Edison: The Wizard of Menlo Park

You can't spell STEM without Tom Edison. The lights go out forever June 2019

Word of Mouth

“I will remember this play until I get really old.”
— 1st Grade Student, School District 204, Aurora, IL
“Wonderful. I now have a wealth of information to take back into my classroom. The production was amazing. My students have not stopped talking about it.”
— 2nd/3rd Teacher, School District 30, Northbrook, IL
“This is a wonderfully visual production about Thomas Edison, celebrating his and our own creativity. Our students enthusiastically volunteered for the audience participation segment of the performance.”
— Teacher/Fine Arts Coordinator, Chicago Public School, Chicago,IL
“The light goes on in students' eyes.”
“Visually stunning, scientifically inspiring!”
“A program our students will not soon forget.”
“Our students were amazed by the production.”
“Fun and innovative!”
“My students have not stopped talking about the show.”
“Two thumbs up from every student and teacher in our school”
“A scientific brainstorm for our students - and staff!”
“You started a brainstorm of scientific fascination at our school.”

The character of Spark (of Inspiration) arrives to give Edison the spark he needs to develop his next invention.  The two characters embark on an exploration of the inventor’s greatest achievements. First stop, the phonograph.  During this sequence Spark and Edison demonstrate how to record sound. The students become a “living” phonograph making their own recording of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” The pair then explore the challenge of developing the lightbulb.  The students assist Edison as they become the elements of an electrical circuit. Finally, Spark inspires Edison to develop motion pictures.

  • STEM - Inspire a fascination in science and its relation to the natural world
    • Foster an understanding of the process of inventing 
    • Develop and/or refine problem-solving skills
    • Establish work/study/research skills
  • ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS
    • Science
    • Math
    • Fine Arts
    • Social/Emotional Learning Standards
  • CHARACTER COUNTS -Responsibility - Perseverence
  • Encourage creative and imagination skills
  • Electricity (Circuitry, Light Bulb, Creation of Power)
  • Motion Pictures (How and why they work)
  • Inventions (In conjunction with Science Fair/Invention Convention)
  • The nature of sound and how it can be recorded
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