Who

Invented
Paper
Clips?

An Engineering and Reading Series

©GetCaughtEngineering®
 Teacher Notes
The Who Invented …? Series provides opportunities
for students to learn about everyday items that many
people take for granted. After reading about the item
and answering comprehension questions, students will
either use those items in a different way or use the
item in a short engineering challenge.
Want to make it more challenging? Feel free to set a
time constraint when one isn’t stipulated as these are
not meant to be extended activities. Comprehension
questions have been provided for use after the
narrative. Students can answer the questions
individually or in a group.

In this lesson, students will use paperclips to build one

bridge span. The students will have to figure out how
to not only build the bridge span but how to attach it
to the bridge support. Each group should have one
box of paper clips and a small amount of clay. The
support can be entirely made of paper clips, which is
very challenging, or they can be supplied with craft
sticks, straws, tape and clay to make the supports and
hold them to the table.

©Get Caught Engineering®

 Who Created Paper Clips?

A paper clip is a tool used to hold pieces of paper together. It is typically made
of wire, although there are some that are large and plastic. Its shape is best
described as two attached oval shapes that have straight sides. Before paper
clips were invented, a stack of papers that needed to stay together were held
with string or ribbon. This was the method for 600 years. Once pins were
invented and mass produced in 1835, a straight pin might be used to hold a
small stack of papers together. Obviously, this put holes in the papers, which
at times was not acceptable.
Before the paper clip could be invented, however, someone had to figure out
how to make low-cost, industrially produced steel. The steel needed to be
both strong and flexible. This was figured out in 1855 and opened the door for
later inventions as the clothes hanger, safety pins, and the paper clip.
Although there were a lot of attempts to make a clip that would hold papers,
the first patent issued was in 1887. This early paper clip was a flexible wire
that could be bent to grasp papers. Johann Vaaler, a Norwegian inventor with
degrees in electronics, science and mathematics, received a patent from
Germany for a clip to hold papers together in 1899. His clip, however, was
considered less functional because it did not have the secure second loop.
According to the website Early Office Museum.com, the first patent in the
United States for a paper clip was given to Samuel B. Fay in 1867. This clip was
originally created to attach tickets to fabric. However the patent said it could
also be used to attach papers together.
In 1899 a patent was given to William Middlebrook for the design of a
machine that would make the paper clip we use today. He sold the patent to
an American office supply company named Cushman & Dennison. The paper
clip that they made with the machine was named the Gem Clip. This paper clip
had the shape that we are familiar with today. It was a loop within a loop, able
to be opened enough to put papers between the loops, and yet springy
enough to press the papers together so that they don’t come apart.
Today, Americans purchase over eleven billion paper clips a year. They are
used for many things including hanging ornaments, cleaning pipes, unclogging
tubes of glue, cleaning fingernails, and as a fidget tool. But they continue to be
mainly used for holding papers together.

©Get Caught Engineering®

 Comprehension Questions

Answer each question in a complete sentence.

What is a paper clip?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

What was used to hold papers together before the paper clip was invented? How long was this
method used?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Who invented an early paper clip? Why was this version considered to be not very good?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Who invented the machine that first created the paper clip that we use today? What was it called?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
About how many paper clips do Americans purchase per year? Besides holding papers together, how
else can they be used?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

_
©Get Caught Engineering®
 Your Challenge
Engineering a Paper Clip Bridge

As you have read, paper clips are usually used to hold

stacks of papers together. However, for this challenge,
you are going to use paper clips to build a bridge that can
hold weight. The bridge must meet the following
requirements:
• Measure 6 inches long.
• Measure 2 inches wide.
• All of the paper clips in the bridge must be linked
together, both lengthwise and width.
• The bridge span cannot touch the table
• The bridge must have at least 2 supports – one on
either end. It may not have more than 4 supports.
• The bridge must be able to stand on the table.
• It must be able to hold at least 3 pink erasers.

The only materials that you will use are paper clips and
small pieces of modeling clay to attach the supports to
the table. Your teacher may allow you to use other
materials. There will also be pink erasers for you to test
your bridge.

©Get Caught Engineering®

 Your Challenge

Create a drawing of the bridge. Be sure to label all of the parts.

©Get Caught Engineering®

 Reflect & Share

Share your ideas with your class

What worked well – include both which parts of your design and
construction worked well in addition to how your group worked together.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What did not work well? Once again, include both your design, construction
and teamwork.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
How will you use this information to improve future projects?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What suggestions does the class have for your group?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
© Get Caught Engineering®
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Write a detailed description of your
_______________________________________________
structure. What are its best features?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
© Get Caught Engineering®
The Engineering Design Process

© Get Caught Engineering®

 Rubric
Little Good Excellent Understanding
No Evidence Understanding Understanding

Communication No Little Communication Some Excellent Communication

Discussed and listened to Communication Some discussion however Communication Sustained give and take of
teammates’ ideas and how Each person worked on frequent arguments. Discussed ideas with only ideas about the problem
to meet the requirements their own ideas. Any Difficulty listening to periodic arguments. Usually and its solution. No
of the problem. exchanges with teammates teammates ideas. listened to others. arguments.
tended to be arguments.
Planning No Planning Little Planning Some Planning Excellent Planning
Completed and discussed Problem Solving page Incomplete Problem Both the Problem Solving page Problem Solving page
the Problem Solving page. A undone. Skipped the sketch Solving page. An and a sketch were completed. complete with all details.
detailed, labeled drawing and went right to the attempt at an unlabeled One or both is missing some There is a labeled detailed
was created creation of the prototype. sketch details. sketch.

Perseverance No Perseverance Little Perseverance Some Perseverance Excellent Perseverance

Followed agreed upon plan; Plan was ignored. Didn’t Some parts of plan Plan followed. Solved some of Plan completely followed.
collaborated complete the challenge due followed. Needed the problems on own; needed Discussed and solved
to solve problems to giving up. guidance to finish. minimal guidance to finish problems as they arose.
as encountered.
Presentation No Details Few Details Some Details Excellent Details
Detailed presentation Did not present Very short presentation Presentation included some of Thorough explanation of
outlining details, problems with few details. the details and some of the their design as well as
and solutions. problems & solutions problems and their
encountered. solutions.

©GetCaughtEngineering®
 Facilitator Materials
Reporter
Manager

uSupervises and makes u Records detailed notes u Gets materials and tools
sure that all group on ideas and progress for group
members are on task
u Revises notes as needed u Makes sure materials
uEncourages participation from tests of prototype are kept neat

uHas final say in u Supervises clean up

arguments
©GetCaughtEngineering® ©GetCaughtEngineering® ©GetCaughtEngineering®

Time
Presenter Reader
Keeper

u Presents finished work u Reads the problem to the u Monitors the time
to class group
u Helps to keep the group
u Leads discussion of u Leads discussion of on task
group’s work ideas

©GetCaughtEngineering® ©GetCaughtEngineering® ©GetCaughtEngineering®

 Inquiry Questions
What are some different things you could try?

What would happen if you…?

What might you try instead?

What will you do next?

Tell me about your materials?

Tell me what happened?

What does this make you think of?

What will you do next after you finish this part?

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