Use Those Old Textbooks for Gifts

What else were you going to do with your old textbooks now that the semester is over? Plus, thrift store books make great charms and magnets, too.  Find the original tutorial here for the charms and for the magnets, here.

Happy gift making!

Jen

Boundless Textbooks {for Tech Tuesday}

Two things I like:

1. Free

2. College students not paying high prices for textbooks. Remember the post here about discount textbooks options?  I prefer low price textbooks that are high quality.

Oh, let's add a third thing I like....Boundless textbooks!  The are free, appear to be high-quality, and look at all the disciplines they serve.

College students, before you purchase another textbook, check with your instructor to see if you can use a free Boundless text instead.

I'd love to know what you think of Boundless when you do.

Jen



Time to Make Your Textbook Quotes

If you are like me and haven't started classes yet, you have time to prepare your textbook quotes for this activity from Professor KP - who is a busy bee working on her doctorate.  Yay, Ms. Smarty-pants, Professor KP!

Click here to see the original instructions.  Her idea is such a clever way to make the most out of those expensive textbooks students are forced to buy.

All the best,

Jen

PS - And yes, I struck-through the are forced to buy part on purpose.  You know how I feel about expensive textbooks.  I wish all students, who need textbooks, would use the frugal, discount buying options here.

Discount Textbook Options

DON'T DO IT, COLLEGE STUDENTS.  DO YOU HEAR ME?

Instead, ask your instructor a few questions about the textbook for your course.  Then, if the textbook is needed, use one of the sites below to purchase the text or consider purchasing the e-book version (if you regularly use a smartphone, tablet or laptop).

Questions:

1. Is the textbook necessary for this course?  
2. If the answer is yes, how will we be using the textbook for this course?
3. How will you hold me accountable for reading the textbook for this course?  Will there be quizzes, activities, test questions, textbook discussions, etc.?
4. Could I find the same information online?  If yes, could that take the place of the textbook?

If your instructor really, truly, cruelly (I couldn't find another good word that rhymed), wants you to purchase the textbook, then, by all means DO NOT PAY FULL PRICE.

Here are my favorite discount buying sites:

• Chegg.com
• Half.com (part of Ebay) - what until you see the savings below!
• Abebooks.com (part of Amazon)
• Bookrenter.com 
• Textbooks.com
• Amazon.com
• Skyo.com - which I just checked to see if they carry the Educational Psychology book that my class uses and they do!  You can rent the latest edition for $22 or buy it used for $61.  This textbook new is over $140.  The rental option is great for students who plan to only use the textbook that semester - not longer.

Now check out, Half.com.  You can rent the same textbook for the same amount of time for $14.53.  You save $7.  That's two lattes, right?  Yay, for Half.com.  Even better!

Of course, many textbooks can be "rented" via the e-book option.  This, too, is great for students who do not plan to use the textbook past the semester AND for students who regularly are plugged into their smartphones, tablets or laptops.  If your only computer is a desktop one at home; this is not a good fit. You want your e-book to be mobile - that's the cool part about e-books.

Now, I have one last tip and you must adhere to this one:  PAY THE EXTRA SHIPPING COST TO EXPRESS MAIL OR OVERNIGHT YOUR TEXTBOOK TO YOU.  Don't cheap out on this one.  It is worth the extra money.  Why, you ask?  Because most textbook companies save on shipping by shipping books fourth class mail.  Yes, it is appropriate because fourth class mail is reserved for books and media, but wow, is it sloooooow.  By the time you get your textbook via fourth class mail, it will be the end of the semester.  PAY THE EXTRA SHIPPING COST TO GET YOUR TEXTBOOK FASTER.  Or, plan at least 4-6 weeks ahead before the semester begins.

If you've already purchased your textbook at full price, every college bookstore has a refund policy.  For example, my college allows returns up to 10 days after the semester starts.  To do so, you just need your receipt and ID and voila, you can return your over-priced handsomely-priced textbook. 

Go forth and save, fine college student.  If you have other discount textbook websites or textbook buying tips, please leave them in the comments section below.  My next post about textbooks will be about FREE textbooks, yes, you heard me.  F. R. E. E.

That's my favorite price ;)

Jen

Textbook Gems - Guest Blogger/Guest Upcyclist Series

Look at these wonderfully inviting textbook gems Professor KP created and wanted to share with Upcycled Education.

