Two Things

Thing One
I may have mentioned this before, but pencil cap erasers have been a lifesaver in my room.  I thought I had posted about this before, but I couldn't find it.  If I did, forgive the repeat.  As teachers, we have to pick and choose our battles.  I have given up on pencils and erasers.  I just keep a supply for my friends.  Here is my container for pencil cap erasers.

I got it in a dollar store.  Notice the sign?

We have a big talk about needs vs. wants!  I buy a box of 500 eraser caps at the start of each year with my school supply order.  They are actually fairly inexpensive.  It will generally last nine out of the ten months we are in school.  The last month they are on their own!  I just found it so much easier to have these available than having my friends wasting time searching for an eraser or borrowing from a neighbor.  Actually, it is more like the OCD in me was getting crazy over the messy papers I was getting.  When I would ask why they didn't just erase, the answer was always, "I didn't have an eraser."  No excuses now!

Thing Two

Are your friends caught up in the patterned duct tape frenzy? 

The girls in my room have made duct tape bows, necklaces, bracelets, and any other thing they can attach to themselves.  The boys have made wallets and toys that I have had to confiscate more than once!  I have been the recipient of many duct tape flower pens this year.  Here are the four most recent:

They are having a lot of fun with this stuff.  It got me thinking to what I could use it for.  It would be great for book binding when your friends make books.  It would also be neat to cover a clipboard with.  Have you used this stuff for anything?  Any ideas?