Shop Geek

Cafe 350

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:32:00 +0000

It has been way to long since I have updated this blog, mainly because I haven't felt like I have had a lot to contribute as of late. This is something that I need to work on, and I do have several posts in draft from that I need to finish and share. Look for them in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, I invite you to come and check out my new documentation blog that I set up to chronicle my winter project. I started the process of restoring/modifying my very first (I have had 3 now) motorcycle which has sat non-running in my garage since 2005. It is a 1970 Honda CL350, and my intention is to cross the original bike with a cafe racer to produce a fun/stylish way to get around in the summer.

So if you interested in motorcycles, or just curious to see the process, I encourage you to check out Cafe 350. Comments, tips, stories and browsers welcome.

1st Semester Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00:00 +0000

The 2011-2012 school year is warming up and getting ready to take off, as students will start on Tuesday, September 6th. It is beginning to look like a great upcoming year, and I am getting excited for it to start.

Here is my daily schedule for the 1st semester along with some possible projects:
1st Hour: Video Production (The Weekly Moose)
2nd Hour: Engines and Power (Small engines, possibly a restoration)
3rd Hour: Construction (Siding, roofing, and interior work on our garage)
4th Hour: Quarter 1, prep; Quarter 2, Study Hall
5th Hour: Quarter 1, Transitions 7; Quarter 2, Industrial Technology 7
6th Hour: Quarter 1, Industrial Technology 8; Quarter 2, Prep
7th Hour: Yearbook

This is my first year advising Yearbook, so it will be a great learning process for the students and myself.

iPad Update

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:15:00 +0000

Just a quick update for those who follow, my request for iPads for my classroom was approved yesterday. I will be receiving 20 iPads, cases, and the Applecare protection package sometime in the next few weeks. Very exciting stuff.

I will be sharing more details about them and their integration into my curriculum on here in the very near future.

Stay tuned . . .

Web Design Resource

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:00:00 +0000

The first website that I created for a high school project, back in 1996, was written in HTML. It was just an advertisement page to sell raffle tickets for the 1975 Corvette Stingray that we restored and then raffled away for a fundraiser. It was part of my junior year Industrial Technology class with Mr. Ross Faldet (his most recent project), who is my brother-in-law. Below is a picture of Mr. Faldet and myself in Brickyard Days Parade just hours before the Corvette was given away.

Back to my first website. I started out knowing absolutely nothing about HTML and learned a ton while doing it. I had spent my junior high years learning BASIC on my Commodore PET with a book I purchased at a rummage sale, so I was familiar with the idea of writing code. This background helped, but learning HTML was very confusing and frustrating do to the lack of resources at that time. What I ended up doing is copying bits and pieces from other website's code and customizing it for our page.

During my Masters program at Boise State, I had to do a lot of HTML, XHTML, and CSS coding as part of the courses. I did purchase several books that helped, but I wanted to share a web resource that saved me several times. W3Schools is a self guided tutorial site that will help you learn just about every web code out there right now. If you would like to learn an entire coding language, it will guide you through step by step. If you are creating something and just need help with a certain part, W3Schools does that as well.

My favorite part of W3Schools is that it allows you to practice on their page and see the results to check if you have done it correctly. This feature allows me to tweak my code quickly and see the results before adding it to my projects. If you need help with web design code, W3Schools should be bookmarked on your computer.

Thunderstorms

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:00:00 +0000

Last night and early this morning we had some powerful thunderstorms come through our area. These storms dumped about 3-4 inches of rain in about 6 hours, which produces flash flooding in our neck of the woods. I took a walk early this morning to Mud Creek, which boarders our property. This creek is not usually more than a trickle this time of the year, but what I found this morning surprised me. I took a quick video with my phone and have embedded it below.

YouTube Video

To top all that off, the power went off around 5:30 a.m. this morning and did not come back on till 4:00 p.m. It was difficult not having basic services for 10.5 hours, but what really drove me crazy was not being able to my iPad or iMac. I was stuck on my iPhone trying to keep up on the weather, our power company's progress, and my social networks.

Eighteen hours after it all started, all is back to normal. The creek has receded dramatically and with the power back on, my Internet connection and iPad are blogging away.

Sure made for an interesting, yet boring day.

Rube Goldberg Music Video

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I love a good challenge, and the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest represents one of the best middle/high school challenges that I have come across to date. While I do not have a class or group of student compete in the official contest, we do build Rube Goldberg Machines in my Industrial Technology 8 class.

One of the best techniques that I have used to motivate my students as they embark on their design and construction of their own Rube Goldberg Machines is to show them videos of professional created Rube Goldberg Machines. This not only shows them some exemplary examples of their task at hand, but also demonstrates that adults can enjoy making them, and even make a living doing so.

This Too Shall Pass
The first video I show is the official music video "This Too Shall Pass" from the Band Ok Go. This band is know for their wonderfully coordinated and orchestrated music videos. Not only is the video spectacular, but I really like the song as well.

