Today I was helping my students come up with an invention that had evolved over the years as part of a compare and contrast exercise for their reading class.

As we discussed different inventions, I realized they are literally growing up in a completely different world than I had. I know that not much of a revelation,  but their questions about typewriters and telephones got me thinking about "the good 'ole days."

Remember your rotary dial phone? One student told me his grandma has, "a phone on the wall with that round thingy." He admitted he really didn't know how to use it. I bought an old rotary phone at a tag sale years ago for my own kids. They had been fascinated by the dial and how it made such noise going around.

I told my students how party lines worked and how we would listen in on someone's conversation. I also told them how the invention of the touch-tone phone seemed like a modern marvel. Our neighbors across the street had the first touch-tone phone around, because their Dad worked for AT&T.

When I asked about the * and # signs on the phone buttons, my friend's Dad explained that they were included because one day they would be used in phone calls. I was baffled.  How could they be used in a conversation or phone number? Twenty some years later, we were introduced to *69 and a host of other options for the # key.

The other invention that students were curious about was the typewriter. My middle schoolers did not even know what it was called. I explained how the manual typewriter worked and again told them I have one to bring in to demonstrate.

They were so excited! Who knew that these "antiques" as they called them would elicit such a interested response. I've decided to look around the house for more antiques to bring in next week.

How about a camera that used film? Or my old portable television with it's quaint channel dial and antennas?

I'm starting to feel like an antique myself.