There is so much to consider buying when you first start teaching. Over the years, I have bought a lot of stuff for my classroom – some good and some a waste of money. Below are my go-to, can’t live without them, must-have purchases for my classroom Amazon wishlist. If it made my list you can be sure that the products below have been student tested and Mr. Pransky approved.
Hopefully this list will spark some ideas and maybe inspire you to try out something new!
School Supplies
We use these dry erase clipboards EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. They are so useful if you need to have students do some quick calculations or if you need some formative feedback about how your students are understanding a concept. We actually order these using student fee money so each student has one, and then they take them home at the end of the year. Obviously, the next two items on the list will be essential, too. I’m not necessarily married to this brand. You can find others that are more expensive or include markers, so you should check those out as well.
These dry erase markers are an item that we usually put on the student supply list, but I always order lots of extras because kids frequently misplace or misuse them. We go through about 6-10 per student in a school year. EXPO is the big name, and thus the most expensive, but I have found that no-name brands work just as well. TIP: Always get black. I find that the other colors are harder to clean and harder to read from a distance. Narrow dry erase markers work well for keeping in pencil pouches but don’t last as long.
As a teacher, I love Mr. Sketch scented markers for their ability to spark creativity in your classroom. Sold as a 22-pack, these markers come in a variety of vivid colors and fun scents that engage students’ senses and make learning more enjoyable. The large cylinder design is comfortable for young hands to grip, and the versatile chisel tip allows for both fine and broad lines, making them perfect for everything from detailed drawings to bold posters. These markers are an excellent tool to inspire and motivate your students. My students love when I check their papers with them and I giggle to myself when I see them take a big whiff to smell the scent.
Respect goes out to the OG of teacher grading pens. There is a reason they are still the most popular – they are just great pens. So many fun colors. I prefer blue or purple or green because they show up easily. Or, you can get crazy and mix it up daily. It’s your choice. Add a blast of fun to all your writing with bright colors. This example is Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens – Assorted Colors, 12 Count.
We usually try to keep our budget low on these dry erase erasers. Having different colors helps students recognize their own if it is misplaced. I have heard of some people having kids bring a sock or towel to erase, however, I prefer these low cost and easy to replace erasers. Pro tip: always put their names on them and order extra as they are frequently misplaced. or destroyed. I do not recommend the ones with magnets in them for student desks as the magnets are weak and tend to fall off anyway. The magnetized ones can work well for teacher board spaces though. You’ll want extras as students will frequently misplace these.
What can I say about these Nicky’s brand folders other than they are no ordinary folders. They are more like a super folder. Believe me when I tell you than they are practically indestructible, even for a 4th grader. The clear sleeves on the outside are perfect for spelling lists, homework reminders, reading logs, or even just a student decorated name sheet. My grade level teachers use different colors for each subject so we can often be heard saying “Take out your red Reading folder” or “Place this in your blue take home folder.” It simplifies things a lot. There are lots of varieties of these, some with extra clear pockets on the inside.
These dry erase pocket sleeves are a great way to have students utilize paper worksheets again and again without wasting paper. Save your time and money. They are perfect if you are working with students on some sample problems at a math station. They can also be used in pace of lamination to display import papers, schedules, rules around the classroom. I even use them like a folder to hang monthly coloring pages that can be pulled out during free time. You’ll find many of your own uses, too.
A teacher can never have too many sticky notes in my experience.These neon colored sticky notes are great for to do lists or other reminders for myself. I also like the lines for use with students. Sometimes I will write the problem neatly on the note and have them solve it. It works well for students who need lines to help them write or do math work neatly. I enjoy the bright colors of this set.
I add this magnetic tape to signs and reminders on my magnetic dry erase board. Depending on your desk style, it can also work great for name tags and anything else you want to display. This magnetic tape allows you to turn any printed paper into a poster. I use this tape all throughout my classroom, but particularly for agenda items and other icons I use to let kids know what they will need to have out or have to do. What I make is similar to the next item.
Before diving into any activity project or assignment let students know what supplies they need with ease with these management magnets. No more students asking, “What do we need?” All you have to do is stick these on the whiteboard. Personally, I make my own for all the things I find myself repeatedly writing on the whiteboard. But, if you’re looking to save time, buy these instead.
What kind of math teacher would I be if I didn’t keep a good healthy supply of high quality pre-sharpened pencils in my classroom? (You don’t have to answer that – that was rhetorical.) I have bought Ticonderoga pencils in the past, too. They are the best for sure, but these Amazon pencils also do the job well and are cheaper. Now, managing how to help prevent students from losing pencils, that’s another blog post!
Equipment
Sheet protectors can have many uses. Maybe you want to put sub lesson plans in a binder. Maybe you want to keep original copies of worksheets for each subject in a binder. Maybe you want to put a poster in these for display on the walls. Maybe you want to put out directions for an independent station. You get the idea; they have so many uses. I often make large letter-sized task cards or brain teasers that I store in sheets like these so I can pull them out easily each year. All of these things will be protected and better displayed with a simple sheet protector.
