As back to school gets closer and closer, my wish list keeps getting bigger and bigger. I am excited because I learned a lot from my room set up this past school year and I am glad that I have the opportunity to redo it completely. You've got to love having to pack everything up for construction. I just have my fingers crossed that I will be able to get in there the week before we have inservice. I am starting to get a little nervous about it. I am super excited though because I found some tables on my campus, so I will have 4 tables that will seat 6 each instead of 24 desks in my classroom. I cannot wait to see how much more room I have with this. :)
Wish #1:
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| I want several sets of these to house my book clubs books and folders. I think it would make life so much easier for them and they would always know where their things were. The problem is, I need 5 sets of theses at least. :( |
Wish #2:
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| I need some supply caddies for my new tables that I will be getting! |
Wish #3:
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| An easel. I know you are probably thinking, this girl teaches 6th grade, why the heck would she need an easel? I love meeting with my class as a whole group and we make anchor charts all of the time. This would be the perfect tool to help us meet together for our charts. |
Wish #4:
A rug for us to meet as a whole group. If you have one, where did you find it? I am not wanting to spend a bunch on it, but I also realize that this is something that will go with me no matter where I am teaching if I spend my own money on it.
What are the must buy supplies too when they go out at the stores? Is there something that you stock up on every school year? I am thinking that I will be getting lots of markers and glue. It always seemed like we would run out of them last year.
What is on your back to school wish list?
I use ice cube buckets as book boxes. That may be an alternative to wish list #1. A lot less price. I hot glue student numbers but you could color code it based on book clubs.
ReplyDeleteThey have those magazine boxes at Ikea in three packs for around $5. They're cardboard, so they won't hold up for many years, but you can write on them!
DeleteI LOVE LOVE LOVE my easel and rug. Definitely a must for any classroom, upper grades or not. And I saw those cubbies in the dollar bin at Target. They probably aren't the exact same ones, but they might due!
ReplyDelete~Stephanie
Teaching in Room 6
I bought my rugs last year at Target and Walmart. Look in the dorm sections - I don't think I spent more than $40 for two of them!
DeleteI don't know if they have Ollie's stores where you are, but that's where I've gotten my rugs for my college dorms and now for my classroom! Lots of sizes, bound edges, and cheap!
ReplyDeleteI just found a cheap rug on Joss & Main (website only)--it was a 10 x 8 ft rug for only $100 (for my apartment). I've found good prices there and on Overstock--and Overstock has a lot to choose from and cheap shipping!
ReplyDeleteI love those supply bins too. I saw them at Michael's for $3 each but then opted to get the smaller ones from the Dollar Tree. I hope I don't regret it. However, I only needed four.
ReplyDeleteIf you have an IKEA near you, they have some great prices on rugs. My SIL just got one from there for her classroom. I think it was only $60. It was quite colorful too. I think it will look great in her classroom.
My wish list is pretty simple right now:
* material for my bulletin boards
* material to make a skirt for my guided reading table
* white contact paper to cover my two file cabinets (my principal said I couldn't paint them since they are school property, but she said the contact paper would be fine because it is removable).
and last on my wish list,
* find the time to go shopping without my kids.
I'm hoping I can work on that last one.
Good luck!
Ann
I loved reading about your list! I totally agree with Stephanie...I love having a carpet for my older students (and they love it too!). I got my carpet from DonorsChoose--it's this huge one with the flags of the world on it.
ReplyDeleteLove those baskets from Really Good Stuff, those colors are fab!
For my stuff I stock up on each year, it's mostly crayons, colored pencils, and all of those community supplies. This year I bought a bunch of binders because we will be using them in all subjects. Good luck with your wishlist!! :)
Great list...I'm in the market for a new rug too! I found some at IKEA that I like.
ReplyDeleteThe Science Penguin
I have all of those things...that exact easel even! Two years ago, when I got bumped up from Kindergarten to Third Grade, I bought a rug for my community circle at Bed, Bath, and Beyond (it was with the college stuff in the summer...it was only $30! I think it is about 5 feet by 7 feet). I also bought six child-size papasan chairs at Garden Ridge to put around the circle for Read to Self and for the "team of the week" to sit during community circle time. Each of my students has one of the magazine buckets to use as their Book Bucket...they're great because the buckets keep their books from being bent (unlike the other baskets I see people use). My only wish list item this year is the pencil sharpener everyone keeps talking about...I'm 6 years into teaching and I have mostly everything I need for my room. ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Katie:
ReplyDeleteI use Really Good Stuff baskets too!
I know it's crazy, but looking at pictures like these makes me want to get back into my classroom and get going! (And we've only been out three weeks!)
Happy Wishing! (And Happy Shopping!)
Kim
Finding JOY in 6th Grade
Hi Katie -
ReplyDeleteI found my buckets at a dollar store, they've really held up versus some other buckets I've picked up over the years. I've found that the Dollar Tree buckets are easily cracked and broken by devious middle school boys.
I'll agree with everyone else - IKEA has great deals on organizing supplies. I'd also check the Target dollar bin - they always seem to have buckets. (But maybe they might be $2.50)
Lauren
Life In Middle School
I have buckets from the dollar tree that held up last year pretty well.
ReplyDeleteI have been contemplating a rug for my room. I am moving to a new school so I am working with a blank slate! {that could mean serious trouble!!!}
ReplyDeleteI am glad to read that several you have mentioned having rugs in upper grades. Thanks!
I love my easel! I use it with 6th,7th, and 8th graders! I just bought a super cute rug for my classroom at Ross. $25 and it'll go great in my new reading corner.
ReplyDeleteI love your list too! I am also on the hunt for an easel. Where did you get the picture on your wish list from? Thank you for sharing!
DeleteI also bought the supply buckets from DT... I don't want them to take up a ton of space, so hopefully they are large enough.
