Tom Howarth Published: November 1, 2025 at 7:00 pm

Lesson plan; Inventing the Future: Exploring Weird, Ingenious, and Failed Innovations

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Learning objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • Read and understand factual English texts on technological innovation and inventions, identifying key ideas, implicit meanings and the writer’s viewpoint.
  • Discuss and evaluate inventions (both “weird”, “ingenious” and “failed”) from multiple sources, exercising critical thinking of reliability and purpose.
  • Produce a written (or multimedia) text in English that presents an invention (past, current or imagined), argues for or against its value, and uses appropriate academic language and structure.
  • Use digital resources and collaborative discussion to explore topics beyond the core article and compare across sources.

From real-life holograms to smart contact lenses – these inventions are bringing science fiction into reality.

At BBC Science Focus, we love a good invention – the weirder, wackier and more wonderful, the better (bonus points if it’s actually useful, too).

So, while exploring GITEX Global, and Expand North Star – one of the world’s largest technology and artificial intelligence (AI) expos and its sister start-up conference in Dubai – we went hunting for the most mind-bending innovations that could soon hit the market. BBC Science Focus

Relevant competence goals from ENG01-05

Here are three (among several) competence goals that this lesson will address:

  1. “Read, discuss and reflect on the content and language features and literary devices in various types of texts, including self-chosen texts.” Udir+1
  2. “Use different sources in a critical, appropriate and accountable manner.” Udir
  3. “Write different types of formal and informal texts, including multimedia texts with structure and coherence that describe, discuss, reason and reflect adapted to the purpose, recipient and situation.” Udir

By explicitly building reading, discussion, source-analysis and writing, the plan supports these goals.

Lesson sequence & tasks

Introduction

  • Briefly introduce the concept of “weird inventions”, “ingenious inventions”, and “failed inventions”. Ask students: What makes an invention “weird” or “bad” or “brilliant”?

  • Present the main article: 6 (very weird) new inventions that could change your life. sciencefocus.com

Also bring in the three related links:

Explain that students will work with all these sources to compare, evaluate and create their own perspective on inventions.

    1. Flying taxi meets self-driving car
    2. Augmented-reality sport
    3. The spider silk that could heal hearts
    4. The smart lens aiming to replace every screen
    5. Real-life holograms
    6. A high-tech kennel that keeps your dog safe while you shop

Task 1 – Individual reading & source-noting

Activity: Each student reads the main article (and is encouraged to browse one or more of the companion links) and takes notes under the headings: invention name, what it does, why it might matter / be weird / fail, possible impact on society, my opinion.
Purpose: Develop reading comprehension, note-taking and critical summarising skills.
Output: A short note sheet (digital or paper) with at least three inventions from the article, plus at least one from a companion list.

Task 2 – Paired discussion and comparison

Activity: Students pair up and share their note-sheets. If working individually they write down the answers.  They discuss questions such as:

  • Which invention did you find most promising and why?
  • Which invention seems likely to fail or already has failed?
  • How do the lists (weird, ingenious, worst) differ in the criteria they use?
  • What source seems most reliable/interesting and why?

Then each pair picks one invention from their discussion and creates a short “mini-poster” or digital slide (e.g., on Google Slides) summarising: invention name, description, pros & cons, my verdict (would I invest / use it / dismiss it?).
Purpose: Develop oral communication, peer learning, comparative thinking and digital skills.
Output: A pair mini-poster/slide to be displayed or shared.

Task 3 – Individual creative writing / multimedia task

Activity: Each student chooses one invention (from any of the sources) or invents their own futuristic/weird invention. They then produce a formal piece of writing in English (or multimedia format: e-poster, short video, infographic) that:

  • Introduces the invention, its purpose and how it works
  • Discusses the potential impact (positive and/or negative) on society, environment, economy, everyday life
  • Evaluates the reliability and source(s) of the information (for real inventions) or plausibility (for invented one)
  • Reflects on their own opinion: would they support it / discourage it and why?

Purpose: Engage students in text-creation, argumentation, source-critique, adaptation of language to purpose and recipient.
Output: Completed text (approx. 300-400 words) or equivalent multimedia artefact.

Essay Questions

1. Innovation or Illusion? Evaluate the Real-World Potential of ‘Weird’ Futuristic Inventions

Using examples from “6 (very weird) new inventions that could change your life” and “10 ingenious inventions about to change our world forever”, argue whether unusual technological ideas are more likely to advance society—or simply capture public attention without meaningful impact. Support your argument with evidence from multiple sources.

2. When Creativity Fails: What the World’s Worst Inventions Teach Us About Progress

Drawing on the list “10 of the world’s worst-ever inventions”, analyse why some technological ideas fail despite creativity and ambition. Compare these failed ideas with at least one promising invention from the Science Focus articles. What patterns emerge about what makes an invention succeed or collapse?

3. The Ethics of Innovation: Should We Build Everything We Can Imagine?

Select inventions from across the four articles (weird, ingenious, futuristic, and worst), and write an argument about the ethical responsibilities of inventors, companies, and society. Should some ideas remain unbuilt? Why or why not?

I would love to hear from you