This has been one of my favorite purchases in the past five years. I always hated our laminator in my building. It took forever to heat up, and it often didn’t seal well forcing me to do it again. Whether you are laminating task cards, posters, or other items you want to last for years, this laminator is a lifesaver. My first personal laminator was the cheaper Amazon brand, and it stopped working well after about three years so I spent a bit more on this model, and it has worked great going on five years. You won’t regret the time savings of protecting your most important papers for years to come.
Of course, if you get the laminator, don’t forget to get these sheets as well. They come in bundles of 200 or 100. You might think 200 sheets is too many, but you’ll be surprised how much you will use it over time. I am on my third pack of 200!
A document camera like this one is essential if you want to be able to show students a worksheet or demonstrate a manipulative on your television, Smartboard, Celevertouch or other similar device. The iPevo camera is, in my opinion, the best. There are various levels of quality, but this is the model I use in my classroom. It handles varied levels of light and is very clear on the screen. It has a downloadable app that can work on your computer as well as a web based version. It allows you to zoom, screen capture, annotate and other features. It has both a downloadable and web-based app for using the camera.
I love this two-pack of timers which gives me a timer for tracking alarms for work time and another for when I am doing timed benchmark testing in reading. The magnet on the back is handy for putting on a magnetic whiteboard. It has easy to set and forget timer or stopwatch options.
There are different choices to make with electronic pencil sharpeners. You can buy cheap and replace frequently, or buy high quality and built to last. I have had this model for seven years, and it still works. In the hands of 4th graders, that’s like something lasting 70 years.
Student: “Mr. Pransky, how tall is the Eiffel Tower?” Mr. Pransky: “Alexa, how tall is the Eiffel Tower?” Boom! There’s the answer. Alexa is always there with a fast answer. Alexa is also great for creating alarms for times during the day when your students leave for speech, tutoring, or medication. This compact smart speaker with Alexa features full sound that’s great for the classroom. Use it to play Spotify, Amazon, Pandora, or Apple music while kids work. Trust me, Alexa will be your new best teaching partner.
I’ll be honest. This is one item that I have bought in the past, but found that I didn’t use. That said, so many teachers do, and really believe in their usefulness. For me, it just didn’t work for my style. But for you, it might. This wireless doorbell has 58 different chimes. You can just pick your favorite or you can even change them up seasonally! Use it as an alert to gain students attention or to let them know it is time to line up.
Organizers
Clear Plastic Task Card Organizer
These handy dandy and colorful storage cases are designed to protect 4″ x 6″ photos, but savvy teachers have been using them for years to store task cards as they are the perfect size. Label them by topic and your task cards will stay organized and easy to find for years to come. Just for math, I actually have four of these!
Self Adhesive Index Card Pockets
These adhesive index card holders are so simple and yet amazingly useful. I have used them in many ways. My favorite is on the doors of student lockers. On the first day of school I give students and index card with their name printed on it. Students color/decorate their index card and then slide it into this sleeve. If a student moves or lockers need to be changed, they simply remove the index card – super simple. I also used these on tubs of supplies to keep them labeled (also allowing them to be labeled differently later)
These mesh zipper bags are like the Swiss army knife of organization. They can hold school supplies, markers, games, crafts, puzzles, science activities and much more. They work great when you have something like a game board with loose pieces that need to be kept with it. I prefer these to Ziplock bags and similar cheap solutions because they LAST. They are nearly indestructible, even in the hands of a 4th grader.
This magnetic file holder is designed with magnets on the back, which makes the file holder stick to most smooth and flat metal surfaces, such as filing cabinets, lockers, whiteboards and so on; Besides, there is a round hole at the top, so you can hang them on the wall and many other places, they can hold up to 2.2 lbs. It can be used to store absent work, turn in finished papers, or as a place to pick up papers.
These simple magnetic labels can be used in so many ways. You can use them with student names to show small groups for the week. They can be used in the morning to make their lunch choice. They can be used to create leaderboards for class games. You can use them to track goals such as learning math facts. You can use them to label areas of the room.
6 Pack Plastic Turn in Paper Trays
These primary colored baskets are perfect for what ever your paper turn in needs are. I like uniformity, so In my classroom, everything is color coded. Reading logs are on purple paper that’s easy – they go in the purple basket. Reading and Writing go in the red ELA basket to match their red Nicky’s folder. Math and science go in the green basket to match their green Nicky’s folder. Papers to turn in for the office go in the yellow basket. The orange basket I pull out when I need to collect permission slips or something else not subject related. You’ll find your own awesome uses for these.
Essential Manipulatives
I use these color tiles manipulative many times throughout the year. They can be used for showing fractional parts of a group. (Show 1/3 of 12 tiles is red) They are amazing to help kids understand area and perimeter. (Create a rectangle with and area of 8 square inches and a perimeter of 12 inches. They can even be used to demonstrate probability by putting some in a bag and drawing randomly to predict outcomes. They are very versatile. I have a couple TpT products that use color tiles. Here is one that practices equivalent fractions and parts of a group.
