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page > Power
Tools > How-To > Classroom
Management > Whiteboards
on a Zero Budget
by
Lee Shiney, Teachnet.com Editor
Teachnet
recently explored whiteboards...how to make them and keep them clean (see
the August 23 article). But buying whiteboard material may be out-of-budget
for some classrooms. Here are a couple of cheap (or free) alternatives.
Roll
Your Own
Most schools have laminating machines with plenty of laminating material
to go around. Find some heavy posterboard or cardboard, run it through the
laminator, cut it up and - presto! - instant whiteboards.
Your Local Politician
Wants to Help
The stuff many political yard signs are made of is polycoated cardboard.If
you can get it, the back should do nicely for making whiteboards. Try
to find someone who will donate old ones to your classroom. However, in
some cities, any yard signs placed on city curbside right-of-way are in
violation of city ordinance and may be picked up by anyone. But, check
with your city sign inspector.
Other Options
- Use the plastic
page protectors for three ring notebooks. Just slide in some heavy paper.
- Check with a sign
company to see if they can give you scraps of polyboard left over from
screen printing jobs.
Contributions
-----------------------
You can easily make a whiteboard for your classroom by
purchasing smooth white shower board sheets from your local hardware or
building supply store. They come in 4 x 8 foot sheets for about $15. They
can be glued or screwed over an existing chalkboard. Erase with windex
& an old sock. A friend who tried this suggests that orange, red,
& green? markers should NOT be used as they stain. Ms. Lee Sheffield
Chatom Elementary School Chatom, Alabama
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