Reinforce Key Concepts
Vocabulary acquisition is foundational to comprehension. Teachers who use visual prompts such as these assist student in acquiring new vocabulary, and the hanging words remind teachers to spend a little time in quick review.
Adhesive sheets are applied to the back of decorative paper, then letters are cut with an electronic cutter such as a Cricut or Ellison machine.
Materials used:
- ribbon
- card stock
- Sizzix repositionable adhesive sheets
Position Informational Signage and Tame Tall Ceilings
Sometimes you just need a quick sign to direct traffic for a special event... Hang-Mates allow you to quickly place and easily remove signage. Here, a back-to-school informational sign is positioned on a ceiling 18 feet above floor level.
Materials used:
- signage dry-mounted to foam core (we used MS Paint to create the sign)
- optional longer extension pole (for ceilings higher than 11 feet)
- optional locking plastic 18" extensions
- adhesive eyelet hangers or hinged saw-toothed picture backs
Create Suspense
Group exercises in libraries or classrooms sometimes require many materials. By suspending the materials in inexpensive buckets above the work area, instructors can create active anticipation of fun activities, but keep materials above active hands until they are ready for use. Hang-Mates retract approximately 6 ounces, but hold approximately 16 ounces in suspension, allowing heavier items to be pulled down and pushed out of the way until ready for use.
Inexpensive buckets or baskets, used to hold lesson manipulatives, can be elevated above the work space until the teacher is ready to put the contents into use.
Celebrate Student Excellence
Melanie uses our Hang-Mate Wall System to reward her students' achievements. Melanie's wall design was featured in LibraryJournal.com: "What's Hot, The latest in library products and furnishings".
Materials needed:
- Hang-Mate Wall Kit [HM007]
- HM Clear Plastic Extensions or HM flexible clear leads with additional line stops
- HM Adhesive Eyelet Hangers or Hinged saw-toothed picture backs [HM021] or [HM019]
- foam core poster board cut into desired size
- heavy-duty magnets (hers were purchased at Hobby Lobby, sku#381913)
- optional: decorations to cover the magnets; electronic cutter such as Cricut
Having cut the foam core to desired size, simply attach the hangers to the back, suspending each section with a plastic extension or a length of flexible line and line stops. The magnets hold student work in place, as they are strong enough to attract one another through the foam core.
Free Whiteboard Space
Teachers regularly post thinking strategies and learning targets in classrooms, often at the expense of valuable whiteboard spaces. Creating signage that is both elegant and easily changeable frees those interactive spaces for instruction and student interaction.
Since Hang-Mates make it easy to rotate signage, the backs of these signs offer additional space for reinforcement of key concepts.
Materials used:
- foam core (cut into strips)
- card stock
- Sizzix Repositionable Adhesive Sheets
- Magnets
- 3 12-inch locking extensions
- 14 6-inch open-ended extensions
- 16 adhesive eyelet hangers
- an electronic cutter such as a Cricut or Ellison machine
Recycle and Inspire
Small recycled bottles hold sand, broken shells, and instructions for a group activity involving survival on an abandoned island. Hang-Mate lines wrap around the neck of the bottle, clipping to themselves, and afford instructors the ability to put materials within student reach when they are ready for the activity. Until then, a simple push upward moves materials safely out of the way.
Here are a couple of fun, free links for island simulations:
Showcase Your Associates
In this application, a patron wall with an industrial, yet finished look was desired. Extra-long Hang-Mates were specially made to accommodate the needs of the space. Two rails were installed, both at ceiling and floor, and the Hang-Mates were extended between the two rails to form a floating linear backdrop. 10X10 photos of the bank's patrons were affixed to the Hang-Mate cording, held taut with the retracting reels, effectively creating a gallery. Cornices were positioned over the rails at both ceiling and floor height to finish the look.
We celebrate the fact that this idea was featured in LibraryJournal.com's issue of "What's Hot: The Latest in Library Products and Furnishings".
Instruct or Inform
Sometimes a little visual reinforcement can help you bring home those important concepts. Within these professional spaces, a dentist encourages her patrons to take care of the little details.
Create a Triangular View
Three faces, here-three key mathematical concepts, present themselves for concept development or product signage.
Materials used:
- 8 x 10 jpeg of desired signage
- Mobile Three Panel Display (the core structure)
- Optional: 16" rigid plastic extension [HM015] (as seen in demo)
Direct the Flow
Moving patrons or students from place to place can be done efficiently when using Hang-Mates. Here, a pre-cut paper mat frames a simple sign, and a ribbon suspends all.
Hang-Mates Outside
Hang-Mates can be used in exterior applications, as well. Our Heavy Duty Dual Lock holds a Tape Hang-Mate from a painted wooden ceiling beneath a portico. BOOtiful...
Hanging Wider Items?
Number lines, alphabets, and interactive story boards have previously been difficult to hang. No longer. Hang-Mates, coupled with our Aluminum Rail System, make hanging wide items feasible, all the while offering retraction ability. Here, a section of a classroom number line is suspended by two Hang-Mates. With a simple pull, the entire number line comes within the reach of both teacher and student.
