Teacher friends! Are you starting to see the light? Thanksgiving break is next week, then just a few short weeks until the end of the semester and Christmas break! Back in my teaching days, that 2-week break always felt like a reset. I could take some time to think about what worked or didn’t work in the first semester and what teaching supplies I could have used to make my job a bit easier and my class instruction to go more seamlessly. And if you’re a new teacher who will be coming in for the 2nd half of the year, you will need to set yourself up for success.
Today, I want to dive into some of my tried and true classroom essentials! These are everyday, must-have teaching supplies and products that made a huge impact in my day to day. And to make your life easier, I linked to all of them below plus they can all be found on Amazon! Woohoo!
{A little disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links. But don’t worry, these are products I actually own and enjoy!}
9 times out of 10, when I post samples of my resources they have been printed on this paper. The colors are so vibrant and they hold up well against daily use.
I mean, unless you want to be reprinting the same materials over and over each year, then you MUST invest in your own personal little laminator. This one works well and the cost is low!
And obviously, you will need some laminating sheets to go with your new laminator. These are good quality and inexpensive.
If you have never had the opportunity to use these scissors, then you are missing out. I do countless paper cutting in my line of work (something tells me you do too, obviously), and these scissors are designed to take the strain off of your hands. Plus, they can be used for more than just paper.
They are bright and colorful! What more to say, I just love them. One of the best things you can do for yourself is have a SOLID organization system and these folders are essentials for categorizing. If you need some organization inspo, check out this post.
You guys know how much I love math games! These transparent spinners can be used over and over in whatever game you like. Just grab a dry erase marker to fill in the options.
I love this set of dice! I use them often in our math games as they are perfect for playing around with addition and subtraction facts and comparing numbers. Plus, they’re jumbo which means it’s less likely they will end up lost, ha! You can have a peek at how I used these dice in my instruction here.
I am definitely a flair tip pen girl. Nothing beats how smooth they are and they are perfect for getting crafty.
These are staples in the classroom. Anchor charts, labels, outlines, you simply must have permanent markers in your tool kit.
I use these clipboards for everything! Displaying instructions, holding checklists, or grading papers, there are many uses, and this particular set has the most beautiful colors. (And if you can’t tell, I have a thing for bright colors!)
I absolutely love finding unique ways to get students involved in our group discussions. These mini whiteboards are the best at getting students to follow along and stay engaged with lessons. Plus, I think we all know how much kids LOVE when they get the chance to write on the whiteboard, right?!
Last but certainly not least, these will forever be the holy grail of pencils, in my opinion. And since students just can’t seem to keep up with their own, it is always important to have a few boxes stashed away.
I hope you found this list of classroom essentials helpful! They truly have made my life easier both in the classroom as a teacher and as a teaching resource creator.
Are there any essentials you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments!
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Hey, y’all! My name is Amy Lemons and I am passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons.
Sample a day of Rooted in Reading with these lesson plans and activities for Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar!