Honda Cog
The second video that I show was created as a commercial for the Honda Accord in Europe. The creators of this video took parts from the Honda Accord and created the Rube Goldberg with them. I will admit that the first time that I saw this video, I swore that it was fake. After further views, and watching the "Making of" video, it became one of my favorites and on my Rube Goldberg Playlist.

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I hope that these two examples can be beneficial to you and your classroom. If you have an example of a great Rube Goldberg Video, please post it in the comments and I will update this post if it is worthy.

iPads in my Classroom?

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:54:00 +0000

This past spring was very interesting for me in that it was my department's turn to suggest/request resources to purchase. This happens approximately every seven years as part of the curriculum cycle that we have set up. Since I am a one person department, this meant that I was in charge of all research and decision making in this venture. Typically, these resources that are purchased are textbooks, or other traditional teaching materials.

After requesting and reviewing available textbooks and pricing for my subjects (Construction, Woodworking, Engineering, Automotive, Home Maintainance, Small Engines, Drafting, Computer Animation, Industrial Technology 7, industrial Technology 8, and Video Production) it became quite obvious to me that I would not be able to afford textbooks for each of my classes. So which classes got textbooks and which classes went without? That was the question that I had a very difficult time answering.

Another issue that I encounter was the fact that most of the textbooks had more information that we would be able to cover over the length of a semester course. Or, some textbooks included information that I felt was either irrelevant or outdated. In only one instance was I able to find a textbook that fit perfectly into one of my classes. That left 10 classes without a textbook.

Fortunately, my school has recently taken a broader look at what they consider resources for the classroom. In years past, other departments have purchased equipment and other instructional supplies with these funds. I approached my principal and inquired as to what qualified as classroom resources.

To make a long story somewhat shorter, I broached the idea of using these funds to purchase either iPods or iPads for my classroom. My inquiry was meet with a pause, then a smile, and finally a "go for it". I was ecstatic, but I also soon realized that I was going to have to convince the other administrators and school board member that this was indeed a worthy investment.

After some thought on the best way to present my case, I decided that it would be best to create and present my presentation on on iPad. What other way was there to show the power and usefulness of these tablets than for it to produce it's own argument.

I created a short video on my iPad 2, uploaded it to Youtube and embedded it into a Prezi. I had to setup the Prezi on my desktop because the Prezi app doesn't allow you to edit, yet. However, the video embedded below was 100% created and distributed on my iPad.

Link to video on Youtube

I am still waiting to hear if my proposal was accepted, but I will update you when I find out.

I would love to hear from any of you considering integrating iPads or iPods into your classroom, or if you already have them in.

Integrating RSS

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:00:00 +0000

One of the most useful developments (IMHO) that came from the Web 2.0 era was RSS. Really Simple Syndication (RSS), is a feature that allows the viewers to subscribe to that site's feed. When coupled with a feed reader, it allows the user to access all new posts from all of their subscribed sites in one location.

Common Craft does a wonderful job in explaining RSS in one of the "Plain English Video" which I have posted below.

Personal Use
As of right now, I subscribe to 233 site feeds that I view several times a day with Google Reader. The great part of following so many different feeds is that I get news and information from a wide variety of sources. I believe that this helps me discover new ideas and get multiple looks at various stories.

Classroom Usage
By setting students up with a free Google Account, they have access to Google Reader for free. You can then have students/classes/groups set up their reader to follow certain sites that the teacher finds appropriate and applicable. That way, there are new stories and articles for the students to read each time they log in and check their Reader. Current content will be delivered directly to your students, so you don't have to print/make copies to share information.

Impacts
By incorporating the use of RSS feeds and a feed reader into your curriculum, you are allowing students to explore and harness the power of the internet for their own use. You are teaching them a basic skill that they will then take, on their own, and apply it to their personal interests. You might be integrating technology into your classroom, but in reality, you are assisting students with integrating technology into their lives.

Shopgeek Update

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:43:00 +0000

It has been much too long since I blogged, so I thought I would post an update just to let people know what I have been up to.

This spring I successfully completed my Masters program at Boise State University where I obtained my Master in Educational Technology. As part of their program, I was also able to receive a Graduate Certificate in Technology Integration Specialist which I thought was a great benefit. The concluding element of my Masters was a ePortfolio, which is posted here if you are interested. BSU really has an excellent program, full of hands on learning, and I would highly suggest it for anybody interested in furthering their knowledge in Educational Technology. In fact, my wife will be starting this program as her second Masters this fall.

This summer has been very busy, which usually seems to be the case. Between the small projects around the house and yard that we typically put off until summer, I have been very active in my fire department were I am a firefighter and first responder. I enjoy volunteering with the fire department as it allows me to feel like I am part of something that really makes a difference year round in my community.

The rest of the summer will be spent getting geared up for school by diving back into technology. I have several tools and ideas that I would I would like to integrate into my curriculum. In fact, I plan on sharing some of these tools in upcoming blogs so that you might find tools or ideas that will fit into something that you are doing.

There might be changes in the near future, but I will not get ahead of myself and will instead promise to keep you informed on this blog.

Type at you soon.

