The end of summer is near, which means it’s time to pick up those school supplies and get the kids ready for the classroom. But supplies shouldn’t be the only things they take with them on that first day. How about a gift for the teacher who’s going to spend the next year helping them grow?
We have just the DIY project for a back-to-school teacher gift: a ruler planter.
The planter also doubles as a pencil holder for the teacher’s desk, so even if the plants don’t make it, your creation still gets put to good use.
Note: If your kids are helping with this project, it’s best for them to assist during steps 4-6, to save little hands from potential injury. Safety first! But they will love adding the finishing touches.
Materials Needed:
- 5 wooden rulers
- Small saw or serrated knife
- Sandpaper
- Hot glue gun
- Plastic bag
- Scissors
- Soil
- Small succulents
- Gift tag + string (free printable template here)
Step 1
For each planter, cut the rulers into 10-x-4-in. pieces and 3-x-2-in. pieces using a serrated knife (if the wood isn’t too thick) or a small hand saw. Once you’ve cut all your pieces, smooth out any rough or uneven ends with sandpaper.
Step 2
Once the pieces are cut, assemble each of the four sides separately. You need two sides that are two rulers wide and two sides that are three rulers wide. Working on a flat surface, add a thin line of hot glue along the edge of each ruler piece to bond the pieces together.
Step 3
For the bottom, glue together the 3-x-2-in. pieces. Next, glue the sides to the base, adding hot glue at the bottom and where the sides meet. Set aside to cool and dry.
Step 4
Line the planter with a plastic sandwich bag. Add a few dots of glue about half an inch below the top of the planter to secure the bag to the sides. Cut off any excess plastic with scissors.
Step 5
Fill the planter with soil. Add in your succulents, which you can buy at any home and garden center.
Step 6
Print a gift tag like the one we provided (with the words “Let’s grow together this school year!”), or create your own, and cut a hole at the top. Tie the gift tag to the planter with string.
Bonus
This ruler planter also doubles as a pencil holder for a teacher’s desk. If you go that route for the gift, don’t forget to fill it with goodies before sending it off to the classroom!