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Classroom Supplies– What You Really Need

Now that the Fourth of July has come and gone, nearly every store has started to fill its shelves with school supplies. There’s still plenty of summer left to be had, but with school starting next month in many places, it’s a good time to start thinking about what you will need for your classroom this coming school year. 

A lot of schools will pay for and provide basic classroom needs, like pencils, crayons, glue, and scissors, and teachers are typically given a limited budget that they can use to purchase other needs throughout the year. However, many teachers still end up using their own money to purchase supplies and other things for their students. With supplies now being readily available and even on sale, it’s a great time for teachers to start purchasing what they will need, especially first time teachers. 

If you’ve never had to stock up a classroom, it can be hard to know what is essential, what’s nice to have, and what you can probably do without. Before buying anything, check with the principal or financial secretary at your school to see what will be provided for you and what kind of budget you have to work with. It’s also a smart idea to take inventory of your classroom– see what you have, what you’re running low on, and what you don’t have. A lot of schools have overstock rooms, too, where you might find some larger items like shelves, chairs, etc. that are up for the taking. Basically, do your research so you don’t end up spending money you don’t need to! Below are some ideas of supplies you might need to have a successful school year. 

*Not every teacher will need all of these items. Needs will vary from grade to grade and between content areas.*

  • Basic supplies: pencils, pens, glue sticks/bottles, crayons, markers, pencil sharpeners, construction paper, lined filler paper, erasers, pencil boxes, rulers, ziploc storage bags, and tape
  • Folders for each student to send homework and notes in to and from school and home
  • Spiral or composition notebooks for each student for note taking or journal writing
  • Dry erase markers and erasers– for the teacher and a set for students if you have miniature boards for your students to use
  • Colored marking pens or markers for grading papers
  • Sticky notes
  • Paper clips and binder clips
  • Staplers and staples
  • Push pins
  • Magnets– these are great to use for hanging papers on white boards! Magnetic hooks can also be helpful.
  • File folders and manila folders for paper storage
  • Some kind of lanyard or key ring for your school keys and ID card
  • Sticker labels
  • Sorting baskets for student work
  • Grade level books– a classroom library is essential, and can be useful in any grade or content
  • Timers– visual timers are great for younger grades. You can also find great timers on YouTube that can be displayed on your projector!
  • Cleaning wipes– nothing says “back to school” like a cold. Keep your room as germ free as possible by giving it routine wipe downs.
  • Student rewards– stickers, small toys, small candies, sticky hands, fidget toys, etc.
  • Clicker to connect your projector to your computer so you can easily wander the room while teaching.
  • Hall passes
  • Posters and other decor related to your grade level and content– make your room a fun, inviting place to be, and make it your own!
  • Air freshener or odor neutralizer– I especially found this helpful when teaching junior high! 
  • Paper lesson planner– it might seem silly in today’s digital world, but sometimes it just helps to have your plans written down somewhere!
  • “Emergency Kit” for your desk– keep your essentials close by: chapstick, ibuprofen or acetaminophen, antacids, hair ties, gum or mints, cough drops, bandages, extra feminine hygiene supplies, lotion, and quick snacks.
  • Desk organizer to keep your pens and pencils contained.
  • Other nice to have, but not necessary things might include a personal laminator, standing desk, or paper cutter.

Phew! What a list! As mentioned before, not every teacher will need all of these items. Always check your classroom to see what you need before you spend money. Setting up a classroom can be so much fun. Enjoy making your space your own, and be sure to make your room a safe, inviting place for your students to come to!

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2026 HGU Scholarship Spotlight: Roots & Rise

Every spring, Honors Graduation awards a few graduating high school seniors each a $10,000 scholarship to go toward their tuition at their chosen college. In order to be considered for one of the scholarships, applicants must plan, initiate, execute, and oversee a community improvement project. One of my favorite parts of my job here at Honors Graduation is the chance to read through all of the scholarship applications that get submitted. It’s never easy to choose winners! There are truly some amazing young people who are making change in their own communities. 

This year, we chose four deserving seniors who dedicated countless hours to their causes. Each project was inspiring and they each deserve their own spotlight post here on our blog. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more about each project and the amazing people behind them. 

