Today, we’re diving into a quick supply survival episode: what you actually need for middle school students, how to store it all without losing your mind, and how to make it work whether students stay in your room or rotate between classes.
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If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-colorado-classroom/category-back-to-school-1441616
Transcripts
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[00:00:35] brittany: Yeah, they are not, which is exactly why organizing supplies isn't just about making your classroom look nice. It's about creating systems that keep learning moving and cut down on the daily chaos.
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[00:01:05] brittany: Yes, yes.
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[00:01:23] brittany: As we often do, let's start with the why, because some teachers skip supply systems altogether and just hope for the best.
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[00:01:49] But organized supplies can lead to smoother transitions, less downtime, and fewer behavioral issues. Plus you spend less time hearing, I don't have a pencil.
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[00:02:07] ellie: Mm-hmm.
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[00:02:23] ellie: And organized supplies can actually cut back on waste. When materials are easy to access and track, things get lost or broken way less often, or we don't have to go out and buy more because we can't find what we already own.
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[00:03:02] ellie: Okay, so we know why we're gonna organize our supplies, so we're gonna do that. But what supplies are we talking about that are actually worth organizing? Middle schoolers don't need everything from the elementary list, but they definitely need some things.
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[00:03:31] ellie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. It depends on if you're gonna be doing interactive notebooks or things like that, that , might be using those for.
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[00:03:54] I kept them in one of those shoe holders on the closet door and they had numbers on each one so that, uh, they would be returned. But we'll get more into that how part of organizing in a minute.
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[00:04:20] ellie: And if you do use interactive notebooks or other hands-on activities, you can think about bins for glue, sponges, envelopes, and yarn even.
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[00:04:40] ellie: Mm-hmm. I did that.
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[00:04:50] ellie: So one idea is kind of like we said, is to sort supplies by table or group. You can use small bins or caddies that just stay put. So students always know it's available, they don't have to get up and go across the room to get it. It's right there at their table or at their group.
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[00:05:17] ellie: Mm-hmm. Things like pencils and dry erase markers that constantly vanish, you can use sign out systems or pencil rentals where students like leave a shoe or their ID card and return it later on.
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[00:05:45] ellie: I actually put my task cards in one of those too. I had like all of my task cards in the shoe organizer for a couple years. and don't underestimate student jobs. You could have a weekly supply manager who restocks the bins or tidies the supply zone. It gives them ownership and it saves you time.
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[00:06:27] Davis or Ms. Radavatree. A simple bit of washy tape, masking tape, sharpie marker, whatever will do, and you can be more creative with plastic spoons, flowers, or whatever your heart desires if you wish.
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[00:06:57] brittany: And the best part is you don't need fancy containers or a Pinterest perfect setup. You just need a system that students can follow and maintain.
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[00:07:18] brittany: And if you're looking for ideas of what supplies you may need, I have an Amazon list of supplies that will be in the show notes. And if you're looking for those cute classroom labels, I have a resource with over 150, colorful and editable labels in five different sizes. I can also create additional labels if you find something I've missed.
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[00:07:45] ellie: Awesome. I never had really cute labels. If you found an idea for your supply system today, send this episode to a teacher friend who is still deciding how to set theirs up.
