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MAKE YOUR OWN DEMO BOARD!
Every teacher needs a demo board, but they can be hard to come by even with AGF matching funds. With a little ingenuity and a couple hours of his time, here's how Vincent Eisman made his own board. "Iceman" teaches fourth grade in Oakdale, California and uses go extensively in his classes; he was the AGF 2008 Teacher of the Year, and this kind of creative thinking is one reason why. MATERIALS NEEDED: 1 magnetic bulletin board Vince began with a trip to the local Ikea, but any "big box" store near you will do. The two-sided board two-sided magnetic board you see here cost $12.99. You can find them online too -- here's a link to a $9.99 item -- but sometimes the actual store has items that aren't available online. Another possible solution is magnetic canvas , which sticks to any surface and is available in 9X12 sheets for $2.50/sheet. In the same area of the store, Vince found some round black and white magnets. Here again, these magnets will work, and these magnets are cheaper at $28/160 1.25" diameter (but you'll have to paint half of them white), but you might find something better.
If the idea of making straight lines with tape seems daunting, a Sharpie will also do the trick. Whichever you use, covering the grid with clear packing taspe or contact paper will make it last longer. Vince's stones are 35mm (about 1.25"). so he spaced the lines about 1.5" apart; how you space your lines will depend on the size of your stones. You can also make your own table board; click here for instructions. (We love the 2x2 "floor board;" the world's smallest seki!) But regular equipment is easy to come by; demo boards are harder, but follow these instructions and you can probably have a completed board by the end of the day! We're sure you'll agree that it makes a handsome addition to any go teacher's collection.
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Next, Vince headed for his local art supply store to pick up a roll of 1/8" graphic art tape and a package of vinyl letters. (See above.) Using a straightedge (below left), he laid out the outside of the grid , then put down the lines one by one (below right), and applied the letters and numbers. Remember, the numbers go along the side, starting with "1" at trhe bottom, and the letters go from left to right. As a final touch, he used the punch-out sections of "B", "D" and "P" for handicap points.. 
