Comb Binding Giveaway and a Freebie! {giveaway closed}

I'm over at Classroom DIY this month with a post about making doodle books for a student gift.  You'll want to check it out!
Classroom DIY


To make my doodle book, I used the Paper Monster comb binder from MyBinding.com.  I love it!  It punches up to 8 regular pages at a time, or 1 piece of clear plastic (for a report cover).  It has a tray below that collects the little pieces of paper so it doesn't make a mess.  The handle locks when it's not in use.  It's super lightweight and is easy to store.

Here are all the goodies Tarragon and the My Binding team sent me.  I got the comb binder machine, plastic combs, plastic sheets for report covers, and a pack of textured polkadot paper for report covers, as well.  I got the hook up!  It may have been because they are headquartered in a suburb of my old town: Hillsboro, OR! :)

To use, you insert the paper into the machine and push down on the handle on top to punch.  The stop guide is ajustable, but I just left it alone, since I would be cutting regular-sized copy paper.

Here is my paper, perfectly cut!

I messed up punching my cover and had to re-print it.  That made me mad!

I made sure to stick the paper in ALL the way this time and it cut perfectly.

Now it's time to open the comb.  You stick it on the bottom with the tines (not sure if this is the right word) facing towards you when they open.

Pull the little lever on the right to open the comb.

Insert your paper.  This blue sheet is my back cover.  Push the lever back up to close the comb and take the book off the machine.

Ta-da!  All done!

I also made my teacher assistant a lesson plan book to go with a component of our reading program.  In Houghton Mifflin Reading, the Phonics Library book lessons are in the teacher's manual.  I like to teach these in small groups, not whole class.  I copied each of these lesson plans, added some directions that I pieced together from resources shared with me from my fabulous friends Laura (from Teacher Laura) and Michelle (from Third Grade Al Dente).  Thanks ladies!
Click the picture to download my covers and plans from Google Drive!

I made a 5 day plan.  This will be easy for an aide or parent volunteer to follow.

Here is the inside, copies of the Phonics Library teacher guides, shrunk down to 85% to fit on a regular size page.

There are millions of other things that I plan to comb bind.  You can make: 
  • poetry books for your students
  • vocabulary books 
  • science observation books 
  • monthly writing journals
  • comb bind your lesson plan book 
  • daily plans for a teacher's assistant for RTI or intervention reading groups
Now for all of you - a giveaway to win your very own comb binder!  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget, you can tweet or FB share this giveaway everyday for an extra 10 points!  The contest ends next Friday, November 23rd!

I can't wait to see the ideas you come up with for using comb binds in your classroom!

123 comments

  1. I love anything that binds! I never thought of using binding for my materials though - only for my students books. What a great idea!! So glad you shared!
    ~Realistic

    http://realistic-teacher.blogspot.com

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  2. I'm a writing teacher, so this little gem will get a lot of use when my students publish books. I'd LOVE to win one!
    Ѽ Lori
    Teaching With Love and Laughter
    luvyorkies@gmail.com

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  3. Do you know how much differentiating I could do with this little honey of a binder. Individual journal pages, writing, picture dictionaries . . . I could go on and on. I have their cutter and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I'm working my way up to a binder and laminator and would love to win this one.
    Marsha
    A Differentiated Kindergarten

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  4. I would use the binding machine for my quarterly morning work books and also for my Student of the Week writing books. meredith.mitchell@nhcs.net

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  5. I'd use one to make all the classroom books that I make on a weekly basis. It's a must-have tool.
    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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  6. I would love to have this! To be able to make books for each letter, each theme plus other resources to go along with what we are currently learning. Plus it would be great to be able to bind students work into books.

    divingintolearning@gmail.com

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  7. I would love to win the binding machine to use when my students 'publish' their books. I also could use it when making calendars for parent gifts during the holidays.