Our first spotlight post is on Aditi Muduganti, who saw a need for young students to have access to a hands-on learning opportunity where they could see the impact of climate change and environmentally responsible actions. Her project, Roots & Rise: A Youth Pocket Forest, did just that, and will continue to do so as the forest grows and matures.

Aditi just graduated from Onalaska High School in Wisconsin, and will be attending MIT in the fall. She loves chocolate covered strawberries, ballet dancing, and learning about startups. She has a passion for learning, especially about math and physics. She also enjoys researching machine learning and doing astrophysics. In addition to being the driving force behind Roots & Rise, Aditi also received a grant that she used to author and publish a children’s book, Tech Tales: Heroes for a Sustainable Future.

When asked what inspired her to do her project and why she chose to serve the demographic she did, Aditi said, “What inspired me to do my project, Roots and Rise, is that I wanted to implement a hands on learning approach for younger students in my community. I did this though the medium of planting a Miyawaki Forest at a local elementary school because these forests grow incredibly quickly and mature 10x faster than a normal forest. By planting only native plants very densely, this is able to be achieved. This is Wisconsin’s first Miyawaki forest, and I hope other communities implement this planting approach to decrease their grass cover in their communities… I chose to plant this forest at an elementary school because younger students need to understand the effects of climate change, as they will be the leaders tackling these problems. In my rural community, I wanted these students to have a better understanding of the science behind sustainability and climate change because every student deserves knowledge, no matter their background.”

To get started on her project, Aditi reached out to her local Sierra Club to learn who to connect with to obtain the plants she would need to make her dream a reality. She also said that she “…did a lot of research on Miyawaki forests by finding out the optimal soil type, how much of each type of plant we needed, which plants were native to my region, and how to arrange them. I organized a community planting day after advertising around my county. This brought together multiple students and community members on a hot day to plant together! I also installed an educational sign at the forest. I secured funding for this whole project through the La Crosse Youth Climate Action Fund where I got a grant to complete the project over the summer.” 

One of the most rewarding parts of this project has been seeing the impact the forest has already had on young minds. Seeing and hearing the excitement of elementary school students as they interact with the forest has made every bit of the project worth it! The forest will continue to provide educational opportunities for years to come as the forest grows and matures. Aditi plans to come back to visit and tend to the forest whenever she comes back to her hometown. Her hope is that students at the elementary school will learn how to properly weed and care for the forest as it grows. 

Amazing work, Aditi! We wish you the best as you move forward with your college experience!

You can find out more about the Miyawaki Forest Method by clicking here.

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Happy Birthday, America! 250 Looks Good On You!

I’m a big believer that birthdays ought to be celebrated and seen as a special occasion rather than treated like “just another day.” I mean, it’s a day to celebrate and honor the gift of someone or something being part of this world, so shouldn’t it be treated as something special? As we get closer to Independence Day, I’ve thought a lot about America and the fun things we do to celebrate her every year– fireworks, parades, festivals, concerts, barbeques with family and friends, and other kinds of get togethers with people we love. There are so many ways to celebrate our wonderful country!

Besides taking an entire day to celebrate America’s birthday, it’s fun to find engaging and educational activities for our students or kids to do in the days leading up to the Fourth of July. This year is even more special because America is turning 250 years old– and that’s really something to celebrate! Below you will find a collection of ideas you can use with your own children or with your students if school is still in session for you! These activities can be used and adapted for many ages.

  • Patriotic sensory bins- Use food coloring to dye white rice red and blue, then the three colors of rice together to create a red, white, and blue sensory base. Add in plastic stars, beads, coins, and miniature flags to make a fun patriotic themed sensory bin.
  • Print off and use the patriotic word scramble or I-Spy page found here.
  • Take a drive around town and keep tally of all the flags you can see as you drive. You could even create a “worksheet” to use before hand with space to tally how many flags you find of different sizes (small, medium, and large).
  • Teach your kids or students about the significance of the Declaration of Independence. For older kids, go into more depth about the meaning behind some of the most powerful phrases from the document.
  • Learn about the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
  • Have students write a “break up letter” from America to England, including what England did to cause the break up.
  • Research Independence Day celebrations from across the country. Talk about the different ways people celebrate the birth of our nation.
  • Read the words to the Pledge of Allegiance together and talk about what they mean. Do the same for the National Anthem.
  • For older kids, have them create some sort of artistic representation of what makes America who she is. Is it the people? The food? Music? Landscape? 
  • Create a timeline of events that lead up to Americans declaring independence.
  • Have students write a letter to America from England begging for forgiveness and to come back, including promises to change the things that had driven Americans away.
  • Take a look at this post to find more patriotic ideas!

