Who Knew?

Blog-ButterflyLet me preface this blog by saying the topic’s a bit unusual. It may be something that’s never crossed your mind. On the other hand, maybe it has. It hit home with me because I went through a time in my life when I was directly affected. (Suddenly, I feel akin to Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. In truth, this topic could be content for an upcoming episode!)

The topic is toilet paper orientation. In my home, I routinely hang my toilet paper so the tissue comes over the top. A few years back, I had a particular guest who would switch the roll to make the tissue roll out from under the roll. I would switch it back. The guest would switch it; then I would switch it again. Silly, right?

Guess what? There are companies that actually research this topic! I kid you not. The most recent research shows that 72 percent of Americans favor toilet paper that hangs in the over orientation. This research is consistent with earlier studies. I mean, who knew?

So teachers, I have a question for you—and it’s not the question you think I’m going to ask!

How do you use the cardboard tubes from toilet paper rolls in your classroom?

Smiles,

Diane

PS: It’s perfectly fine if you’d like to weigh in on TP orientation too!

 


10 thoughts on “Who Knew?

  1. I use them to help make butterflies of course. Also to add circles in paint to things. Telescopes for a unit on space.

  2. Unfortunately I work in daycare where licensing regulations prohibit the use of toilet roll tubes for hygiene reasons.! I used to use them for all kinds of art projects and really miss being able to use them 🙁

  3. We make binoculars. We tape 2 together and let the kids use markers and stickers to decorate them. Falls right in with our Recycling theme.

  4. I use them at the end of the year with a journal page that reads “Kindergarten was a blast!” and we paint them red and put gold pipe cleaners coming out the end like dynamite. Then the students write about all of their favorite things from the year on the page underneath.

  5. We don’t use them as they are not sanitary. We use wrapping paper tubes if necessary. A lot of schools use toilet paper rolls but need to consider the source. So close to a flushing toilet of germs.

  6. We use all kinds of paper tubing. Our local doctor’s office supplies us with longer tubes from their exam room paper (the paper that covers the exam tables). We use wrapping paper tubes as well. In our first grade classrooms, each student does a number scroll. It is a giant number grid starting at 0 and finishing at 1000 or beyond. We roll them up and store them in the tubes. The longer tubes are cut into shorter tubes (4″ to 6″ in length). They love the scrolls and their storage tubes, each decorated to match their personality.

  7. Good news for teachers! You can now purchase cardboard tubes (some plain, some colored) new from Hobby Lobby and teacher supply catalogs, such as Discount School Supply! I have used the tubes to make binoculars, painted circles, insects, and tunnels for small cars. I also like to cover a tube with tissue paper, tying the ends of paper with curling ribbon, after putting small gifts inside the tube.

  8. I also hang the tp over…I use the tubes to make a Star tree topper, as bodies for bats (with bottom end stapled flat, as a duck-bill mask, musical instruments. They are wonderful-and do you think they really have any more germs than anything we collect and recycle? Doubtful, because only adult women (aka teachers & custodians) ever touch the roll when changing it.

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