Submitted by Barb Philipak, St. Peters, Missouri
Idea posted May 8, 2002
I have Recorder Karate all spelled out by typing one letter per page (as large as I can make the font to just fill up one page) using a Samurai Font that I found free online. The center is a large poster of a recorder (from the Pepsi Note fund-raiser last year - I didn't write on mine last year... I just laminated it, and this year I covered the Pepsi Note insignia at the top of the poster and wrote "Our goal is Black Belt" in writing that matches my Samurai font). Then, I found some scrapbook paper that had all different color karate belts on it (imagine my excitement!), and using the overhead, I enlarged one and traced it. Then I just made copies on all the appropriate colors and put them around the board and used black yarn to divide up each section.
After the students get each belt, they get to go out and sign up in each belt section. I have had many compliments on this board from other teachers and the kids really like it. They stand at the board and check out where other students are and point out their own name and talk about the 'coolest' place to sign - mine all especially love to sign in the middle of the belt!
(You can view pictures of the Recorder Karate Bulletin Board in the Recorder Karate Dojo.)