ReplyDeleteMy wish list is fairly small this year. I am wanting to pick up a few things to finish my bulletin boards. I also need to find fabric for my sister in law to make curtains for me.
Every New Beginning
I have never done it but I know a colleague of mine who posts a Wish List on her class website for students and parents. A lot of the items on her Wish List are items that people usually recycle or throw away (like boxes and cans for art, bits of wrapping paper, old books, etc). But some of the items are new things for the classroom, similar to what you posted. Parents often buy her these as gifts at Christmas and at the end of the year, in lieu of a bottle of wine or a body soaps. Gift cards to craft stores and the like are also popular.
ReplyDeleteI also teach 6th grade and LOVE to use easel paper. I don't have an actual easel instead I bought some over the door hooks at Fred Meyer and hang my easel paper on my white board. You can use the hooks to hang it over any bulletin board really. I like it that way because it seems I am always running out of floor space. Our fantastic janitor actually came up with the idea.
ReplyDeleteMy wishlist includes some more organizational baskets and a hanging easel that would hold a roll of paper. I have a homeschool classroom and I am one of your latest followers! Love your site and I grabbed your button. :) Thanks!
ReplyDeletewww.learning-4-keeps.blogspot.com
I just bought a set of book/magazine organizers and supply caddies at Target TODAY. They also had letter trays to match. Each one was $2.50 and they have six colors available. Go soon, because they were selling out in the dollar section by me. Had to hit two stores to get a complete set of all three options.
ReplyDeleteMy wishlist also includes # 1 and #3. I am moving to a new school, so I am not sure what is available to me in my room. It is hard to keep from ordering things! Really hoping I have an easel available. I am following from the Daily 5 book study!
ReplyDeleteI got my classroom area rugs from Homeroom Teacher: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Homeroom-Teacher/165712883480270. When the original rug I ordered took longer than expected to ship, they sent me another rug free of charge to make up for it. Very nice people, and they have lots of contests on their Facebook page!
ReplyDeleteHey there! I'm giving you the versatile blogger award! Head on over to my website to check it out!
ReplyDeleteI have a rug from lakeshore learning: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/product/productDet.jsp;jsessionid=P98MLBH9g3njtTB1H8TTxQvb5vgkcblMHXZTXhbTynrmPFhQ3dCw!-383509023!290108669?productItemID=1%2C689%2C949%2C371%2C896%2C651&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181113&bmUID=1342028877035
It's kind of expensive, but SO SO worth it!
Jillian
http://littlemisswhimsical.blogspot.com/
First, try the Dollar Tree--a teacher's dream come true! Everything is truly a dollar and they often have all sorts of bins, baskets, etc! I have redone my classroom library via that store. Second, I bought myself an easel (fifth grade) off of amazon.com. It might be worth your while to do a search on amazon or goggle to get some cheap deals. I got mine for under $70. Finally, a rug. That will be my big purchase this summer. I have to get one that is flame retardant so I have been doing some searching on goggle with key phrases...I have seen some as low as $99 w/ free shipping. Good luck---and don't buy from really good stuff unless you have a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that you teach 6th grade and will be using all of these "wishes"! Your kiddos will LOVE your room. ;) I got those book/magazine holders from Really Good Stuff one year, but Target also usually has them for $2.50 this time of year. I got a couple of mid-sized rugs of the world and U.S. from Costco last year for $20 bucks! The really large rugs are usually hundreds. :(
ReplyDeleteAmanda
Teaching Maddeness
Hey there!!
ReplyDeleteI love that you are going to use an easel. I got one last year when I thought I was going to teach 1/2 grade. Now I am going to be teaching 6th grade and still want to use it!! :)
Also, I was wondering if you could help me out! I am having a discussion about your TOP 5 favorite books for middle schoolers! Come join me!
Mrs. Crouse @ {6th Grade} All-Stars
Hi there, Miss Klohn! Love your blog! I've been eyeing those supply caddies from Really Good Stuff too. They have such useful stuff in such cute colors...
ReplyDeleteBlair
http://teachlovehappiness.blogspot.com
They have the supply caddies at Dollar Tree in four colors - perfect for four tables! I bought a rug at Lowes off a clearance cart parked in their rug aisle. I think it was $30. Also, check carpet stores for clearance and remnants. with all the fancy duct tapes out there, even a carpet without a finished edge can be prettied up really nicely!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Good luck with getting into your room early enough! I'm moving rooms for the 2nd year in a row, so I completely understand the anxiety! This year I am also changing grades from 4th to 6th. Moving into a smaller room with bigger kids!
ReplyDeleteI can totally emphatize with you. Quite a while ago, I had my room totally set up, only to find out that I had to change. But, I had great team mates who pretty much moved all my stuff for me (because I was involved in staff development somewhere else). Hopefully you have helpful coworkers like I did. I just picked up the supply caddies (shower caddies) at Walmart today. They were $.97! Such a steal! I too have been looking for a carpet or rug to place in my room. Still searching....Last case scenario will I buy a couple of mini rugs (the kind they make for college dorms) and place them sporadically around the room.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and I will stay posted!
Carla
Surviving Sixth Grade
I would LOVE buckets like that for all of my books (unfortunately, I have about 400 books, so I can't even imagine how many of those I would need... I think I would probably go broke!) Boo! :(
ReplyDeleteI need to create a wishlist too! You should have made this a linky party! :) I love doing those.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that I stumbled across your blog. I also love that you are planning on meeting as a group with your kids...even though you teach 6th grade. I think that my school might frown upon that in my room...simply because I teach 7th grade...but I want to do it so bad!!!
I'm your newest follower! If you have a moment to spare, come check out my blog. I did my very 1st Monday Made It today!
--Andi
Mommy, Teacher, & So Much More