Emotibins - How to Make Motivating Dustbins for Classroom

I have noticed in my teaching career as a Junior School Teacher that most students ignore the use of dustbins in class while sharpening the pencils. They ususally sharp the pencils while sitting on their seats and even some students do not go through the little work of sharpening at all.

So I came up with the idea of creative dustbins that really amazed me when my students loved to come up to dustbins to sharp the pencils and really enjoyed it. Otherwise working with blunt and thick lead was rather common. And the sharper the pencil, the cleaner the work! Here I am sharing my idea that I know everyone will love!

Step 1: Things You Will Need:

Card Sheet(any thick paper sheet) in 2 colors - I am using Red and Green
Foamic Sheet in different colors - I am using Brown, White, Light Blue, Dark Blue and Red
Glue (the gum type) either tube one or container one - I am using Container one
Ribbon 1 inch wide about 2 yards in any color - I am using Light Green color
Cord in any color - I am using Red
Pencil Sharpeners 2 (new)
Pencil
Ruler
Iron
Scissors
Plate
Paper
Cotton Fabric for Ironing

Step 2: Making the Base

Note: Mark and draw lines on wrong side

First we will make the base of dustbin from Green Card Sheet. It will be made with semicircle. For that, first take the width of
dustbin that is here, 7 inches. Mark it.

Then take a plate that could made curvier semicircle. Draw the outline on the 7 inch line.

Now you have a base. Cut it out with scissors.

Step 3: Making the Walls

Take Red Card Sheet (working on wrong side), measure the length about 10 inches.

Take the width by measuring the circumference of base. Take 2 inches extra.

Now, leave half inch from bottom of wall/Red piece and draw a line.

Mark at 7 inches from above and below and join with a line.

Use tip of scissor and ruler to make a crease on lines and fold them.

Leaving the 7 inch area from below, make cuts in half inch area about half inch apart.

Step 4: Joining the Walls to the Base

Keeping wrong side inside of dustbin, apply glue on 7 inch area and paste it to straight area of base.

Let it dry and cut away the extra pieces.

Then fold the piece to see how much width of wall do you need, mark it with pencil.

Draw a line and make a crease with scisssor and ruler.

Leave about 1 inch area with it and cut it out.

Now apply glue on the under side of cuts and glue it to base, making a circle.

Let it dry and cut away the extra pieces.

Finally apply glue on the extra 1 inch area and glue it to straight wall to complete the semicircle.

Let it dry and cut away the extra piece.

The straight part will go at the back and round will come at the front.

Make another base with green sheet.

Apply glue on it and stick it to the bottom of dustbin so no joint will be seen.

It is neat from inside and outside too.

Step 5: Show Your Creativity - Making the Face

Its time to make a face or Smiley on dustbin and for that we will use foamic sheet.

But first draw a face on a piece of paper.

Different parts will be made from different colors.

Make eyes with white foamic sheet. Check it on dustbin before applying it. If its size is okay then cut out one more. If not, then resize accordingly.

To make inner area of eyes or Iris, use other color sheet.

Using white eye as stencil, trace it on blue sheet.

Make a smaller design in it.

Cut it out and make another one.

Make eyebrows using the white eyeball as guide from brown sheet.

Make nose and mouth with brown sheet too.

Cut out all pieces neatly.

Pasting the Features

First mark the area where you want to paste the eyes and nose.

Apply glue on pieces and stick them on dustbin.

Start with White Eyeballs, then Blue Irises, Eyebrows, Nose and finally Mouth.

Step 6: Making Hair, Ears and Earrings

For Hair

Cut a piece from Blue foamic sheet 3 inch long and width equal to the round area of semicircle plus 1 inch.

Leaving half inch, draw a line, making its length 2 and a half.

Make long cuts near to each other carefully.

Put it onto bin to see how it looks.

If you want straight hair, then paste strip on the outer side of dustbin in the front.

For curly hair, you need to iron it.

To do that, keep the strip straight on iron-stand. Medium heat the iron.

Place a piece of cotton cloth on it and lightly iron it, but only on hair, not on bottom half inch area.

Iron for about 20 seconds.

When you take off the cloth, the foam will turn curly.

Apply glue on bottom half inch area and paste the hair on dustbin's front.

Cut away the extra piece.

For Ears

Draw ears on Green card sheet and test it on dustbin with your hand, keep half inch piece extra for pasting.

Make two green pieces and two red foamic pieces.

For Earrings

Cut a piece of cord about 27 inches long. Fold it in half.

Paste one side to the sharpener and cover with foam piece.

Paste other side to the earring area of green ear.

Then cover them with red foam ear piece.

Do the same for second ear.

Stick the ears to the back of dustbin completing the face.

Step 7: Finishing the Dustbin

Take ribbon and apply glue on one side. Paste it inside the dustbin near hair-end.

Apply glue on the other side and paste it inside the dustbin to the other hair-end.

Let it dry.

Then hang it to the door-handle or on the wall.

The children will use the sharpener to sharp the pencils in the dustbin directly.

Here are the other dustbins that I made last year and the project was a HIT! All the teachers, students of school and Principal really loved them and it was the Best Idea of the Year!