Shh... a Little Secret about Wipe Off Envelopes

We are all trying to use less paper these days to be both earth friendly and thrifty.  There just isn't money for paper and copies like there used to be in my pocketbook, or the district's.  Most of you probably already know about wipe off envelopes, but here's a tip to save you a little more money.


In case you don't yet know about wipe off envelopes (we call them pockets because it's easier to say), you slip worksheets into the pocket which is made of heavy duty clear plastic and bound around the edges, with an opening at the top. Students write on the envelope with dry erase markers, erasing after they do the work, so it's ready for the next student. These are particularly good for practice of letter formation, sight words, math facts, or activities like hidden pictures (which are good for visual discrimination and figure/ground perception.) They are not for work that the students will take home. Over time, the wipe off pockets significantly save paper and copying.

There are now several sources for these clear wipe off envelopes because they have become so popular in classrooms-- educational supply stores, office supply stores, Amazon, and other on-line sites.  I first purchased a set like this several years ago, and you can find then here.

They worked well and I liked them. When I needed more, because I shared them with fellow teachers or used them for other things, I shopped around to find the best price. It turns out that C-Line, the company that makes these with bright colored borders, also makes a plain black border style. The black ones are intended for auto shop use, but they are identical in every way to the bright colored ones.   They look like this and can be found here.

Although they are not as pretty, the black ones have two advantages.  First, they are cheaper-- as in HALF the price of the colored ones!  Second, they don't show the pen residue as much.  The kiddos almost always use black dry erase pens and the residue that is sometimes left behind gathers along the edge, and is quite noticeable on the bright colored binding. I know the bright colors are pretty, but for me, a better price and a cleaner look trumps cute.  Just sayin'.

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