• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Mrs.Beers ELA Classroom

Mrs. Beers Language Arts Classroom

My middle school ELA blog featuring student engagement strategies, classroom ideas, and lesson plans for language arts teachers.

  • TPT Store
  • BLOG
  • ELA Resources
  • About

10+Amazon Essentials for Middle School

April 17, 2022 by Erin Beers
Amazon deals for the middle school classroom

“Your classroom environment speaks to your students before you utter a single word.  What is your classroom saying?”  These thoughts from Megan Dredge resonate with me as a middle school teacher.  As teachers, our classrooms are our home away from home.  I also believe that by creating an inviting space for my students, it encourages them to love learning. Middle school is an amazing place to get to teach each day.  I love the students that I get to teach and the space I get to teach them in.

It’s probably a good thing that I had no idea Amazon existed when I began my teaching career in 1998. I got my first teaching position as a 5th grade teacher in a small Catholic school and made $16,900 that first year.  Bartending three nights a week, in addition to full-time teaching, was how I was able to make ends meet.

In 1998, my go-to classroom stores were John R Greene, a teacher supply store, Walmart, and Michaels. I stenciled my walls to make them welcoming, decorated bulletin boards with seasonal fabric, and bought books to build my classroom library from Scholastic and discount book stores.

Over the years I have been able to save and purchase the items that are in my classroom space now.  Trips to find items on sale at Target, IKEA, Facebook Marketplace, and Amazon have helped me create a space that I love. If you are looking to find some useful ideas for your classroom, here are a few of my Amazon picks…

Bookshelves

As an ELA teacher, bookshelves in my classroom are a must.  I love that my students have access to current, diverse, and high-interest books that challenge them.  I would love to add more books and bookshelves, but our school library and public library also allow for my students to have access to books at all times.  Our public library also provides teacher requested collections, which allows for me to have a variety of books at all times for my students to read and return. While I would love to have about four more of these to line my back wall, these three shelves allow for plenty of titles that my students get to read.

amazon bookshelf for classroom

Teacher Desk

My teacher desk is something that I rarely use when students are in my classroom.  Therefore, I wanted something that was a bit smaller in order to conserve space.  What is it about sitting down at a desk as a teacher that seems so taboo? If I am sitting, my favorite spot is around my small group table.  However, in order to have my own workspace when students are circled around my small group table, this is the perfect option.

Amazon teacher desk for classroom

Flexible/Moveable Stools

My students often use this counter space to work and charge their Chromebooks. These durable 18″ stools work perfectly at this space, but my students can scoot them around the room as needed. I love this particular set of four stools because they are sturdy metal.  I can grab these to scoot up next to a student’s desk so that I can spare my knees, or my students can use them to work alongside one another.  When we tackle a Kahoot, students use the stools to move closer to our interactive display board.  There are so many uses that have made them so worthwhile.

classroom stools from amazon

Small Group Table Chairs

These chairs are used on a daily basis at my small group table.  If I were to order again, I would likely order the farmhouse chairs that match my stools. I do have to tighten these on occasion because they get shifted and scooted to other spaces around the classroom, but they allow me to work at my small group table with my students on a daily basis.

small classroom table

Electric Pencil Sharpener

I have tried EVERY.SINGLE.PENCIL.SHARPENER.THAT.EXISTS! This one is quiet-ish, continues to work when my students need it, and it is currently not broken.  Therefore, it is my favorite:) The picture shares the phrases, “HEAVY DUTY” and “LASTS FOR YEARS!” Great…challenge accepted!

classroom pencil sharpener heavy duty

Golf Pencils

Students using a pencil in its entirety is a rarity in middle school.  Check the hallways,  you will see exactly what I mean.  To banish forever the phrase, “I don’t have a pencil!” from my classroom, I decided to test out the waters with golf pencils, and it has proven effective.  Students borrow them when they are in need, and return them when they are finished.   They come sharpened and with erasers-just what middle school students need. I am guessing that “baby” pencils are hard to carry around:)I am not sure why this concept is true with golf pencils and not full-size pencils, but I am running with it. I always have them stocked and available.