Happy Independence Day! We hope you enjoy celebrating this great nation and that you enjoy the time with those you love!

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Read & Do: Practice With Following Instructions

One of the life skills that we teach and regularly practice with our students is the ability to follow either written or verbal instructions. Sometimes following instructions exactly is incredibly crucial– like when you’re doing an intricate chemistry experiment or assembling a bed, and other times– like when you’re making a peanut butter sandwich or coloring a picture, precision isn’t quite as necessary. Regardless of precision needed, learning to follow instructions is an important skill for all students to learn. 

To help your students practice this skill, I’ve created a set of four “Read and Do” worksheets. Three of the pages contain a picture and a set of instructions. Students read each instruction and complete the task. One page is a create your own “Read & Do” where students can write their own set of instructions, then trade with a classmate to have them follow the instructions. 

These worksheets give students a fun way to practice following specific instructions, simply for the objective of practicing following instructions. They provide a low-risk opportunity to practice this skill, as precision isn’t crucial. This activity is recommended for grades 1-3, but early readers could also benefit from its use. If you are wanting to have your students practice following verbal instructions, you can simply read them out loud to your class.

These worksheets are free to download, and are for personal or classroom use only. Do not resell, repost, or claim as your own.

Read & DoDownload
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Bringing Real Life to the Classroom

As teachers, we have the honor and privilege of helping our students develop critical thinking skills as well as other skills that will help prepare them for their futures. We can create meaningful and lasting impacts on our students by being intentional about what we teach. The 7 Cs of Education provide teachers with seven important areas to teach to help our students be good thinkers, good students, and good humans. We’ve covered six of the seven so far: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Computer Literacy, and Cross-Cultural Understanding. The final “C” is kind of a culmination of the previous six, and encompasses a lot of aspects of each previous “C”. The seventh and final “C” of education is Career and Life Skills.

So much of what we do and teach in the classroom can be classified as a career and/or life skill. Thinking critically, learning to collaborate, and learning to effectively communicate are all great skills for students to learn, as they are skills they will use as they become adults and enter the workforce. Becoming computer literate is also an essential skill to have in today’s digital world. While these skills are often easy to naturally integrate into our curriculum as we teach other information, others must be a bit more intentionally taught. Skills like how to write a resume, create a budget, and how to sew on a button typically aren’t seamlessly blended in with group projects or essays. 

Learning life skills can be something new and fun for students. It’s out of the norm, and is a fun change of pace. It’s easy to see real world application of these kinds of skills, which makes them more motivating to learn. Below are some fun ways to incorporate life and career skills into our teaching:

  • Have students fill out a job application.
  • Students can learn and practice the basics of resume writing.
  • Let students design their “ideal” life– house, car, job, etc. Then have them research how much money their job would bring in, and have them calculate if it would be enough to support the lifestyle they want. Be sure they include the cost of utilities, cell phone, groceries, and any other “extras”. This is an eye opening activity, especially for high schoolers. 
  • If you’re a sewing teacher, teach students the basics of sewing on a button, mending a tear, or hemming pants.
  • Have students do mock interviews– ask other teachers and school employees to come conduct the interviews.
  • Let students practice making a phone call to make an appointment. This is something that scares a lot of people, but is a great skill to practice!
  • Ensure students know how to properly address an envelope.
  • Help students plan and make simple meals or snacks.
  • Assign students some questions to ask to another classmate. No texting, no emailing. Just good old face to face communication. You’d be surprised at how difficult this is for some kids who are used to doing all communication through their devices.
  • Help students learn how to place an online order.
  • In science class, teach students what chemicals can and cannot go together– some chemicals are very toxic when mixed.

