Many physics teachers would agree that students making real-world connections is a critical aspect of learning physics, but what does this really mean? Merely seeing a real-world application of a physical concept does not necessarily allow students to incorporate the concept into the way they perceive their world. It is not just seeing the application that makes the real-world connection, but establishing personal relevance to that student's life that is a key to learning physics. This paper describes a constructivist activity in which students design and assemble a common and personally relevant electrical device--the power strip.