small pencils for classroom

Magnetic Curtain Rods

Wall space is a premium in my classroom.  I have a wall of cabinets and a wall of windows (I do know how lucky I am) that limits places to hang anchor charts.  I have strung a big rope and used clothes pins to hang anchor charts in the past.  However, this year I wanted a tool that could display and “store” charts for my students to utilize as learning tools.  These magnetic curtain rods have been the ideal solution because I am able to instruct my students, and then display the chart.  When we are finished, I can use curtain rod clips or book rings to attach the chart to the rod, so that it can be stored, but used as needed.

classroom bulletin boards

Classroom Decor

My classroom bulletin boards and ceilings are decorated with party decor. I buy it from Amazon because they have every color under the sun for really reasonable prices. This is year two with these hanging decorations on my ceiling and on my bulletin board. I have tried Walmart and Dollar Tree, but these have held up especially well.

Teacher tip: Hang the lanterns really high and out of student reach.  They are really tempting to jump up and spike:) For this reason, I do not recommend lanterns in the middle school hallway:)

light lanterns in middle school classroom

Restroom Lights

These battery operated tap lights are how my students let me know that they are taking a restroom/drink/stretch break.  A student simply presses the light and goes.  No asking to use the restroom or get a drink.  Press and go!  When two lights are lit up, my students know that they need to wait until a classmate returns before they may leave. I have attached them to the wall by the door of my classroom with 3M Velcro strips, and I keep spare batteries in my desk.  This is the simplest way that I have found to navigate student breaks.

Amazon Essentials for your Classroom

Cozy Pillows

I love cozy and comfortable. My middle school students love to read and write in cozy spaces. These pillow covers add the perfect touch to our reading area.  Often my students will lay on the floor and curl up with a book or tackle writing. Since these are just covers, I can take them home to wash.

classroom pillows

Containers

Finally, I am a sucker for organization.  I love bins, baskets, and all things organized.  These are not used very often as the majority of our work is completed and assessed through Schoology, but these are perfect as turn in bins for library books and my students’ work.  This is a purchase that I will never have to make again and I can use for a variety of things.

book bins for middle school class

Buy all the things, or spend ZERO dollars on your classroom.  I have navigated both extremes in my teaching career.  Educators have a variety of choices on how to utilize their learning space, and this is how I choose to make mine.

In the end, our goal is to get our students excited about learning and the work of being life-long learners. A Teddy Roosevelt quote that I love to remind myself of… “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” I wish you all the best as you tackle the rest of your school year.

Thanks for taking a mini-tour around my middle school classroom.

Share1
Pin3K
Tweet
Email
WhatsApp
3K Shares
READER’S THEATER
ELA SUB PLANS
50 BEST BOOKS
ELA WORD WALL
CLASSROOM SETUP
25 CLASSROOM MUST-HAVES
ELA FREEBIES
POETRY ANALYSIS
NOVEL UNITS
TASK CARDS
AMAZON ESSENTIALS
CLOSE READING

POPULAR POSTS:

memorial day lessons for middle school

Teaching About Memorial Day!

READ MORETeaching About Memorial Day!
ELA activities for the end of the school year

ELA End of the Year Activities for Middle School

READ MOREELA End of the Year Activities for Middle School
  • middle school book projects
  • context clue task cards
  • middle school ELA sub plans
  • readers theater bundle for middle grades

Sidebar

About Mrs. Beers

erin beers language arts teacher

I am a 7th grade language arts teacher in Cincinnati. 2022 marks my 22nd year in the classroom!
⭐ Visit My TPT Store
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram

bulletin board letters for classroom
class meetings for middle school

Recent Posts

  • End of the School Year Made Easy
  • Teaching About Memorial Day!
  • ELA End of the Year Activities for Middle School

Middle School ELA

  • My Classroom Setup
  • Reader's Theater Scripts
  • Best Books for Middle School
  • ELA Word Wall Activities
  • Emergency Sub Plans
  • Novel Study Unit Essentials
  • ELA Freebies
  • Poetry Analysis

Blog Posts

  • Favorites
  • Classroom Management
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Teaching Tips

Resources

  • My TPT Store
  • Top ELA Resources
  • Reader’s Theater
  • Emergency Sub Plans
  • Novel Study Units

About

  • About Mrs. Beers
  • My Reader’s Theater Scripts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap

Copyright © 2022 · Mrs. Beers Language Arts Classroom · All Rights Reserved