Stuff For My Classroom

It's that time of the year. It's one of those times when every teacher enjoys some autonomy.  It's not Christmas time, but I've made my list and checked it twice. It's time for me to place my order for the classroom supplies I want next year. 

There's quite a lot of thought that should go into this yearly ritual. Do you GO BIG and buy a nice pencil sharpener? Do you GO BIGGER and buy an X-ACTO Trimmer or piece of furniture?  Or, do you purchase the mundane--the scissors, the staple removers, and the colored pencils? In my district, we've been given a budget of $300 to use for our classroom. I'm not sure about you, but that's $300 more than I thought I'd get when I became a teacher two years ago! 

So, what am I purchasing this year?  Here are a few of the items I have on my wish list.

1. Rubber Bands--What else will my students slingshot toward the Coke can pyramid in the hopes of knocking it over? (Only to have to answer the content questions taped to each one.)

2. Balloons and Sharpened Golf or Compass Pencils--Students use the pencils to pop balloons that hang on a map in my classroom. They get one shot for every fact they can give. It's part of my Minute-To-Win-It review game. 

3. Easy Tack Spray Adhesive--I think I am going to try some activities this year (maybe a glow in the dark lesson) in which some spray adhesive will help me keep things hanging!

4. Fabric Markers--I usually have students create T-shirt designs on paper when we learn about the Quakers. This year, I think we might just have to use real T-shirts!

5. Expo Markers and Wipes--My students love using dry erase markers on their desks. My very first content lesson of the year is to have students draw a map of the world (as they know it) on their desks.

The students also use the markers for pictionary and jeopardy, among other things, throughout the year.  I am kind of OCD about keeping my boards clean daily. So, this one's also for me. 

6. Play-Doh--I've used play-doh many times before in the classroom, and what is left is drying up. I've used it to have students sculpt Roman columns, geographic features, and during a Cranium-style Sculptorades review activity. More recently,I have been inspired by the book "Teach Like A Pirate" (a must read for any teacher) by Dave Burgess to use play-doh on day one as a way students can reveal something about themselves and introduce themselves to the class. 

I buy things that I use, yes. But, more importantly, I buy things that I believe will help my students be more engaged in the learning process. Some of the things I buy, I have no use for right now. But, my hope is that I will be able to come up with a lesson to use those materials (i.e. frog tape, burlap). My total bill right now comes to 299.80. My big question is now, how do I spend the remaining $0.20?