I was volunteered to participate in a career day at my children’s grade school.
I’ve done this before with mixed success. I do have some public speaking experience but still, it isn’t easy keeping the kid’s interest.
I was wondering if any of you folks know some tool tricks that may get the kids a little more interested. Something along the lines of using a framing square to do simple math tricks, or maybe a tape measure stunt.
I’ve already asked, and the principal won’t let me shoot out the lights (or anything else) with a Paslode. As a matter of fact I’m not sure I can bring my framing hammer due to the “zero tolerance” for weapons.
Any ideas would be appreciated. Twenty minutes seems an eternity when the kids (and teacher) start looking out the window during my turn.
Replies
How about 1 sawhorse and parts for another sawhorse. Screw the second sawhorse together. They'll like the screw gun. Put a piece of 1x8 or 3/4" ply or something across the sawhorses and stand (or sit) on it while they measure how much it deflects. Then screw a piece of 2x4 across the bottom and a couple of 1x2 straps end to end. Show them how much less it deflects and then whoops, your time's up and you'll have to let the teacher explain why that works.
Good Answer!!!
Newf Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Carpenter, woodworker, gardener, Can't sew or cook
Kids at career day are thrilled to have someone else in their classroom other than their teacher!!
Show them how you measure and cut.....Have pieces of wood so they can measure along with you.......Now, you probably can't have saws for them.......
Have pieces of wood cut into different lengths and ask them what they can build with these different pieces....Have some wood glue ready for them.....Maybe they could build different geometric shapes.....tetrahedons, cubes, etc.......This is part of the math curriculum........
BTW, I would love to have you in my math classroom.......
Pi
Thanks for the encouragement.
I guess with your screen name you'd have to be a math teacher (or a baker with poor spelling)
Speaking of math class, when I was in High School I sat with a relatively uneducated inner city boy who wasn't especially great at math, but knew some tricks having to do with the number 9.
I wish I could recall them but it was 25 years ago. If memory serves, he could do multiplication with 3 digit numbers in his head in just a few seconds.
Ever hear of this or other tricks with the number 9?
Craig
Yes, I'm an elementary math teacher......Can't bake a good pie, either......<G>
There are so many math "tricks" that are fun and work for some students.......The multiplying trick of using your fingers fascinates kids.....
Here's some sites for you that I use frequently......
http://www.math.educations.net>
<http://www.teachnet.com/print.php?page=lesson/math/digitricks070999.html>
<http://www.mathforum.org/k12/mathtips/multiplication.tips.html>
Oops, the bottom 2 did not make a hot link, but the first one is good......
Edited 5/1/2002 1:59:07 PM ET by Pi
Edited 5/1/2002 5:18:13 PM ET by Pi
What about drawing a circle with a framing square and two nails? Tack two nails into a piece of plywood and swing a semicircle with the framing square. Then swing the other half of the semicircle. This is real simple and will amaze young kids.
Matt Mulka
You asked if anyone knows any tricks using the number 9. Here's one that may be a bit too complicated for young kids, but it's pretty clever nonetheless. Scroll down at the end for the punch line.
1. Think of a number 1-9
2. Multiply that number by 9
3. You should now have a two digit number. Add those two digits together. (If you had a 1 digit number use 0 for the second digit.)
4. Subtract 5 from that number.
5. Next, think of the letter in the alphabet that corresponds to that number. For example, 1 would equal "A", 2-"B", 3-"C", etc.
6. Think of a country that begins with that letter.
7. Now, go to the next letter in the alphabet and think of an animal that begins with that letter.
Scroll down....
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BUT THERE ARE NO ELEPHANTS IN DENMARK!!!!
Edited 5/2/2002 12:46:28 PM ET by Andy Charron
Edited 5/2/2002 12:47:40 PM ET by Andy Charron
Use a piece of masons twine to cut off a piece of PVC or ABS pipe. It's a common plummer's trick for cutting pipe in a ditch or a tight spot. Just pass the string under the pipe (secure it somehow) and saw back and forth. Don't stop part way through or the string will weld to the pipe (and if you're a softy, go for 3/4" or 1" pipe).
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a piece of chalk and cut it with an axe.
Subtraction with a tape measure.
Roll it out to say 81"
now ask who can subtract 13" from 81" in their head
Fold the tape around to put the end on the 81" and read where the 13" sits. It either says 68" or 89" - lots of fun.
It helps me with multiple fractions when my mind is only half there.
Tool tricks are kind of hard to think of. Some to the things we consider everyday work the kids would think is a nifty trick so you really don't need to go for the razzle-dazzle stuff, stick with simple tricks of the trade.
Your framing square math is a good idea (My great grandfather did payroll using a framing square)
One idea is to demonstrate the old 3-4-5 measuring method of determining if something is square/90 degrees. You could also demonstrate how the math they are learning now is actually useful in life. Example, with you standing at the board let them work with you on how much concrete it would take for a certain job.
I've substitute taught in my past and one thing that was always a hit is candy. You could wrap up the talk with a game. Have them submit guesses on how far your tape will extend before it collapses. The closest guess wins a candy bar.
Six foot nine is my guess but all the giggling will probably make you wiggle and collapse it quicker.
Bring in cloth nail bags and let them tie one on.
Excellence is its own reward!
CWTurner,
What grade are these kids in?
