By: Robert A. Silvestri

The overall objective of this lesson, in terms of gender equity in the classroom, is to enable female students to feel confident and comfortable in performing traditionally male oriented tasks in a machine shop environment. The teacher’s strategies focus on freedom from gender bias and stereotyping by eliminating names and using numbers in writing of instructions for use by both males and females in the class. Students are challenged with a rubric, in an objective manner, which removes possibilities for gender bias in teacher rating, or students’ ratings of each other.

STANDARD: All students will be able to list strategies to overcome gender bias, stereotyping, and discrimination.

GRADE LEVEL: 7-12, Technology Education: Machine Shop

OBJECTIVES:

1. Students will be able to demonstrate the use of a knurling tool and how to put either a diamond knurl or a straight knurl on a cylindrical piece of steel.
2. Students will be able to demonstrate the procedures as demonstrated to them.
3. Students will evidence their learning by their being able to write directions for the procedures for other students to use.

TIME: 2 class periods of 90 minutes each (3 hrs.)

MATERIALS:

1. Several pieces of round 14" to 1" diameter steel stock, Each piece should be approximately six inches in length.
2. A knurling tool: having both a diamond and a straight knurl.
3. Lathe with a three jaw chuck as found in a high school or middle school machine shop.
4. Paper and pencils (enough for the entire class). Paper needed for students to write down the procedures for another student to follow.

PROCEDURES:

1. Teacher explains the two purposes of using knurl: grip and aesthetics.
2. Teacher demonstrates:

1. How to establish the type of knurl.
2. Proper set up of knurling tool in the machine.
3. Establish proper speed and feed.
4. Proceed with crossfeed dial until both rollers touch the work piece at the same time. At that time, move in, approximately 30 to 40 thousandths of an inch and immediately feed.
5. When you have established the length of the knurl, stop the machine without stopping the feed. NEVER RELEASE THE FEED!! If the feed is released, the knurl will be destroyed because it will not be on the right track and will cross knurl.
6. While the machine is stopped, reverse the feed direction.
7. Now, start the machine, and use the crossfeed dial to move in another 10 thousandths of an inch.
8. When you stop the machine at the end of the piece, DO NOT shut the feed, and DO NOT allow the rollers to come off the piece.
9. Repeat the process, as needed.

2. Teacher should stress safety precautions, instead of dangers!, in order to reduce hesitancy of any females in the class.
3. Expect all students to carry out all procedures as demonstrated.
4. Teacher should select students, randomly by gender, for participation in the hands-on components of this lesson.
5. Ask all students to state the concepts of "how I would do this" out loud.

1. Carefully watch demonstration of process (above) by the teacher.
2. Teacher may then ask a student (randomly selected) to demonstrate the process.
3. Each student will then be given a piece of paper on which he/she will write down the instructions, as precisely as possible, to make a good knurl.
4. Each student will be given a number, on the paper, before the writing begins.
5. Students should be given 10 minutes to write the instructions.
6. After 10 minutes, teacher will collect the instructions, shuffle them, and distribute them to students one-at-a-time.
7. A student is then selected, by the teacher. The selection is done by giving the student one of the "shuffled" instruction sheets.
8. The student then must follow the instructions, exactly as written. There will be no discussion, comment, or questions. If the instructions are incomplete, as evidenced by the student not being able to continue as per instructions, the teacher must stop the process, and return the instructions to the student who wrote them. This student must then correct the instructions.

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:

Student would be given no more than 3 attempts to complete the instructions correctly. If the instructions are incorrect, meaning that the student using them has to stop (can’t continue the procedures) the student who wrote the instructions must. listen and pay closer attention to subsequent demonstration by other students, so that his/her instructions can be corrected and "tested" again.

RUBRIC:

Student A is able to clearly and precisely give written instructions to another student (Student B) on how to do both a diamond knurl and a straight knurl using a knurling tool in a lathe with a three jaw chuck as evidenced by another student being able to use Student A’s written instructions on the first attempt.

Student A is able to give written instructions to another student (Student B) on how to do both a diamond knurl and a straight knurl using a knurling tool in a lathe with a three jaw chuck as evidenced by another student being able to use Student A’s written instructions by the third attempt.

Student A is unable to give clearly written instructions to another student (Student B) on how to do both a diamond knurl and a straight knurl using a knurling tool in a lathe with a three jaw chuck as evidenced by another student being able to use Student A’s written instructions, but can successfully perform the procedures himself/herself as evidenced by demonstrating same to the teacher.