    ~Lorraine
    Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies

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  8. Classroom books! And then including them into my library!
    misspeare@gmail.com

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  9. What a neat little machine!! I could do sooo much with one of these :-) Thanks for the chance to win one!!!
    Karen
    tommysmom0206@yahoo.com

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  11. I love it! I've been thinking about doing a Donor's Choose project for a binding machine so that we can make class books, but this would save me a lot of time! Thank you for the opportunity. I love the idea of the Doodle books as a student gift!

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  12. I love your idea to put your own plans into books. I would plan my units and then have pictures of the samples and projects in the book. We bind lots of student projects, but I would love to have a machine to bind these quickly and easily!

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  13. Love it! I am making a State Book for each student and binding it would be PERFECT!!

    ~Stephanie
    Teaching in Room 6

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  14. I would love to use this in my classroom to make the children published authors. I would also use it to make classroom books.

    cforro3@gmail.com

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  15. I would be a book makin' fool! What a great giveaway. I would love to win this. Thanks for the op!!!

    Kelley Dolling
    Teacher Idea Factory
    kelleydolling@gmail.com

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  16. We make class books all the time!! {I shoot for one a month!}. I'd love to be able to put them together with something besides yarn or binder rings!

    Your doodle book looks adorable!

    Halle
    Across the Hall in 2nd Grade

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  17. I NEEEED this! Haha! What an awesome giveaway. I can only dream of having my own binding machine. :)

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  18. We love to make classroom books and special projects they can take home. This binder would make my books much more durable!

    Lisa.cain.sped.teacher@gmail.com

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  19. These are some really cool ideas!
    Kathleen
    kpa1b2@wowway.com

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  20. I would to win this! Making books out students' projects. Thank you for this fantastic opportunity!
    Toni Nicholson
    chief9937@Yahoo.com

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  21. I REALLY REALLY REALLY need this! :) :)
    Meg

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  22. This is awesome! Somebody stole our binding machine from our school, so we don't have one anymore! I would love to have one in my classroom. I might make a lot more class books!

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  23. I would love to have one of these babies! It would be so cool to make books of students work that they could read!
    tslumpkin@juno.com

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  24. My husband may not always work at fed ex office so I totally want this for my classroom!

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  25. Too Cool! This would be awesome to make student portfolios :)

    Askey42@students.tntech.edu

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  26. I would LOVE one! I'd use it to make classroom books :)
    ❤Teri
    A Cupcake for the Teacher

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  27. This would be PERFECT for classroom books!! I so want to win!! :)

    ღDeAnne
    First Grade and Fabulous

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  28. Oops! I would use it for personal spellers! And for assistants too!

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  29. Wow!! It would be so great to be able to quickly assemble class-written books and intervention materials. amyswan20 at gmail dot com

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  30. Monthly writing and calendar journals!!! I'd be a binding queen!

    ❤ -Stephanie
    Falling Into First

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  31. Would love this for their spelling/writing dictionaries!

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  32. I absolutely love making books with my kindergarten students, and binding would sure beat stapling!! I would love to win this!
    -Bonnie Katherine

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  33. I have always wanted a binding machine, tHe stations I could put together with it! I hope I win?

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  34. I would use it to make class books with my students!

    teaching.joys@cox.net

    Teaching Joys

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  35. Ooh I would love this in my classroom. I make handprint calendars with my students for their parents each Christmas. This would be perfect to put them together. I would also use them for class books!
    Lisa
    Learning Is Something to Treasure

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  36. Wow, I would use this to publish my student's writing, as well as make end-of-the year gifts.

    Caralee
    cdeherrera526@gmail.com

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  37. I would like this for publishing student stories and making journals.

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  38. I would love to have a binder to help with "publishing" student-made books. I also have a ton of lists that I would like to bind...Dolch word lists, Fry word lists, intervention material...! Our school binder has disappeared, and I have folders of things just waiting!

