A Big, Bright Idea

August 5, 2009
A Big, Bright Idea
What's the best way to celebrate National Inventors' Month? Build a giant Lego light bulb!
By Laura Slot
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/news/story/0,28277,1914688,00.html

Even before the project started, Lego master builder Steve Gerling was excited. "We're going to build our fingers to the bone," he told TFK. Last weekend, Lego teamed up with the Smithsonian's Center for Invention and Innovation in Washington, D.C., to build an eight-foot-tall version of Thomas Edison's light bulb. August is National Inventors' Month, and the light bulb is the symbol for a big idea.
Brick by Brick
More than 10,000 kids helped build the giant plastic structure with hundreds of thousands of Lego bricks. It took two days to build it. "The little plastic bricks are so accessible," Gerling says. "It's a medium of creativity and inventiveness."
Gerling has been a Lego master builder for 13 years. For this project, he first made a drawing of the light bulb and then a prototype, or a smaller version of the bulb. Anything can be built with Lego, the master builder says, but large projects need extra support. "We have a couple of very small glued sections, because it's a round shape," he said. "It's just a little bit of insurance."
The Spark of an Idea
Edison invented the incandescent lamp 130 years ago. He succeeded only after conducting many experiments. Edison became one of America's most successful inventors. He held more than 1,000 patents for inventions.
The Lego light bulb was built in the National Museum of American History. At the museum, visitors can learn more about remarkable inventions in the "Invention at Play" exhibition. The Spark!Lab features a building and engineering laboratory.
Unlike Edison's inventions, the Lego light bulb will not stand the test of time. It was constructed in the middle of the museum's entrance and was broken down right after the project was completed. Still, Gerling says that he and the museum's visitors had a fantastic experience. "Watching the kids plowing into this," he says, "was a great deal of fun."
Inspired? Try building your own Lego light bulb with these instructions.
creativity -創造力
inventiveness -有發明才能;有創造力

Max-Thomas Edison is a great inventor because he invented many things that we use. He invented the light bulb, which is a great invention, and they want to build a large light bulb, in Lego Blocks! Many people and children came to help make the light bulb, and they used two days and several thousands of Lego Blocks. When the light bulb is formed, it still collapsed after done building. But it is a great way to know Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.