Tales from the High School Shop VI

Every teacher needs to have some kind of schtick.  

One of the things I do, is I ask a Skill-Testing Question at the door, every day, to get in.

This gives me some good, personal, interaction with ~every~ kid that comes to my class.  The kids love it, so much so, that kids passing by to OTHER classes try to answer the question.

Last day was "Name a non-electronic form of communication."  You'd be surprised how often "texting" is offered.

The day before was "Name a game that ONLY two people can play." Chess and Checkers are the first to go. Drag Racing is not often picked.

The day before that was "Name a breed of dog that starts with the letter.... (alphabet)."

Some of my favourites are:

• "Name a super-hero or a villain that starts with the letter.... (alphabet)"
• "Name a city, town, or village in British Columbia" (the province we are in)"
• "Name an automobile manufacturer that starts with the letter.... (alphabet)"
• "Name a word that can be both a verb and a noun, for example: I run down the street with a run in my stocking."

Today was "Name a three-syllable word that starts with the letter.... (alphabet)." This time I kept a tally: 15 of the 28 kids needed a nice "you might want to clap that one out."

Next day's question will be "Name a country that starts with the letter.... (alphabet)." You would be happy to know that MANY of the US states are offered as countries.  As are many of your cities.  Even a couple of Provinces.  Shocking really.

"Name something that rhymes with Orange"

If I was smart they wouldn’t make me come to school every day.

Explain why sonar sensors wouldnt work in space.

The difference between effect and affect

Name a country in europe larger than the state of Texas.  What is the largest state in europe  (first one is a trick question, none,  second France)

Name one type of hard wood and one type of soft wood.

Name a standard thread size- like 1/4-20.

Name one ferrous and one non-ferrous metal.

Name a standard wire size (like AWG), then the next smaller standard size.  I.e. #10 and then #12

Why does a transformer hum?  (Because it doesn't know the words!)

This is a great idea btw.

Apexcarver said:

Explain why sonar sensors wouldnt work in space.

 

The difference between effect and affect

 

Name a country in europe larger than the state of Texas.  What is the largest state in europe  (first one is a trick question, none,  second France)

 

 

 

 

Second is a trick question too, France is a country.

Trans_Maro said:

"Name something that rhymes with Orange"

Four eng-ineers wearing orange braziers.

Apexcarver said:

Name a country in europe larger than the state of Texas.  What is the largest state in europe  (first one is a trick question, none,  second France)

What, Russia doesn't exist any more?  About 4M square km of it are in Europe.

Name a word that rhymes with silver

RevRico said:

Name a word that rhymes with silver

http://mentalfloss.com/article/62154/23-notoriously-unrhymable-words-actually-have-rhymes

Cool questions, but really - I need a question that most anyone can get, that can have MANY different answers.  I prefer to use ".... that starts with a letter" because it focuses them, and I usually don't have more than 24 kids in the shop.

I'm always looking for new questions.

Name a sandwich ingredient that starts with the letter ____.

Name a Desert that starts with the letter ____.

Name a sport that does NOT use a ball (one kid usually offers "golf").

Name a relatively local restaurant that starts with the letter ____.

Robbie said:

Trans_Maro said:

"Name something that rhymes with Orange"

Four eng-ineers wearing orange braziers.

I'm not sure that's what you're going for.

What's on a perfect pizza?

What is the best map projection?

Which sport produces the best all around athlete?

Name two dog breeds that would make funny looking puppies.

Name a model of car that is made in Europe.

Name an athlete that has been retired for 8 years or more.

Name a black and white movie that you've seen.

Name a Beatles song.

Name a country that starts with A but doesn't end with A.

- Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world? 

Answer: Mt. Everest. It just wasn't discovered yet.

- How much dirt is there in a hole that measures two feet by three feet by four feet? 

Answer: None, there is no dirt in a hole.

- If a plane crashes on the border of The United States and Mexico, where would the survivors be buried? 

Answer: Nowhere, you don't bury survivors.

- Does England have a 4th of July? 

Answer: Yes they do, and a July 5th and a July 6th.

-How many books can you put in an empty backpack? 

Answer: One! After that, it's not empty.

- A monkey, a squirrel, and a bird are racing to the top of a coconut tree. Who will get the banana first, the monkey, the squirrel, or the bird? 

Answer: None of them, because you can't get a banana from a coconut tree!

Auto manufacturers with letters in their logos?  (or without)

Name a country in former Yugoslavia

Name an island or a group of islands in the pacific (or Caribbean).

Name an application for steam power that isn't a train.

Name a method of transportation that isn't a plane, train, or automobile.

 

for clarification, it needs to be ONE question, where there can be many answers.

I can't realistically have 24 different questions to ask each day for 110 days. I'm good, but I'm not that good.

I do have "Name a method of transportation that starts with the letter A."  And then "B" for the next kid.  And then "C" for the next kid. That way I have 26 different answers to the same base question.

There would need to be 24 other applications of steam power that kids can actually get.  Kids who think Alabama is a country, and cannot count to three. When asked to name the seven seas (in order to go to the washroom), kids routinely include the three oceans.

I have "Name an automobile manufacturer that starts with the letter ____." To which they always pick models.

I have "Name an automobile model that starts with the letter ____." To which they always pick manufacturers.

In reply to SkinnyG :

I couldn't do what you do. 

Name a model of carthat start a with (letter).

Name a car with a v8, rwd, etc. Name a country in south America. Name a continent. (See how long Antarctica lasts)

What is the flight speed of an unladen swallow?

African, or European?

How about the various ways to show ohms law?

There's a dozen ways, maybe limit to 3 of the same answer?

SVreX said:

- If a plane crashes on the border of The United States and Mexico, where would the survivors be buried? 

Answer: Nowhere, you don't bury survivors.

To be even more pedantic, they will get buried in random places all over the world.  Surviving a plane crash didn't make them immortal, they're going to die eventually. :)

When the question is "Name a verb that starts with the letter ____," over half of ALL students (grade 8 through 12) don't know what a verb is.

SkinnyG said:

When the question is "Name a verb that starts with the letter ____," over half of ALL students (grade 8 through 12) don't know what a verb is.

But the kids of previous generations learned things like this from grammar rock during Sat. morning cartoons!  Verb: That's whats happenin'   Maybe it needs to be put on youth phones as ringtones?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EicxQxzsW4

In reply to NOT A TA :

Our 5th grade homeschool curricula came with the complete School House Rocks as part of the year long process.