Professor KP, a regular here at UE, basically followed this tutorial for magnet gems using Mod Podge, but left off the magnet portion.  Of course, she found vocabulary and terms from some of her old textbooks to make the gems lesson ready.  Then, she challenged her college students to dream up clever ways to use the gems.  Look at what they came up with.....

Aren't her college students clever?  What creative ideas to incorporate textbook gems and upcycle old textbooks and of course, my fav:  Mod Podge.

Love this!

Jen

PS - Professor KP said she bought her gems at the dollar store.  She said to look for the longest gem-shapes possible.  Notice her gems are elongated, not the typical round shape used for DIY gem magnets.

PSS - I am laughing that I called Professor KP a "regular" here at Upcycled Education.  It sounds like we are a restaurant or bar.  Ha!

Textbook Quote Activity - Guest Blogger/Guest Upcyclist Series

Please welcome back, guest blogger/guest Upcyclist, Professor KP.  You might remember her from her Duck Pond post here.

Take it away, Professor KP....

Here is an idea I stole modified from your blog post, The Other Jen. The Other Jen had a post explaining how she uses quotes as a warm-up activity for a group.

Good idea I thought.

To make it work for my purposes, I took quotes from the upcoming chapters in our textbook.  I tried to choose quotes that were interesting, open-ended or just good conversation starters. I also included the page number in case students wanted to go back and reference the actual quote.

I printed the quotes on card stock, cut them into strips, and spread them out on a table.  Students were told to choose a quote that was interesting to them and share with a partner. As a whole class, we then shared quotes, too.

We had lots of interesting conversation.

The real treat, however, was the activity ended up generating motivation for the chapters students were assigned  to read for the upcoming week.  In education lingo we call that “Setting a purpose for reading."  Yes, a purpose was established and students' interest was peeked!

Professor KP, I love this idea!  I might need to make a quote collection for my upcoming Educational Psychology students.  Our new class begins in two weeks.

Thank you so much,

Jen

Textbook charms

What to do with all my old, out-of-date textbooks?  Repurpose them into gifts, that's what.

Today's DIY project uses not one, but two Mod Podge products.  Remember, Mod Podge is a craftucator's be-fri.

1.  Gather your supplies:  Wood alphabet tiles, old textbook, scissors, bail, necklace chain, Mod Podge (regular), Mod Podge Dimensional, jewelry glue, and small paintbrush.  I bought my supplies at AC Moore and Michael's, but just about any major craft store will do.  Actually, finding the bails was tricky; AC Moore had them in stock, whereas my local Michael's did not.

2.  Decide which part of the textbook you'd like to use; I made a guide to help me visualize the charm.

3.  Trace the alphabet tile on the textbook page and cut out the paper square.

4.  Paint a light coat of Mod Podge on the alphabet tile and adhere paper square.

5.  Turn over alphabet tile and trim off excess paper.

6.  Seal all edges with Mod Podge.  Let dry for at least 20 minutes.

7.  Cover entire front surface with Mod Podge Dimensional.  Do NOT shake your bottle of Mod Podge Dimensional as you want to keep the air bubbles to a minimum.  Mod Podge Dimensional makes the surface of your charm glossy and raised.
8.  For air bubbles, either pop with a small pin or carefully slide the bubble off the side.  Both techniques worked for me.  Let the Mod Podge Dimensional dry overnight.

9.  For added flair, add small designs before you use your Mod Podge Dimensional.  

10. I bought this particular faux-silver chain at Michael's.  It is 24 inches long, but with scissors, you can cut it to any length.

11.  Using jewelry glue, glue a bail to the back of your charm.  There is no picture of me gluing the bails.  I forgot to take one!  I let the bail dry for two hours and then, added more glue to double-secure it.  I tried just gluing the bail once and the bail popped right off when I was showing off my charm to my college students.  I immediately looked uncool.  Let the bail dry overnight to regain your coolness next time you show-off.

12.  Add your finished textbook charm to a chain and you are ready to go.

Yay for Mod Podge products, craftucation and gifts for any occasion!  If you like these, check back tomorrow for DIY Ski Magnets.  You skier, blog readers will be happy :)

Best,

Jen

{A MONTH LONG SERIES}