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  39. I make lots of books using a sentence starter. Kids finish the sentence and illustrate then I combine them into a book. I try to make enough so each child can take one home at the end of the year. (Kindergarten) My son had a teacher who took photos of the kids throughout the year, mounted them on scrapbooking paper and then added a cover and used the binder to send a nice little book home at the end of the year.

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  40. This would be so cool! I LOVE the idea of creating booklets for my assistant. That is just one of many things I would want to make... :)
    ~Christy

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  41. Would love to have this to help me put books together that my Ks have made. They make the Best books!

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  42. I would bind plans and units! Class books! and all the work that the Littles have given me over the years!!!!
    Fingers crossed!

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  43. I would have my students bind a few of their books that they write in writing workshop!
    Liz
    Teaching in the Valley

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  44. I love binding machines for class books!

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  45. This is great! The class always makes birthday books for a student when it's his/her birthday and I always have to run down the hall to bind the book during recess so that I can send it home with the student on the day of. If I had a binding machine in my room that would make this so much easier!

    Diary of a First Grade Teacher

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  46. At the end of each school year I like to put together a little booklet of some of the childrens' writing pieces. I have to borrow a binder to do this but the outcome is beautiful and very cute!

    Shanyn
    Coffee, Kids and Compulsive Lists

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  47. What a great way to save memories for my Kinder Bears! All of these cute ideas I am learning and sharing with my team could be going home each month for fun thoughts in years to come. Thanks for offering this contest.

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  48. I love binding stuff for the kids in my class. They really love to read the books they have authored not to mention the neat books I make for them too. We have one in our workroom that I use now, but how great to have one available in class.

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  49. I would love to make daily calendar books!

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  50. I used one of these to make a Dr. Seuss "clone" of Wocket in my Pocket last year! Would have loved to made one for each student. They were so proud of their work!I was, too! If I had my own binder, we could have done that! Thank you for the give-away! :)

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  51. Would love to win this. We make tons of books in kinder.

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  52. This is great! Throughout the year, I save a random sampling of every students' work and give it to the parents at the end of the year. It would be great to bind them into a "My Year of Progress" book! Thanks for a great giveaway.

    Kate
    katewintuska@insightbb.com

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  53. I would love to have the students make their own books and be able to bind them for them.
    cbartram@kitcarsonschool.com

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  54. Would love to have this so my students could proudly display their writing accomplishments.
    jkmatuch@aol.com

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  55. I would bind my lesson plans. I would love to win one of these gems. Lacey ld0129012@otc.edu

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  56. I would love a binder. Right now I make all my classroom books by punching holes and tie together with a ribbon.
    sbrown@sandi.net

    Thanks!

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  57. I would use this to publish many pieces of writing and make classroom books. I'd also love to make individual books toward the end of the year!

    Thanks,
    Mandy
    matthewsm1231@gmail.com

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  58. I would love to make class books with my kids writing!

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  59. We publish a book almost every week in my First Grade class. It would be so much easier if I had a binder in the classroom. Of course I would share it with my team. cindermom3@aol.com

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  60. I would love to with this! I bind at least a book per week! jessicalcompton@gmail.com

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  61. We write poetry and create books, this would make it very polished!

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  62. I use binders to publish a memory book at the end of the year, and to publish student writing into books. Would love one for my classroom! h_erlandson@hotmail.com

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  63. Thanks for sharing! We have a different type of snap binder at school, but it's so frustrating to use! Ive been wanting a good comb binder for years. I would love to win one for our kindergarten class books and student portfolios!

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  64. What an awesome give away!!!! I bind so many things for my classroom!! This would be the perfect addition for me :)
    Wood.mindi@yahoo.com

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  65. Thank you for offering this give away! I'd love to have one! I'd make class books, song books and bind my students' stories. It would be so incredibly wonderful and I'd share it with my entire school, since we don't have one anywhere on campus!
    Kellilou@cox.net

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  66. I could use this for so many things...it's exciting just to imagine :) I would most definitely use it for morning work, publishing writing, class books, vocabulary dictionaries, monthly journals & the list goes on.... Thank you for having this giveaway...we all appreciate the opportunity to have this in our classroom.

