A Cheaper Classroom Calendar: DIY to the Rescue
April 29, 2008 by Myscha Theriault
Let’s face it. Classroom calendar supplies can add up to big bucks. If you are at the primary grades and need to work in patterning, it can more than double. Here’s how I made my own and skipped the cutting out and laminating of countless expensive apple and pencil cut-outs.
First, get a piece of plain poster board in the color of your choice, preferably not to dark. Leaving an open space at the top for the name of the month, mark out a grid with squares the size of an average Post-It note. Use light pencil lines at first, and follow up with a permanent marker and a straight edged ruler.
Next, either laminate the entire thing and attach to a larger math themed bulletin board, or laminate directly to the wall with easily peeled off, clear contact paper. Not only is thise calendar much more affordable than the deluxe designer version from the teacher store, but different colored post-its can be used in place of having to purchase several different dozens of calendar pieces for patterning and theme building that teachers like to do at all grade levels. Bonus? You’re not stuck replacing an entire set of calendar pieces if you lose one, or one gets damaged by a student.
Want to skip even the cost of the Post-It notes? Use different colored dry erase or water-based overhead markers. You can write the name of the month in at the top each time, and switch out the colors used to record the various days of the month. This is great also if you want to make the numbers smaller in the upper right hand corners of the squares and save the rest of the space for recording class events, holidays, field trips, assemblies, etc.
Bonus? You can clean off the calendar and start fresh each month. Here’s a link to some DIY white board cleaner recipes that’ll do the trick.
Photo Credit: Liz Marie
About the author…. I am a self confirmed life hacker who has used frugal living and personal finance strategies to focus on early retirement, pursue personal business goals, and achieve debt free living.
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[...] simple DIY classroom calendar project for [...]
[...] First, use a classroom calendar with slightly larger squares, similar to the ones most elementary teachers already use. Those who teach older grades will still be able to incorporate this, it will just require a larger activity space. (Here’s a set of directions to make your own affordable classroom calendar.) [...]