Great InventionsGrade 3 Social Studies for Kids

Printing, telephones, airplanes and the internet changed the world.

Great Inventions helps third graders learn how paper, the printing press, the telephone, the airplane and the internet changed how people live, talk and travel. Kids put inventions in order on a timeline.

  • Grade 3 · Ages 8–9
  • 1 lesson
  • 1 game
  • 4 practice questions
  • About 10 min
  • Learn it
  • The Why? question
  • Invention Timelines
  • Inventions Quiz

Social Studies course · Grade 3

Great Inventions · Learning goals

What Your Child Will Learn

Inventions change how people live, talk and travel. Learn about paper, the printing press, the telephone, the airplane and the internet, and put inventions in order.

  • Invention Timelines

Why it matters

Why This Matters for Kids

  • History through inventions

    Inventions make history concrete and exciting for kids.

  • Innovation mindset

    Learning how inventors solved problems inspires kids to invent too.

  • Timeline skills

    Ordering inventions builds a sense of how long ago things happened.

Inside Great Inventions

How the Course Works

A short read-aloud lesson first, then hands-on games and a quiz to lock it in.

  1. Step 1 · Lesson

    Learn it

    A short read-aloud lesson in 5 steps.

  2. Step 2 · Think

    The Why? question

    Why do people keep inventing new things?

  3. Step 3 · Timeline game

    Invention Timelines

    Put each set of inventions in order.

  4. Step 4 · Quiz

    Inventions Quiz

    4 questions to check what stuck.

Lesson preview

A Peek Inside the Lesson

This is the real lesson text your child hears, read aloud by a friendly voice.

An invention is something new that people create to solve a problem.

Paper was invented in China. Later, the printing press made books much faster.

The telephone let people talk across long distances. Then came radio and TV.

The airplane first flew in 1903. Now people can cross oceans in hours.

The internet connects people all over the world. Who knows what you will invent?

For parents

Try It at Home

Learning sticks best when kids use it in real life. Here are simple ideas from this course.

Parent Tip

Pick an invention you use every day and imagine life without it. Then have your child invent something that solves a problem at home.

Talk About It

Why do people keep inventing new things?

  • To solve problems
  • To make life easier
  • Because they are curious

Practice

Grade 3 Social Studies Practice Questions

Real questions from Great Inventions. Try them with your child, then tap to see the answer.

  1. Question 1

    Paper was invented in…

    • A.Australia
    • B.China
    • C.Antarctica
    Show answer

    China

  2. Question 2

    The printing press made it faster to make…

    • A.Books
    • B.Bread
    • C.Shoes
    Show answer

    Books

  3. Question 3

    Which is the newest invention?

    • A.The telephone
    • B.Paper
    • C.The internet
    Show answer

    The internet

The full course has 4 questions with instant feedback, stars and rewards. Create a free account to play them all.

Great Inventions · Questions from parents

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this course for?

Great Inventions is a grade 3 social studies course for kids ages 8–9. That is Year 4 social studies in the UK and Year 3 in Australia. It also works well for review in the next grade, or as a challenge for a confident younger learner.

What will my child learn?

Inventions change how people live, talk and travel. Learn about paper, the printing press, the telephone, the airplane and the internet, and put inventions in order. Along the way they practice: Invention Timelines.

How long does the course take?

About 10 minutes in total, split into 3 short levels. Most kids finish it over two or three sessions. Progress is saved, so they can stop any time and pick up where they left off.

Is this course free?

Great Inventions is part of SkillBloom Premium, which unlocks every course in every subject. Each subject also has free courses, so your child can try SkillBloom before you decide.

Does my child need to read well to use it?

No. Every lesson has a friendly read-aloud voice, questions are read aloud too, and the pictures help kids follow along. Confident readers can turn the voice off.

Can we use it for homeschool?

Yes. SkillBloom is built for homeschooling families. Kids work through lessons, games and quizzes on their own, and the parent dashboard shows what they finished and which skills need more practice. It works on phones, tablets and laptops.

Keep learning

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