Somebody Before Me: Three Inventor Songs for Curious Kids
Every day, children use things someone invented: the traffic signal on the corner, the water blaster in the backyard, the camera by the front door.
Somebody Before Me is a series of one-minute songs from Teach Between the Lines TV. Each one asks, "Wait… who made THIS?" and then meets the real person behind the answer.
Each song also asks the question historians ask: How do we know? The answer is a patent, an official record of who invented something, and when. It's a natural first step into primary sources for young learners.
Garrett Morgan & the Traffic Signal
Garrett Morgan was a Black inventor from Cleveland, Ohio. After seeing a crash at a busy street corner, he designed a traffic signal with STOP and GO arms.
It also had a position that stopped traffic in every direction, so people could cross safely. His patent was granted on November 20, 1923.
Talk about it: Find something in your room. Who made it, and how could we find out?
For teachers: The packet includes a Patent Detective page built on his real patent drawing, plus a classroom intersection test with STOP, GO and ALL STOP cards.
Lonnie Johnson & the Super Soaker
Lonnie Johnson is a Black engineer and inventor from Mobile, Alabama, who worked on space missions at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
In 1982, while he was testing a new kind of heat pump at home, a powerful stream of water shot across the room, and he had an idea for a toy. His squirt gun patent was granted on May 27, 1986. The toy reached stores in 1990, and today we know it as the Super Soaker.
Talk about it: Have you ever had a mistake or a surprise turn into a good idea?
For teachers: The packet includes a Patent Detective page built on his real patent drawing, plus a hands-on squeeze-bottle test: does more pressure shoot farther?
Marie Van Brittan Brown & the Home Security System
Marie Van Brittan Brown was a Black nurse from Queens, New York. She often worked long hours and came home late, and she wanted to see who was at the door before opening it.
With her husband, Albert Brown, an electronics technician, she invented a home security system with peepholes at different heights, a camera and a TV screen. Their patent was granted on December 2, 1969, and many of today's video doorbells use the same ideas.
Talk about it: Marie and Albert worked as a team. Who would you invent something with?
For teachers: The packet includes a Patent Detective page built on the Browns' real patent drawing, plus a measuring activity: where should the peepholes go so everyone can be seen?
About the Teacher Packets
Each packet is a 24-page printable PDF for grades K–3, with three ready-to-teach sessions: Who Made This?, How Do We Know? and What Will YOU Make?
Inside you'll find a sing-along lyric sheet, two reading levels, a timeline, a hands-on engineering activity, an invention plan, a classroom patent certificate, exit tickets, a family page and an answer key.
Aligned to Common Core, NGSS engineering design and C3 history standards. $4.99 each.
More inventor songs are on the way. Subscribe to Teach Between the Lines TV so you don't miss the next one.
Super Soaker is a registered trademark of its owner. This post and the Lonnie Johnson packet are educational works and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the brand.
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