Organizing Task Cards with Folders and Bags

I have been loving all the task cards that I have collected from many great sellers.  Task cards have become a staple to my math instruction, especially the last couple of weeks as I have been trying to figure out how to make guided math / math workshop work for me.  One of the difficulties becomes how to best store all of the cards.  For me, the best way I have found to store them is in 9x12 zippered bags which I then place in file folders in my file drawers according to the concept they match.  The 9" x 12" 4 Mil Clear Zip Lock Bags are a bit heavier than the standard zipper bags you use in your kitchen and even the gallon size bags are just a bit too small to fit a full sized page.  You can get 100 bags on Amazon for under $15, click the picture to be taken directly there.

I like that I can keep the full page cover, instructions, answer sheets and blacklines in the same bag together with the cards.  I simply grab the bag from the file and it is ready to use.  I place them in the center and students have the directions, cards and answers all there at their fingertips.  When it's time to replace with a new concepts, I just file the bag back in the correct folder.
Here they are in the bags and the drawers.

These are regular zip gallon bags because I ran out of the 9x12 bags and needed to get these cards done.  You can see that the bags don't close.  I didn't think to grab some cards in the bigger bags to show you.

I often put the cards on a shower ring.  I find them in the shower curtain section at Walmart.  There are 12 in a bag for less than $3 and they stay together much better than the binder ringers.  The smaller end at the top also makes them easy to grab and carry.

Some of my favorite shops for task cards and projects are:

If you have some great task cards for math to share, be sure to add the link to your blog or TpT store to the linky at the bottom of this post. 

In addition to the great bags I have found to store my task cards in, some other office supplies from Smead have been very helpful. Smead's new file folders and hanging file folders make the organization even easier.  They now have larger tabs so that finding the topic behind located on the folder tab behind all of the bags is so much easier now.  The Smead file folder tabs are a bit taller and longer, you can see the difference in my photos of my file drawer between my older folders and the new Smead ones.  The hanging files now come with tabs attached.  I no longer have to worry about those plastic insertable tabs the I would have to fuss with.  Now the same large tabs are already attached to the hanging folders so they are ready to use right away. Additionally, there's a new Smead expanding pocket I love to use at home.  It's perfect for thowing the bills into so I know where they are when it comes time to pay them.  The new expanding pocket has a "no slip" surface added to the top making it easier to grab and take to my computer.  With the bags and folders, you'll be all set to organize your task cards for easy use in your classroom year after year. 

You can see the light green tabs in this picture as well that are the new tabbed hanging folders.  Soo nice to have them already tabbed!!

Do you have some math task cards or task projects that you love or created and would like to share the link to them, feel free to add it to the linky below.  If you have a post about how you use or organize your task cards, please link those posts as well. 

Note: I was sent the above described promotional products by Smead at no cost in exchange for a blog post review. The use and opinions described above are true and accurate and in no way coerced by Smead or Shoplet / Shoplet UK.

December Currently

Where did November go???

Linking up with ...

Although I'm wishing that the TpT sale had started today so I'd have a few things ready for the week, I've got my wishlist ready to go.  It's pretty long, I'm going to have to cut a few things out and save for next time.  I've been so grateful for TpT since September.  I was grateful before that for the opportunity to sell my items, but after starting fifth grade pretty much new this year, TpT products from other sellers have saved me! I feel so blessed to be part of a great community of teachers that blogging and TpT have introduced me to.  I'll be taking advantage of the sale going on at TpT on Monday and Tuesday and hope you will too.  My store is still full of some great items for Primary grades.  Click on the great button by Creative Clips below to be taken to the Dilly Dabbles TpT store.  I hope that over the next few months and the coming summer, I can have more for the upper grades with a year of fifth grade behind me.  

Enjoy your next few weeks with your students before the winter break!