Category: Outdoor & Environmental

Community Watch, Education, Outdoor & EnvironmentalLeave a comment

Community Watch: Sustainable Living Fest of Houston, TX

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This weekend I got the opportunity to enjoy a some beautiful weather & check out Houston’s Sustainable Living Fest held at Market Square Park.  Houston might be the epicenter of the oil & gas industry, but it has a wonderful green and sustainable environmental underground.  There’s a lot of cross-pollination too.  For example, the Galveston Bay Foundation raises salt marsh grass in donated space inside a NRG power plant.  The City of Houston has a number of big corporations headquartered here and its also funds the Houston ReUse Warehouse. Lots of companies, non-profits and government agencies were represented yesterday.  Hope … Continue reading Community Watch: Sustainable Living Fest of Houston, TX

Classroom Project, Education, Outdoor & Environmental, This Week In the ClassroomLeave a comment

This Week in the Classroom: Gottshall Block Project

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I’ve heard before from others in the “making” or woodworking communities I’m a little behind the times.  I make cigar box guitars when they were totally two years ago.  Or I teach developmental woodworking in manner more suited to a different century.  So of course, I discover a sweet little hand tool project about a year too late.  Good thing great projects don’t age. The Gottshall Block is a small project – just a few cuts and nicks with a chisel.  It takes about three to five forty-five minute sessions to complete for a student at about the third grade … Continue reading This Week in the Classroom: Gottshall Block Project

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This Week in the Classroom: The Poor Man’s Tripod (For Taking Panoramic Outdoor Pictures)

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My school is undergoing a little bit of construction…and by a little bit, I mean a cool of five mil of construction.  We just needed a little documentation of the facts. I’m going to use this photography stand (and yes, I walked around with my shirt like that all day)… I put a 1/4 coarse threaded bolt through a board, flipped it around and stuck it into the post.  You can see the crossbeams at the bottom giving the piece a little stability. …and the results are pretty spectacular. Make it safe & keep the rubberside down this week.  Remember … Continue reading This Week in the Classroom: The Poor Man’s Tripod (For Taking Panoramic Outdoor Pictures)

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This Week in the Classroom: Block Printing & Stamps

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As my students have become more competent with tools in the past few years (and cripes, does it feel weird to say years…) I’ve gotten the chance to think:  what would be really cool to do next?  What would be just flat out awesome? Here’s my answer:  wood & lino prints designed by the student, for the students work.  My summer crew churned out about 30 different wood projects and many pieces deserved something special.  In the third week, I took the plunge and bought $80 worth of tools.  We spent the next few weeks cutting as many designs as we could and experimenting … Continue reading This Week in the Classroom: Block Printing & Stamps

Classroom Project, Education, Furniture, Outdoor & Environmental, This Week In the ClassroomLeave a comment

This Week in the Classroom: Swingin’ Chalkboard Signs

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Here’s a few shots of a project build I did a few months ago.  The challenge was to build a recycling container from completely recycled materials.  I picked up some nice crepe myrtle branches and immediately saw a V shaped stand with a small basket to collect recyclable goods. To bad we never did finish it.  We got all the way to the crossbeam.  Spring break came with all the lassitude of a wilted Texas flower in August.  We never stood a chance. Eventually, I snookered a student into repainting an old cabinet door into a chalkboard sign.  Then I parked … Continue reading This Week in the Classroom: Swingin’ Chalkboard Signs

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This Week in the Classroom: The Conversation Bench

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Students with autism, people with neurological disorders and people with two eyes and ears and a brain often need a place to talk.  For my students with autism, the act of conversation can be harrowing, heartwrenching and terrifying.  On a … Continue reading This Week in the Classroom: The Conversation Bench

Classroom Project, Education, Furniture, Outdoor & Environmental, Technology, This Week In the Classroom2 Comments

This Week in the Classroom: Up-Cycled Shutter Coffee Table

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A few shots of the shutter table project.  My students & I created these (there were four completed tables) tables using up-cycled window shutters & salvaged fence posts.  Finished with spar urethane.  Pocket hole joinery throughout. Continue reading This Week in the Classroom: Up-Cycled Shutter Coffee Table

Classroom Project, Education, Music, Outdoor & Environmental, This Week In the Classroom1 Comment

This Week in the Classroom: 2×4 Xylophone

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I ended the year with an exploration of music.  I used xylophones, pendulums and windchimes to explore frequency, wavelenght, pitch, volume, etc.  I probably should have found a way to incorporate physical waves, but a trip to the beach was out of the question and I met disaster in my attempts at building a wave pool.  We did, however, create a pretty sweet 2×4 xylophone and frame. Make it safe & keep the rubber side down this weekend. Continue reading This Week in the Classroom: 2×4 Xylophone

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This Week In the Classroom: Pendulum Art (Swinging From the Rafters)

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A quick video of our last major math project in my co-taught Math/Sci course.  I will take no credit, Ms. J took the project out of my clumsy claws and completely rocked it! We nicknamed this the spirograph project and you can tell from the wikipedia link that we are WRONG!  It should probably be described as pendulum art.  In reality, it’s just plain fun. The original prototype… And a great slideshow of other sandart created by our students. Continue reading This Week In the Classroom: Pendulum Art (Swinging From the Rafters)

Education, Outdoor & EnvironmentalLeave a comment

My Type of Playground

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Irresistible Ideas for play based learning » Blog Archive » the venny-kensington adventure playground. ::: the venny-kensington adventure playground “The Venny” is one of only 5 staffed Adventure Playgrounds of its kind in Australia. It’s a free community backyard designed for children aged five to 16 years old from the Kensington public housing estate and surrounding areas. When I grow up to be a real adult…I’m building my sons (and the students around me) this playground. Make it safe & keep the rubberside down. Continue reading My Type of Playground