    Stephanie Ann
    Sparkling in Third Grade

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  67. I love new gadgets! My good friend got a binding machine last year and she talks about it all the time! I would love to get one to bind our class books together, instead of binder rings. This is a great giveaway and I am your newest follower.
    Check out my blog: http://lifewithoutrainjs.blogspot.com/

    -Jenna

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  68. I would use it to make class books to share with my 1st grade.
    Epodolski@arcsgalloway.org

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  69. Great giveaway! I love this blog!!! Amazing!

    Ashley
    The Teacher's Treasure Chest

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  70. In my class students have always loved to publish individual and even class books. This would be perfect!
    mollynowak@yahoo.com

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  71. What a fabulous way to bind all their writing through the year to make a portfolio. They can create a cover, Table of Contents and About the Author page too.
    Debbie
    debjac9@aol.com

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  72. this would be a perfect way to bind all the class books we do together ...so much neater than stapling! LOVE this!

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  73. The ideas/uses for a binding machine are endless !! I would love to have one !

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  74. This would be so great! I could bind class books and kids books. Thanks for this opportunity to win this binding machine. :)

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  75. Throughout the school year I save each student's published pieces of writing and turn it into a writing portfolio. This would be a great way to bind all those papers together. Also, I was thinking it would be good for keepind together each student's sight words that they are practicing.
    beth.shavelson@browardschools.com

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  76. What a great option for putting center information together! Student-created products could so easily be binder to give them a feeling of publishing a 'real' book!

    Love, love, love this!!

    ~Michelle
    Making It As A Middle School Teacher
    michelle@makingitteacher.com

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  77. NEEEEEEEED this!! Our binding machine is older than me!!! And it leaves a huge mess of tiny papers in its wake!

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  78. I am a special education teacher, and I knpw this woulda be do nice to keep all my kids stuff together!!

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  79. What an awesome giveaway! I love to make class-made books. I teach in a small private school and we do not have one, so I'd love to share it with my co-workers!!

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  80. I am a special education teacher, and I knpw this woulda be do nice to keep all my kids stuff together!!

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  81. I love this! I think it would be great to use for students to publish books and to create a portfolio.

    ~Michelle White
    http://mesmrswhitesclass.blogspot.com/

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  82. I would use this to make class or individual books.

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  83. I would use this for all sorts of journals!
    cheriemae@gmail.com

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  84. I would use this for independent work book, writing journals, science journals, comprehension strategy work, etc. The list is endless : )

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  85. I love to make practice books to go with units, bind their writing journals, make class books and science logs... in my class (the kids think they are more special than when I just staple) I'm always annoying the office, pulling it out oof the cabinet and taking up their counter space. I am sure I am the only one using it. I was there a year before I even knew we had one!! I could really use this even for my personal use making mini scrapbooks.

    firstgradebythesea.blogspot.com

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  86. I would use it to make math units.

    kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net

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  87. My first thought was publishing and leveled books but I love your unit books! Great way to pull all my resources together in one spot!

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  88. I would love to make little books for my Kindergartener at home. I have access to a large comb binder at work, but he loves making little books.

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  89. I would love it to make poetry books for my 2nd graders!
    susanlulu@yahoo.com

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  90. I would use it to bind my students handprint calendar, books that they publish, and books we create as a class.

    sn.nguyen19@gmail.com

    missnguyensclass.blogspot.com

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  91. I would have them create many types of books as well as memory type books.
    thanks for this giveaway.
    grace2u {at} rogers {dot} com

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  92. My classroom library doesn't have many leveled books for our Daily 5 reading. I would use this to bind paper books I could print and laminate to make them feel more like "real" books for my kiddos!
    Heidi F.
    g8kteacher@gmail.com

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  93. I would love this! Our school has an ANCIENT one that should really be thrown in the garbage! I love binding the kids' projects and my own little books.
    Julene
    jhoffman143@yahoo.com

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  94. I would love the binder machine to go with all my other teacher tools. I would use it to bind student made books, my assessment data, and so much more!
    Learning in Bliss

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  95. I would love to win this to add to our grade level's supplies! I want to make volunteer instruction booklets like yours, intervention packets, parent resource packets, etc!! Fabulous giveaway.