I can't think of any tricks offhand, but know a good closing, if your kids are old enough to have a handle on math. When I was a kid, just old enough to be sure that I had all the answers, I had my first day of shop class. At the end of the first class the teacher placed a short piece of 2x4, on the 2" edge, on a table. Then he placed another on the floor, flat on the 4" face. Then measured from the top of the one on the floor to the top of the one on the table, we saw it was about 34". Then he layed the one on the table down flat and stood the one on the floor up on it's edge, He asked what the measurement was now, of course we were all positive that it would still be34", and of course we were wrong. We were left with that and were told to figure it out and let him know why it measured 2" less. Maybe I was a dumb kid, but it took me a while. I hope I made all this understandable, My math has improved a little over the years but my explanations are still a little weak.
Brad
In reguards to my previous post. Boy, do I feel like an idiot, and after bragging that my math skills have improved over the years. That was supposed to be a difference of 4" not 2". Obviously the teacher used full 2x4's, I guess we looked too slow to handle fractions (maybe he was right). Sorry for the error, and I promise not to attempt any more math at midnight.
Brad
hi, i teach woodworking at a grade school. here are a couple of tricks the kids seem to enjoy, although they do woodworking regularly.
-after splitting a small piece of wood trying to nail it, i show them the trick of blunting the nail, or drilling a pilot hole.
-they find handplanes endlessly fascinating. they love he shavings, the sound and smell, and the transition from rough to smooth.
-sawing to a line...
let us know what you decide and how it goes.
-kit
The only thing that wandered through my brain was to somehow show them the actual dimensions of lumber. Many adults don't know that. Don't know how you'd make it interesting, but it would be a good point to get across.
Redneck Extraordinaire
Demonstrate a laser level (carefully) and the concepts of plumb, level and square. They'll relate a lot better to who can see the red dot than to Pythagoras (3-4-5)
T. Jeffery Clarke
Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions, especially piffin, scott r, brad, & jeff. Now my problem will be honing this act down to 20 minutes.
Scott R's post mentioned his grandfather using the framing square to do his payroll. I've heard this story before and assume it was a bit of an exaggeration.
Not that I'd use it fr this career day, but I wonder if someone can describe how this could be done?
CW,
I find that not only children but many adults (who avoid DIY at all costs) find the chalk line fascinating. Be sure not to use the red chalk anywhere that matters though.
Jay
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
I have a daughter that was in kindergarden last year; I decided to volunteer to have a little extra time with her during her day. The first day I took my tool box and tool belt. It amazed the kids and made them laugh, all the different tools a person could have.
We ended up making little boxes out of knotty pine. I made the kids figure out how to make a square piece out of part of a 1x6. The project went great. 1 hour a week for around 10 weeks. The whole class would get so excited when I would arrive it turned out to be worth the hassle of getting there.
This year its bird houses. A speed square is helping them figure out roof layout (t-111 siding) and all of the kids get it and they can actually hit a nail pretty well now.
For only 20 minutes though, you could have teams with one kid measuring and another drawing a line with a speed square and a carpenters pencil and another sawing. You can get through a whole class in about 30 minutes this way.
Good luck! Glad to hear of people getting into their kids schools.
You might make a discussion about how changes have made a big difference in how things are done today. Take cutting a 2" hole. Take an old brace and bit and coping saw to demonstrate the old way. Use a cordless drill with a holesaw for the new way. Then have some pictures of the old tools juxtaposed with their modern counterparts. Engaging kids' attention is a matter of giving them something to touch and look at, making them a part of the discussion instead of the target of the discussion. It sounds like a fun project...
Thanks Jd, I was planning on some chalk line demo.
Whats the danger of red chalk? I usually use the dayglow orange. Any problem there?
CW
Whatever you do, get the kids involved. I teach a 75 minute class once a week, to about 40 kids ages 6 - 12 all in one room. It took me 2 years to learn that they don't want to sit and listen to me talk! If I get kids involved with everything I do - even using one to hold up an illustration or to pass something out - the kids are much more attentive and I have a lot more fun.
"A completed home is a listed home."
How about the "How many nails can you balance on the head of one nail" trick? This link shows the solution, and how many nails you can use are only limited by the length of the nails. You can easily balance 12-14 using 12 penny nails. Only drawback is that they will have to be fairly close to see it.
http://www.puzzlesolver.com/puttogether/docs/nailonhead.shtml
Here's a multiplication trick for 9's. Example: 9 x 7. Count on your fingers to seven. Fold the 7th one down. Now count the six fingers before the folded down 7th. That equals 60 (for 6 fingers) Then add the remaining 3 fingers on the other side of the folded down finger. 63. Works up to 9 x 10. Other tricks for higher digit multiples of 9, but these are younger children and they would be too difficult.
Sorry, no real tool tricks. I've seen neat tricks with tape measures, but I can't remember them to tell you.
Edited 5/2/2002 2:35:38 PM ET by MANZIER
red chalk= permanent stain
What would be good is anything that directs their attention to larger spaces than the confines of a chalkboard or desktop, something that lets them get up and walk around.
If they have movable furniture in the classroom, perhaps you could use wooden chair backs as batter boards, and demonstrate with string how you lay out a foundation for a small building, and get it square by checking the diagonals.
Another thought -- check with the school and see if you can get copies of the plans for the building they're in. Then you could do a lesson on how drawings communicate what is to be built, and you could have them check how closely the plans were followed, or whether the buliding has been remodeled.
-- J.S.