Monday, July 16, 2012

Durable Textbook Covers


On the first day of summer vacation I got together with the math teachers at the new school I'm moving to, and they told me that every year they teach the students how to make textbook covers with a paper grocery bag and Duck tape. I was so impressed with the idea, that I went right out and bought myself a large variety of Duck Tape.

I have impulse control issues.




I seriously  cannot believe how many different patterns are available. Or how little comes on a roll, especially the fancy stuff at Michael's. Or how expensive it can be when you have impulse control issues.

Geesh. I think I'm done though. I covered all my Teacher's Edition textbooks. I love that I have two of the same book for two of my classes. I get to keep a copy at home so I don't have to hoof it back and forth to school. Love that.

I grew up making paper grocery bag covers for my textbooks, but I was a little unsure about how to go about covering a textbook with Duck Tape in such a way that is doesn't adhere to the book.

Enter a most excellent tutorial from Duck Tape.


I even cut out vinyl on my Cricut to label my spines. After adhering the vinyl to the spine, I covered it with another layer of clear packing tape to keep the vinyl from moving. I love how it turned out.

That book on the bottom gave me fits with that long title. The only way I could get it to fit was to make the letters in the last word all wonky.

I'm sort of wondering if it's symbolic.

As in "Are you really ready for Algebra, or are you pretty shaky on the whole concept?"

Don't answer that, Math Haters.


I like to label my chapters so I don't have to flip back and forth when I'm all flustered and looking for a page. I'm frequently flustered.

Especially when 30 mostly-taller-than-me students are watching me. It gives me the stress sweats.

So I like to be prepared.


Enter the Post-it Filing Tabs. I buy them in bulk.


A fine-tip Sharpie is the perfect tool to write on them too.

I told you I know about office supplies.

My deep dark secret is that when I was a kid, I was busted for shoplifting office supplies.

No lie.

What kind of freak kid shoplifts office supplies?

Don't answer that, Office Supply Haters.

13 comments:

  1. Man...I wish I was going back to school...just so I could use this idea! I LOVE it!

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  2. lol @ being busted for swiping office supplies.

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  3. I gave fancy duct tapes for xmas gifts. Think I am doing it again this year. Last year everyone laughed. But now they comment on how great it is. I got some wood grain & metal looking off amazon and the Hello Kitty from Target. And I prefer the heavier stuff to the lighter weight thinner duct tape, don't you?

    With you on the office supplies. I was at a yardsale recently and they had baggies of all these really nice pens (from conventions or pen sellers I guess). I made them a deal on all of them and came home thrilled.

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  4. ROFL!! I love that you're so obsessed with office supplies. I am too!! And I LOVE how your teacher editions look now. I'm glancing sideways at my TE lit book and wondering how soon dinner will be ready so I go on a Walmart run! By the time I go to bed tonight mine will be beautiful too!

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  5. This retired math teacher just LOVES those math books. Adding the subject tabs is pure genius! It makes me want to go back to work. hehehe

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  6. Very cool! I'm going to have to try this for my own book this fall.

    Just for the record, all KINDS of freaks steal office supplies. The very first time I ever considered shoplifting it was one of those 5 pack pads of little 3x5 papers that came in 5 different colors. Oh, how I coveted those pads. I didn't end up stealing them but I DID wander around the store contemplating it for like an hour. Yes, age 6 me was already a freak about office supplies.

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  7. Look at you go!!! All labeled chapters!! I thought at first that they were the Core Curriculum spots (I suppose you could write that further down on the label).

    I love this idea - hopefully I can convince The Lego King to get Hello Kitty duct tape.

    Still don't know where I'll be in the fall. Trying not to go into 'panic mode'. I've been busy pinning things that I can use with highly disruptive children who don't want to do diddly just in case I actually DO end up in Structured Studies.

    Keep those Middle School ideas coming! Love them!

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  8. This is my first time visiting your blog and I love your blog! I also am slightly obsessed with office supplies, but I have yet to steal them. I stole a barbie hairbrush once from Venture and confessed and returned it the next time we went because I thought I would get arrested :) In my defense they shouldn't have made it so easy to get out of the packaging!

    I am definitely following!

    Teaching and Tech

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  9. These are so cute! You should see all the kinds of Duck Tape they have at Walmart!

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  10. I stole $20 from my god-mother to go buy office supplies. Had to return them to the store and work off what I couldn't return. I love school supplies!

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  11. I just found your site...love it. :) thanks for your ideas and sharing. Please visit my new blog at http://mrsjimison.blogspot.com

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  12. My students used to laugh at me with my labeled chapters...until I noticed they started doing it too...

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  13. I nominated you for The Versatile Blogger award! Head over here
    to pick it up!



    Teaching and Tech

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