For this trick, you'll need: two pieces of plain paper, a clear glass cup, a pen or pencil, scissors, clear tape, a coin, a table to perform the trick on, and a piece of cloth or fabric. Make sure the cloth or fabric you choose is big enough to cover the glass completely when you lay it on top of the glass. Place the glass top down on one of the pieces of paper. Use your pencil or pen to draw on the paper, around the top of the cup. Remove the glass from the paper, and then use your scissors to cut out the circle you drew in the paper. Go slowly and cut along the pencil guide as closely as possible. Stick small pieces of tape onto the cut out paper circle. Stick the shape onto the top of the cup, so the glass is covered with a piece of plain paper. Trim the edges with scissors so that when the glass is upside down on a bigger piece of the same plain paper, it is not noticeable. You only need four small pieces of tape, around the edge of the circle. The upside down glass on the piece of paper should look like a normal glass, with nothing unusual able to be seen from a distance of a few feet. Have with you the other, unaltered sheet of paper, your cloth, your coin, and the glass. Put the sheet of paper on a table. Place the glass with the topside down on the paper. Now is when you gather your audience. Put a coin on the sheet of paper. Tell your audience you will make the coin disappear. Lay the cloth over the glass so that it's completely covered. The coin should still be visible somewhere else on the piece of paper. Grab the glass near the bottom of the upside down glass, with the fabric still covering it. Place it so that the glass lies over the coin. This is an excellent time to distract the audience with some flourish. Try making an exaggerated gesture over the glass with your other hand as you move it. The paper on the bottom of the glass should have covered the coin. Your audience won't know because the paper looks the same. You have made a coin disappear! Before you remove the cloth, you can increase the entertainment factor of the trick with some magical flourish. Use a wand, or say some made up magic words. It's up to you, so you can get creative here. You can do the same thing again to make the coin reappear. Just cover the glass, move it away from the coin, and remove the cloth. Now the coin has reappeared!

Summary: Gather the things you need. Prepare the paper cover for the glass. Cut out the shape. Attach the cover to the glass. Check the effect. Prepare for the performance. Start the performance. Cover the glass. Cover the coin. Remove the cloth. Reverse the action.


Choose a medium to large sized potato, preferably a Russet or Yukon Gold potato. Scrub and rinse it thoroughly. Dry with a paper towel. Cut the potato up into 1 inch cubes (approximately 2.5 cm). Place potato pieces in a microwave-safe dish. Disperse the potatoes evenly. Drizzle the potato pieces with olive oil (approximately 0.5 oz. or 1 tbsp.). Sprinkle them with the seasoning of your choice, such as salt and pepper, ranch dressing powder, oregano, or garlic powder. Toss the pieces to coat. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. Do not vent, as the steam trapped inside will cook and brown the potatoes. Microwave on high for 5-10 minutes. Starting at 5 minutes, check the potato pieces to see if they're cooked by piercing them with a fork. If you can pierce through the potato pieces effortlessly, they are done. If the pieces still seem hard and under-cooked, return them to the microwave and continue checking at 1 minute intervals.

Summary: Choose a Russet or Yukon Gold potato. Slice up the potato. Season the potato pieces. Cover the dish and cook. Check to see when they're done.


Having a friend with you is a strong deterrent for people who tease and bully others. It's a lot harder to deal with two people than one person. If you're worried about being teased on the way home from school or in-between classes, plan it out so that you'll be with a friend at these times. Say to your friend, "Hey, will you walk with me to class so [teaser's name] won't mess with me?" If the teasing is bad, enlist help from a teacher or principal at your school. It's their job to protect you. You don't need to feel like you're "telling" on the teaser; he/she is the one at fault and all you're doing is taking care of yourself -- and others, most likely, since he probably teases multiple people. There are things that teachers and principals can do to stop the teasing and make you feel safe. Don't be afraid to involve them. You can tell her/him , "This guy/gal is teasing me and I need help. Can I talk to you about it?" If your teacher isn't doing anything about the teasing, or if it's out of her control, talk to your parents. They can talk to someone higher up in the school's administration and get the situation fixed. It may not seem "cool" to ask your parents for help, but it will be worth it in the long run. Harsh teasing can disrupt your academic achievement and your self-esteem.  Try telling your parents, "This guy at school is teasing me. Is there anything you can do to stop it from happening? Can you talk to the school?" Some school counselors are actually trained in dealing with teasing and bullying. Going to a school counselor is a great option if you're having a hard time handling the effects of being bullied. They can help you cope with the teasing, and what you say to them is confidential. The meeting will be private and the person or people who tease you will never know. Tell your teacher that you want to see the school counselor. S/he can help you find the right person to talk to. If you need someone to talk to or want additional support, try a help-line or support group for teasing/bullying. Talking to people who are going through similar difficulties can help you feel understood. You can also discuss strategies together for dealing with being teased. Here are links to an online support group and a crisis hotline that you can call:  Click here for an online support group. Click here for a crisis services hotline you can call.
Summary: Ask a friend to back you up. Seek help from a teacher or principal. Get your parents to intervene. Talk to the school counselor. Call a teasing help-line or find a support group.