I'm teaching an Intro to Computers class to 20 something year old students. This is a challenge to keep their attention so I bring in show and tell items. One day I brought in some vacuum tubes that were date stamped 1945 and were the size of a coke bottle. These vacuum tubes were similar to the ones used in the first computers built in the early 1940's. One day I brought in a TV picture tube that is about 5 inches in diameter. This is identical to the the first picture tubes developed in the 1940's. I was trying to help students appreciate the history of computers and it worked for a few days.
Students are always a challenge these days and I don't have all the answers. I hope this helps with a creative way to stimulate your class.
