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Month: January 2020

Eraser Hack for Cap Erasers

juliealdersonfoster 1 Comment

This brilliant eraser hack for cap erasers will change the lives of teachers and students everywhere! Maybe I’m being a little melodramatic, but seriously, if you’ve ever taught first grade, you know what I’m talking about! Students, especially the younger ones, erase and erase and erase. They will wear the eraser off a new pencil immediately. This hack will make your cap erasers work better and last longer.

Pencils with colorful cap erasers that have been hacked.

The Problem with Erasers…

Young students eat erasers. Sometimes literally, but always figuratively. The eraser will be worn off a pencil before it’s newly sharpened lead. Cap erasers like these are an easy, inexpensive solution.

But cap erasers have problems of their own. Like this…

Cap eraser bending with use.
cap eraser bends
Cap eraser cracking when someone tries to use it.
cap eraser cracks

The Solution to the Cap Eraser Problems…

After 29 years of teaching, I finally figured out how to solve the problem of cap erasers. It’s so simple, you won’t believe it!

Eraser hack for cap erasers: Cut the tip off!

Scissors snipping the tip off of a pink cap eraser.
That’s it! Just cut the tip off!
A pink cap eraser with the tip cut off.
A pencil erasing with a hacked cap eraser.
This creates a flat surface so when students erase it doesn’t wobble, bend and crack.
Pencils with white cap erasers in a colorful pocket.
Here are the pencils in my EIP cart that I take from room to room. See how the erasers are rounding at the top from use? No wobbling, no bending, no cracking. It’s like a miracle!
Two pencils after the eraser was hacked.
Beautiful!

Happy erasing!

Click here to read more posts by Julie Alderson Foster.

Anyone have any other hacks to share? Add them to the comments below:)