360 Project?

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:05:00 +0000

I have been reading about people doing the 365 Project, which is where a person posts a picture every day. Why would a person do something like this? For some, it is a way to blog or journal in a very quick and easy way. For some, it is all about photography and capturing a great moment. For me, it will be a chance to for myself to look around and see more wonderful things that are around me.

For this reason, I set up a Tumblr account due to the ease of which photos can be posted and linked. This Tumbler blog will only be used as my 365 Project, and no other content will appear there.

However, since I am getting started a bit late, I will have to modify the project to fit what is left of my year, 360 days.

Stay tuned for some great pictures (hopefully) and let me know your thoughts.

Check out my 360 Project Here.

Flapping Airplane

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 20:15:00 +0000

I was just alerted to a new airplane that was designed by some very gifted individuals at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. These individuals have created an airplane that is human powered and flaps it's wings to sustain flight. I did not believe it until I watched the video which I have posted above.

Very cool!

HPO The Snowbird from U of T Engineering on Vimeo.

The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:29:00 +0000

I just got done watching this video that speaks (and draws) in a very entertaining way about what really motivates humans. As I am back at school for my first inservice day, I thought that this would be a great video to show the staff. Unfortuently, it is a bit late for that, and as a teacher, I have little say in what administrators do to motivate us teachers.

As a teacher, I saw several points that resonated with me and I wanted to share this video so that you will get a chance to see what really motivates us.

Scott McLeod on TEDxASB

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:41:00 +0000

Just finished an excellent video of Scott McLeod (Dangerously Irrelevant) speaking about education from an administrative point of view. Definitely worth sharing.

Moodle Presentation

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 03:11:00 +0000

Moodle Presentation from Alja Sulčič on Vimeo.

Moose Lake Moodle

Barnum Moodle

Hop to Kindergarten

EDTECH Office Parody

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:43:00 +0000

Being a fan of Educational Technology and the NBC series "The Office", I found this video informative and entertaining. My only complaint is that the character that was playing Dwight looked and acted like Jim. Other than that, it was great.

My favorite quotes, "If you are here, why are we Skyping?" & "Michael and Technology, they're like best friends, except me and him. But man, he looks good on that big screen."

On a side note, Skyping is not recognized by Firefox or Blogger as a properly spelled word. Shouldn't it be by now?

Lilly the Black Bear's Den Cam

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:48:00 +0000

The North American Bear Center has set up a Webcam in a Black Bear Den so that the public can witness Lilly give birth to her cubs. I loaded the feed on my SMART Board this morning at 8:30 and there were 9900 other viewers at that time. As I am watching it now, there are almost 24,000 viewers!

According to a friend, Lilly has had at least one cub already because she heard it.

Here are a few of my students watching Lilly while listening to Nelly's "Here Comes the Boom". Ironic.

I Need My Teachers to Learn 3.0

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:21:00 +0000

This is a great video created by Kevin Honeycutt that I wanted to share. Kevin did a great job creating a song and video that expresses what many of us education are feeling at the moment.

My favorite line from this song is "Prepare us for the future, not your past".

Thanks Kevin!

BlogPress Lite Test

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:06:00 +0000

Testing out BlogPress Lite with a picture of my classroom. I have always wanted a better option to posting with images that was better than email.

Did you notice that the SMART Board is off? The bulb burnt out last week and we are waiting for a replacement.

The only thing that this app is missing (IMHO), is the ability to add hyperlinks. This is something that would complete this free app.

- Posted from my iPhone ShopGeek

Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:31:00 +0000

In order to reignite this blog with and allow myself to become immersed, I will be posting pictures and details of some of the projects going on in my life. These projects will be both from my personal and professional arenas. Some of these projects will range from completed projects to thoughts and ideas that are floating around in my head. Hopefully this will allow me to show you just what a Shop Geek I really am.

More to come!

The Internet in 1993

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:21:00 +0000

I found this on one of my favorite blogs, Geeks are Sexy. This is a clip from CBC-TV's “Prime Time News” shows us the perception in of the Internet back in 1993.

I was in 7th grade when this was filmed and I did not see the Internet in action at my school until three years later. I still remember searching Yahoo for the first time. How times have changed.

Tweet Cloud

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:20:00 +0000

I just generated a TweetCloud out of a year of my tweets. Top three words: thanks, time, school - http://w33.us/3vlv

Grammar Ninja

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:14:00 +0000

So what happens when I open Grammar Ninja up on the SMART Board at the end of class?

This:

Within 30 seconds, (thanks to the cheesy sound effects and soundtrack) we had the entire class (we had several absent today) in the classroom discussing pronouns and adjectives. Nice.

What's that I Hear?

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Here is a great TED Talk on sound and the four ways that it affects us.

Along those same lines, NPR just published a story about how musicians hear better than non-musicians.

Gives new meaning to the phrase, "Listen Up!"

The Tech Commandments

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:31:00 +0000

Just came upon an article by Adam Bellow with advise regarding Technology in schools. I thought it had some excellent points, so I embedded here for you read. Enjoy.

The Tech Commandments

Arne Duncan on the Colbert Report

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Lembke) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:14:00 +0000

I like what this guy is saying, now if they can only make it happen.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Arne Duncan

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Michael Moore