    ~Jen
    Hello Mrs Sykes

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  96. i would use it to make classroom books, calendars and plan books.

    lorinademello@hotmail.com

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  97. I'd love this for my wife... she could bind so many file folders full of things and then store them on a bookshelf. And I'd love for "our" office to be neater!

    theaiellofamily AT gmail (dot} com

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  98. I would use this to make my student of the week class books.

    arcrow@sbcglobal.net

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  99. I would love to use it for My Letter Books

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  100. I would love to use this to make student class books, and to bind the amazing books I've found in units on TPT.

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  101. I love this! My class loves class made books! They read them over and over again because they are the main characters. The comb binder helps you create a book that it is easy for them to read many times over, yet durable. LOVE IT!

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  102. What wouldn't I do is the question?! Reading logs, readers response journals, math journals, word study notebook, etc!!!

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  103. I really want to make class books for my library and differentiated workbooks for independent practice.
    Heather
    abqgreene@gmail.com

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  104. Okay so I do writing workshop in my first grade classroom and this binding machine would be AWESOME to help make my firsties real books for them to write. Or turn their stories into real books. Regardless, they would feel like accomplished authors and parents would be able to cherish these keepsakes for years to come. There are so many more possibilities but that's one I know I would do right away. Thanks!
    Shibahn
    www.landoflearning.wordpress.com
    landrylandoflearning@gmail.com

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  105. What a great machine and to have your very own would be fabulous! I would make books, books, and more books. I would bind handwriting paper so my students would have their very own journals to write in. The possibilities seem endless. I would love to win it.

    Cindy
    CL14Mentor@oh.rr.com

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  106. Our school has a binding machine but it would be awesome to have my own in the classroom!

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  107. I just got my own laminator a comb binder would be such a lovely addition. I love to make classbooks, and the kids love to read them over and over again. This year I want to try and make enough so that at the end of the year each student could keep one as a momento.

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  108. I would love the machine so I could make lots of class made books and books as presents for students parents.

    Lori

    littlelori0411@yahoo.com

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  109. OOOOOH! I would love one of these :) I am your newest follower :)


    I also teach second grade :)

    www.simplyskilledinsecond.blogspot.com

    hugs
    Anna

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  110. I'm always making little books for my preschoolers! Having this would save MANY trips to Staples!

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  111. I'm always making classroom books, so I would love this! It would make my life so much easier :)

    Laura
    LauraJBreunig@gmail.com

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  112. A must have in my classroom to bind all the projects I do with my kiddos! Thanks for the chance to win.

    Bobbi bobbikmettler75@gmail.com

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  113. I would use it for so many things!

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  114. It would be fabulous to have this little gem in my classroom for easy book making! Thanks for having the giveaway!
    Corinna
    Teaching Fabulous Firsties!

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  115. Thanks for the givewaway! I'd use it all the time for our class and individual books students make during Writer's Workshop!

    What i have learned

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  116. Wow! Who wouldn't love one of these! Binding books for the class would be so much fun!
    jill4bama@gmail.com

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  117. WOW! Would LOVE to have my own! Just think of the books I could Make!
    wendy
    1stgradefireworks@gmail.com

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  118. Would love to have this! I would be so helpful for many many things!
    gwardzin@gmail.com

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  119. Wow! This would be awesome! There is so much you could do...student made books, sight word books, fluency books, etc...

    davis.ashleyb@gmail.com

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  120. I love creating class books and putting them out for students to read during choice time! Binding would be a GREAT way to help them last all year!!

    Kristin :)
    kristinbrehm@gmail.com

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