience the act of invention. For example, bring in a box of junk, or recycled items, and have the students create something useful from the items. Or, involve the students in research by having them create a paper quilt with inventor illustrations and biographies.
Focus on Invention
The Invent curriculum also provides lessons that help students develop critical thinking skills and creativity by getting them to think like an inventor or to analyze how their lives changed through simple household inventions such as Cralle's scooper. Activities include an invention game that helps students discover what it takes to be creative; an invention fact pyramid that helps students learn steps in the invention process; and an inventor report that teaches research, analysis and synthesis techniques.
