The Life of Thomas Edison
1. Pre-reading Questions (Activate Prior Knowledge)
These questions help learners think about the general topic before reading.
- Have you ever heard of Thomas Edison? What do you know about him?
- What do you think inventors do?
- Can you name any inventions that have changed the world?
Thomas Edison was one of the greatest inventors in history. Born in 1847 in the United States, Edison didn’t do well in school because he was hard of hearing. However, his mother believed in him and taught him at home.
Edison was curious about how things worked. At the age of 12, he started selling newspapers on trains. By the time he was a young man, he had invented many things. His most famous invention was the electric light bulb, which changed the world. He also invented the phonograph and improved the telegraph.
Edison once said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration,” meaning that hard work is the key to success.
2. True or False (Post-Reading )
These questions test students’ understanding of the main points in the story.
- Thomas Edison was born in 1947.
- Edison struggled in school because he couldn’t hear well.
- Edison’s mother taught him at home.
- Edison’s most famous invention was the phonograph.
- Edison believed hard work was more important than inspiration.
3. Short Answer
These questions focus on Edison’s actions, qualities, and inventions.
- Where was Thomas Edison born?
- Why did Edison struggle in school?
- What was Edison’s most famous invention?
- How did Edison’s mother help him when he didn’t do well in school?
- At what age did Edison start selling newspapers?
4. Fill in the Blanks
These questions require students to recall details from the story and make inferences based on the text.
- Thomas Edison was born in ________
- Edison was hard of hearing, so his mother taught him at ________
- Edison’s most famous invention was the ________
- He also invented the ________ and improved the ________
- Edison believed that “Genius is 1% ________ and 99% ________.”
5. Inference-Based Questions (What, Where, How, Why)
These questions encourage students to think more deeply and infer meaning from the text.
- What do you think made Edison a successful inventor despite his difficulties in school?
- Where do you think Edison got the idea for the electric light bulb?
- How did Edison’s mother influence his life as an inventor?
- Why do you think Edison believed hard work (99% perspiration) was so important for success?
- What can we learn from Edison’s life about overcoming challenges?