When students can see real life application for what they are learning, they become so much more invested in their education. It’s important that we help our students become the best learners they can be. To do this, we must expose them to a variety of subjects, skills, ideas, and processes. The 7 Cs of Education provide a great outline of skills to teach to our students– skills that will not only help them succeed in school, but in the “real world” as well.

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Are Specialty Classes Really Worth It?

Learning to play the recorder in 4th grade was one of the highlights of my elementary school years (though I’m sure my parents weren’t quite as enthusiastic as I was). I remember proudly bringing home my instrument and music book, and squeaking out “Hot Cross Buns” every night as my family covered their ears and pretended to be impressed. I was sure I was going to be the best recorder player there ever was. Turns out I was definitely not the best recorder player, nor was I anywhere close to being so! But even though my recorder playing skills have greatly diminished, and I no longer have the need to play the instrument, the time I spent learning and practicing wasn’t wasted time. Rather, it was time spent learning a new skill, understanding basic music theory, and learning to devote time to practice every day. 

Every now and then, there will be a push to end all “specialty” classes in schools– classes like music and art. Usually the reasoning is lack of funding, lack of resources, or a shortage of qualified teachers. All of those are valid reasons to cut programs, but one must consider the impact of eliminating programs like these. Is it worth the fallout that comes when students don’t have access to these classes? Is the money that would be saved really significant enough that it’s worth putting these programs on the chopping block? I would guess that the majority of teachers would say that it’s not worth it, and that these specialty programs should stay. 

There are so many benefits to providing art and music education. Both areas have been proven time and time again to stimulate parts of the brain that simply are not reached as deeply by typical academic subjects. Music and art encourage creativity. They provide opportunities for students to express themselves. For many students, music and/or art becomes therapeutic. It becomes a way for them to express their feelings and emotions. Music and art are powerful tools. 

Many students don’t have access to formal art or music education outside of school. Extra curricular classes like these can get expensive, making it impossible for many families to provide those opportunities for their children. When these programs are available at school, however, it gives everyone an equal chance to learn in these areas, and that’s simply something that cannot be ignored. 

Art and music education also benefit students by crossing over into other content areas. Students who understand rhythm and beat might have an easier time learning poetry. Art education can stimulate the creative process, helping students think deeper and more critically. Art can also lean into history as students study different artists and styles of art. Various artistic techniques can be used when creating dioramas, presentations, posters, and models. Music can be incredibly useful as students memorize material for other classes by creating songs with the information they need to know. 

So yes, these extra programs do cost money. But the benefits far outweigh the costs. How can you put a price on something that does so much good? I don’t think you can. I don’t think you can accurately predict the lasting impact that these kinds of specialty programs can have on kids. They are invaluable, and absolutely should remain in schools. I cannot even imagine a world without art and music– both bring so much beauty to life!

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Summer Learning

Learning doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t!) stop over the summer. It’s always a great idea to keep kids’ minds attentive and active. Doing so gives kids a chance to review the skills they already know, learn new skills, and to take a break from screens. It doesn’t take much, and it doesn’t need to take a long time, but a little practice a few times a week can go a long way. 

Summer learning doesn’t need to be fancy to be effective. Reading practice can be as simple as reading a story together then talking about it afterward. Science practice can be done by stepping outside at different times during the day to observe the different positions of shadows as the sun moves. Math practice can be as easy as taking a walk around the neighborhood and counting and tallying how many trees, birds, bikes, etc. you see while you walk. 

I’ve created two resources you can use for math practice. The first is an Independence Day Count, Tally, and Graph, and the second is a Neighborhood Count, Tally, & Graph. These worksheets are easy to print out and use. Take them on a car ride with you, do them at home, or even sit under a tree in your yard while you do them. 

However you choose to do it, make sure to find time this summer to provide learning opportunities for the kids in your life. Learning time is never wasted time!

*** These resources are free to download, but are for classroom or personal use only. They cannot be sold, reposted, or claimed as your own. ***

Count, Tally, & Graph Independence DayDownload
Neighborhood Count & TallyDownload