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We tear apart many types of machine in our classes for 6-12 year olds.
They wear goggles. NO prying apart of machine segments. Machines 
components  must be  unscrewed and dismantled
Generally machines wiht a combination of moving parts and circuit 
boards are the most interesting.
VCRs are the best because of the variety of parts.
As the kids remove parts we identify what they are and what they do
and hook it to  a variety of batteries to see if the part still works.

Working parts are used to build new creations (not working 
machines  but kinetic assembages, the kids are learning circuitry)
Kids need to wash their hands thoroughly at the end of class.

We do not tear apart monitors of any kind.
circuit boards offer many small components to identify but for kids 
they are overwhelming.


Other issues that have come up are the plastic cases take up a lot of 
room and need to be broken apart or crushed
Left over Internal components then need to be sent to our computer 
recycling facility

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