Are you looking for classroom essentials for your ELA classroom? We are rolling right through August, and it’s time for us to get ready for back to school! As you walk the aisles of your favorite teacher store (or you scroll through Amazon), there are going to be so many things screaming that you need them. But let’s be real, you don’t need everything. So, what do you need? These six essential items for an ELA Classroom. 

WRITE About This Classroom Essential

Even though we live in a digital world and many of us do a majority of things online, there are times when the old-fashioned pen and pencil are what you need. Therefore, having extra pencils in your classroom for students ready to go can save you a ton of headaches. I actually make sure I have any writing utensils my students might need. From pencils, pens, to highlighters, having these go-to tools on hand is an essential item for your classroom to keep everything moving. What is my favorite? Check these classroom essential writing tools below (affiliate links).

TICONDEROGA PENCILS

Have you tried the Frixion Erasable Pens? They are amazing! Trust me!

Frixion Erasable Pens

Mark Your Spot!

Whenever I give out books to students whether it’s a class novel or reading textbook, I always get asked, “What page are we on?” about 10,000 times a day. This gets so frustrating which is why I like to hand out bookmarks. Now, you can buy bookmarks on Amazon in bulk or you can make it more personal. I like to just cut off slices of paper, have students write their name on it and then decorate it as well. This way students like their bookmark and it doesn’t cost any money. You can also do this with sticky notes. This essential item for an ELA classroom will help you keep your sanity when your students need to find their place. 

Bookmarks

Read All About this Classroom Essential for the ELA Classroom 

Since you’re going to have bookmarks, you want to make sure you have books that go with them! Even if you are reading in class, having a small classroom library for students to check out books is an essential classroom item because it encourages reading. Whenever my students finish an assessment early, I tell them to read something. However, I don’t want my students going to the library by themselves. Therefore, having a small student library is an essential ELA item. 

Organize the Essential Lists! 

An essential item for your ELA classroom that pertains more to you than your students are file folders. Having file folders for papers to grade, lists for attendance, or simple fast finisher activities is an essential item. Having file folders in your classroom will help keep you organized. You can also use these for students so they know where to put things. When I was teaching multiple grade levels, I had a designed folder for each grade level which made my life so much easier. 

Colorful File Folders

Keep It All Together 

Beyond using file folders for organizing, having bins or even a cell phone holder can be an essential item for the ELA classroom. You want to know where things are when you need them. Therefore, if you are using organizing bins or drawers, you should label them so your students know where to go if needed. Having a specific place for pencils, highlighters, fast finisher activities, and more can be a huge help. You can also have a place for passwords which can be helpful, especially with middle school students. 

The Essential Sub Binder 

Finally, the essential item for any classroom is a sub-binder. Creating a sub-binder for any time you might be gone can be a complete lifesaver. In your sub binder, you can have a schedule, class lists, and any seating charts. You might also want to include a list of classroom rules or policies the school has in an easy-to-read list. In my sub binder, I like to include some fast finisher work or activities students can do if they finish things early. 

Other Back to School Ideas

There are about a thousand different things you could get for your classroom. However, if you focus on the essentials, then you’ll have a classroom that is organized and easy to navigate. Happy start of the school year! 

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In February, classrooms across the nation celebrate Black History Month.  This month is an important time for reflection of our nation’s history. Secondly, it gives people the opportunity to see through a different lens, and understand empathy and tolerance for those who face adversity. In addition, Black History Month in the classroom lends itself to empathy and compassion lessons, as well as teaching the importance of tolerance and equality for all people. Here are five impactful Black History ideas for middle school and engaging activities for middle school students for Black History Month.

Perfect Ideas for Black History Month

1. Create a gallery walk using images from the Civil Rights Movement. Firstly, hang some of the images around your classroom. Next, have your students rotate through each picture.  Give your students a minute or two to analyze the picture. Then, have them reflect on what is happening in the picture.  In addition, provide your students with a worksheet where they can write down their thoughts and reflect on the images.  Here are some excellent websites for Black History images:

Images & Posters

Civil Rights Still Images

2. Take part in a virtual museum exhibition. Have your students go on a virtual field trip and view exhibitions of the Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta, Georgia.  Create questions based on the virtual museum that your students will answer as they explore.  Your students can also work on this collaboratively with one of their classmates. This makes an excellent group work assignment.

Civil Rights Museum

3. Educate your students about racism, segregation, and stereotyping.  Understanding specific vocabulary and its impact is the first step to ending racism through education.  First, take a class period to review words like, “racism”, “tolerance”, “discrimination”, “prejudice”, and “stereotyping”. Next, follow up with an activity that has your students looking deeper into these words. Ask them, “How these words have the ability to impact someone’s life and feelings?“.

Stereotyping Lessons

If you are looking for stereotyping activities for middle school students for Black History Month, check out these lessons from Teaching Tolerance.  This lesson is created for a 3rd-5th grade classroom. However, this can be easily adapted into a middle school lesson on stereotyping:

Analyzing Gender Stereotypes in the Media

Here is another stereotyping activity based on the size of a person:

Accepting Size Differences

Lessons on Racism

Analyzing an Editorial Cartoon

Using Photographs to Expose Social Justice

4. Discover poetry by black and brown poets. Firstly, make a copy of different poems by black and brown poets for your students. Next, separate your students into pairs. Have them analyze the poem together. They can annotate in the margin of the poem.  Lastly, have your student recite the poem in front of their peers. Also, have them explain their analysis and the meaning behind the poem. Here are some beautiful poems by famous black and brown poets:

“Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou

“Dirt” by Kwame Dawes

“Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson

“Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes

“Please Don’t Steal My Air Jordans” by Reg e. Gaines

“Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar

5. Explore novels about Black History and novels told through the eyes of black and brown narrators.  Literature gives readers a window into the lives and events of all different types of people and characters.   Exploring novels that have black history or a black/brown narrator lets readers comprehend the time period. It also has them analyze the struggles of these characters and settings.  In addition, readers have the ability to make connections and empathize with the characters. This ignites a growth of understanding and compassion for others of a different race.  Here are a list of novels that explores black history or are told through a black/brown narrator:

• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
• Monster by Walter Dean Myers
• The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
• Dough Boys by Paula Chase
• New Kid by Jerry Craft
• Reading Middle Grade shares her list of 65 of the Best Black Young Adult Novels

Other Resources You May Like…

Here are other resources you may want to include in your Black History activities and lessons:

Teaching Tolerance & Acceptance

Breaking Down Stereotypes & Prejudices

Martin Luther King Jr. Author Adventure

Defining Leadership

I hope you find these ideas exciting and engaging for your classroom!

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