Pentominos are 12 unique pieces that each have 5 square units. Like the color tiles, they are great for teaching kids about area and perimeter. This product includes 6 different pentomino sets. I have enough for students to work in partners. Many students pull these out during indoor recess. They are also wonderful for using to solve puzzles like these on the right.
This 25-piece teaching clock kit is great to formatively assess your student’s understanding about telling time. You might think that teaching a 4th grader how to tell time is too easy for them. In that case, you’d be wrong. It is really stunning how many students cannot read the time on an analog clock. Like counting actual money (see below), it has become an atrophied skill. I highly recommend teaching your students to use these clocks to show you the time for lunch, school, when they get up and when they go to bed. It’s a great conversation starter!
There are literally hundreds of math games that can be played with these simple six-sided foam dice. They can be used to generate digits to add, subtract, or multiply. They can be used in games of chance and strategy like this free addition game called PIG. I much prefer these foam dice to traditional dice which can be noisy and can sometimes roll far away.
Rewards
I’ll be honest, I’m not a teacher who goes crazy over rewards. That said, here are a few things I keep handy for the special occasions when rewards are called for.
There’s nothing like the excitement and surprise that scratch off stickers can bring. Maybe a student will earn a bring-a-stuffed-animal-to-school. Or, maybe they will earn 15 minutes reading with our therapy dog. Or hat day. Or chew gum day. The fun and possibilities for simple prizes are just magnified by the randomness of these scratch off stickers. It takes a little prep to make them, but the kids love them.
I usually reserve stickers for good performances on big end of unit tests. These motivational stickers are nothing fancy, but they brighten up their papers and the kids enjoy them nonetheless. We use them in our science class as we track each activity that we do. Placing a sticker over each activity gives a dopamine kick similar to when you cross something off of your to do list. It just feels satisfying.
Free Time, Recess, and Morning Meeting
This ball is versatile for many activities, but my primary way I use it is to play silent ball at the end of the day while we are waiting for bus dismissal. It also works well for tossing to students when you are doing rapid fire question and answer. It can also be used in morning meeting while students greet each classmate as they toss them the ball. I even break it out along with my globe if I’m explaining about the movements of the sun and earth and moon as I did during the 2024 eclipse.
This colorful marble run toy, set of blocks can improve children’s operational ability, and also helps your children improves creative thinking and problem solving ability. It will become a favorite indoor recess toy. I love it because it encourages imagination and collaboration. It can be built 100 times in 100 different ways.
Checkers is the perfect game for cold or rainy indoor recess days or for a checkers tournament at the end of the school year. This set is nice because the board can fold or roll up. The large size allows lots of students to watch the game comfortably. Your kids will love playing this classic game.
Building a robust classroom library is one of those things that takes time. To save busting your budget, I recommend doing what I did in my early days of teaching – hit up garage sales, flea markets, Facebook marketplace, and Goodwill for some great bargains. Don’t forget to set up a free account at Scholastic books. You can use Scholastic book orders every month build up rewards, free books, and points to buy new books. If you are looking to buy new or wondering what books are loved by fourth graders, check out this post with my list of 4th grade favorites.
I usually introduce these puzzles by saying, “No one has ever solved these puzzles. They are too difficult.” While that’s not true, that’s all I need to say to motivate many students to try them. Over the years, I have collected dozens of puzzles like these. They always delight my students with curiosity.
Wooden Puzzle Pattern Blocks Brain Teasers Game
Your students can play with this puzzle on their own or with a friend. This one is fun because it has multiple ways that it can be solved. It helps develop problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, attention, and concentration. Great fun and keeps the kids busy for hours. if your students like these, there are many similar sets on Amazon. If you collect multiple puzzles, the trick is to keep them in a handy bag with a picture of the pieces needed! See organizer bags above.
I was introduced to the thumbnail at a professional development where the presenter used this as an ice breaker activity. I now have a collection of five of these and my students really love them. Students catch the ball and read the section wherever their thumb lands (hence, its name). Many of them have ice breaker questions and conversation starter on them such as, “What is your favorite dessert?” Some are designed to encourage movement such as “Do jumping jacks precisely” These are a great end of day activity, 5-minute time filler, or morning meeting activity.
Playdoh is something I use with this beginning of the year activity. It is always a wonderful way for me to both learn about my students and pull them out of their shell a little bit. There’s something very satisfying about playing with Playdoh that relaxes kids (and adults, for that matter. I usually have a couple samples in my indoor recess activities, and it is always popular with them as well.
The classic game Connect 4 is another popular one with my students. It has all of the makings of a great game: Simplicity. Strategy. Fun. Sometimes, if I come in from lunch a little early, I will challenge one of my students at this game. Not to brag, but I am really good at the game Connect 4. I’ve never had a student beat me at it.
Shopping for your classroom can be an overwhelming task. I understand that buying everything on this list would break the bank for most of us. My advice to you, is to start with the essentials and use whatever meager budget your school provides you to build it up over time. You can also apply for grants to avoid dipping into your own pocketbook.
Of course, there are always things off my radar. What items not on my list would be added to your Amazon shopping cart? Let me know in the comments.
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