No More Dried Up Markers!



Hello Everyone!

Welcome to another Bright Ideas Link UP!




I have a quick tip for you today about saving your white board felts from drying out. 

I use small dry erase markers during literacy centers. Students can write on top of laminated sheets over and over again, and I'm not chained to the photocopier each week! 





PROBLEM:    With K-2 students, the markers were always drying out. Either the lids were only partially replaced and later fell off, or they were not replaced at all. At the end of the day I'd have a basket full of dried up markers.







SOLUTION: I attached all the lids in a row so students have a place to put their felts when they are done, and see if one is missing.

Here's how to do it:

1. Tape all the marker lids to a piece of thick cardboard. Tape the entire lid firmly, so they can't wiggle loose! A glue gun also works well!





2. The cardboard strip is taped to the side of your work basket. 




3. When students are done, they pop the felt into the empty marker lid and press down firmly. It's very easy to see if one is missing, but the "special helper" is in charge of checking each day, just in case.

The markers will eventually run out, but the new replacements will fit in the same lids.


It's also very easy to remove the whole board if you need to use the felts with another activity.





I started using this method for my large white board felts as well, and they've lasted all year!

                                


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9 comments:

  1. Such a great idea! There have been too many instances of "we can't go to recess until we find this cap" lately! Thanks for sharing

    Deirdre
    Mrs. Garcia's Super Scholars

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  2. Very clever! This would be great for the pens I use in small group. I also love that they take up less room standing up like that. Thanks for sharing!
    Kayla
    The Chalkboard Garden

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  3. Love this quick and easy tip. Organization, storage, and money saving all in one tip!

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  4. Fabulous idea! I can't tell you how many dry erase markers I've thrown away every week because they had no caps! I also love your idea of having the "special helper" check on them! Thanks for sharing!

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  5. This is just brilliant! Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Such a great idea, and so simple! I use whiteboard markers all the time in my guided reading groups, this will be perfect!

    Sally from Elementary Matters

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  7. I love this idea. I've thrown away so many markers this year because they dried out.

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  8. I really like this idea!!! I need to think about how to incorporate it into my small group area for next year!! Thanks so much! You continue to amaze me :)
    em

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