techdirections February 2010 : Page 43bright ideas for teachers Finger-Saving Tool You can easily screw cup hooks and screw eyes into pine with your fingers. However, if you’re installing a large number, you’re sure to get sore fingers. I found that use of a slotted dowel does the trick. Choose a dowel with a diameter equal to the diameter We’ve often said that our readers are among the most creative and resourceful people in education. Well, now’s the time for you to prove it. Email your classroom and lab tips, hints, and ideas to matt@techdirections.com with the words “bright ideas” in the subject line. Help pass along valuable ideas to your colleagues. Highlighting Technology’s History I use Dennis Karwatka’s “Technology’s Past” column in Tech of the hook or eye, and saw a slot in the end with a kerf equal to the gauge of wire used to make the fastener. No more sore fingers!—Earl Hagen, Annapolis High School, Dearborn Heights, MI. Directions to give my students valuable information on how and who developed some of America’s products and technologies. I have done something very similar for Career and Technical Edu- cation Week at my school for the past several years. Using Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison, Andrew Carnegie, and Lee Iacocca as subjects, I read small vignettes over the PA system each morning along with the regular announcements. This practice made students aware of our CTE department and of technology’s history.We had a lot of comments from students and teachers in the halls and classrooms. My own students pursued things even further through discussions in my drafting classes.— Don Mankamyer, Buchser Middle School, Santa Clara, CA. (If you want even more information like that in the “Technology's Past” columns, check out Dennis Karwatka's books at www. techdirections.com/bookshistory.html.) Prompting Students’ Questions For one reason or another, many students hesitate to raise their hands and ask questions. To help them out, on the first day of a semester I talk a bit and then have them write down three questions that they anonymously submit. Some of the questions are off the wall, but most are important and interesting. I read and answer most of them. The students learn my name, how many kids I have, and other su- perficial information. They also learn a lot of important informa- tion about the class they’re tak- ing, such as required materials, grading, and the class outline.— Mickey Frabott, Crestview (FL) Senior High School. Protecting with Bubble Wrap The plastic bubble material used in professional packaging comes in handy when storing fragile or unfinished student work. It will also protect the globe of a spotlight, a camera, or anything fragile that has to be stored in a locker. Furthermore, it prevents rattling if you need to carry the package quietly from one room to another.— B. Beck, New York, NY. (And did you know that bubble wrap turned 50 this year? If you just can't stop yourself from popping the bubbles, visit www. virtual-bubblewrap.com, which has online bubble wrap you can pop!) Sanding Hard-to-Reach Places Here is a tip for sanding round, hard-to-reach places. Staple several 2" 8" strips of sandpaper, one on top of the other, onto a strong piece of nylon. Now, you can use this pad for sanding as if it were a shoe rag and you were shining shoes. As the outer strip of sandpaper gets torn or worn away, tear it off. One note of caution: Sand with the portion of the pad that lies be- tween the stapled ends, so that you won’t scratch surfaces with the staples.—B. Beck, New York, NY. www.techdirections.com BRIGHT IDEAS 43 Bright Ideas for TeachersFinger-Saving Tool Publication List |
