By day, Mark Johnson of Roland Park K-8 Magnet School may appear to be your ordinary, mild-mannered math teacher. However, look closer and you'll see there’s a "dark side" to his existence.

• Mark Johnson member of 501st Legion
• Johnson built his "Commander Doom" clone trooper armor
• Johnson also brings wisdom of "Star Wars" to his teaching

“I was always inspired when I was younger by Yoda,” said Johnson. “He had the words of wisdom, R2 was always very funny. And then as I grew up, I appreciated the dark side a little bit more.”

That appreciation is evident in the persona he takes on when he dons a special suit of armor -- Clone Trooper armor modeled after the character "Commander Doom" from the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" animated series.

While others enjoy exchanging the intergalactic greeting “May The Fourth Be With You” on the fourth day of the fifth month of every year in celebration of Star Wars, Johnson says he celebrates the time-honored saga every day.

He’s part of a group called the 501^st Legion, which shares its love of "Star Wars" by dressing up as many of the films' characters and entertaining people for charity and in official roles for Disney and Lucasfilm.

But Johnson takes his love of the saga even further -- into his classroom.

“Each table is a certain planet,” Johnson said, explaining his classroom layout, “and each seat is a specific character, so the students associate with that character when it’s time to go do a job or a duty.”

Johnson says he never teaches in his "Star Wars" costume, but he carries The Force with him through every lesson.

“I guess it inspires me in a way to kind of be that type of hero as well, just in everyday life, just to inspire other people."