5 Useful Recycling Tips For Your Classroom

Teaching supplies can be expensive. Even the inexpensive supplies add up quickly. As a teacher myself I know I am not alone when I start diving into my own wallet to pay for supplies for a lab experiment or classroom activity that's beyond my teaching budget. Where there is passion there is no limit and I will always strive to provide the best experience for my students despite a small budget.

Recycling has been an amazing way to save money in my classroom. I simply find various ways to use recycled items from home or even school and re-purpose them in the classroom as decor or an organization tool. Below are 5 of my most useful recyclables re-purposed into my classroom. I use these on a daily basis and hope you find as much value in them as I do!

1. Use an old Clorox or Lysol cleaning wipes container to store grocery plastic bags. Conveniently tuck this container in a cupboard or drawer for easy retrieval of plastic bags when needed.

2. Who knew eating applesauce could be so delicious and resourceful! Use your plastic individual applesauce containers to hold office supplies or during art time your googly eyes, buttons, foam letters, etc.

3. Before you throw away your tomato soup can, wash it and recycle it a handful of different ways. My personal favorite is to have it as a pencil or pen holder. Add some decorative construction paper and you have a gorgeous new piece to your office or classroom decor.

4. Plastic plates have more purpose than you think! Use plastic plates for your students to use as a dry erase board. It easily comes of with a Kleenex wipe and can be used for fun games and so much more!

5. Lastly, my favorite, recycle your million of broken crayons. Yes, we all have a tub stashed away in our teaching cabinet consisting of a million (if not more!) broken crayons. It's a hot mess of disarray but thankfully this tip will help you!

Step 1: Remove any paper on the crayons

Step 2: Fill a muffin tin pan with cupcake/muffin paper liners

Step 3: Add a variety of your broken crayons into each paper liner

Step 4: Place in an oven set at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes

Step 5: After the crayons are visibly melted, carefully remove from oven and allow to cool and set.

Step 6: ENJOY! Once the crayons have solidified they are ready to have fun with your classroom of kiddos!

Share with us how these tips have helped in your classroom and any new ways you've discovered to recycle in your classroom!