My first graders are constantly wanting to know all about my favorites, from colors, to food, to pets. (In case you are wondering, my favorites are teal, pizza, and dogs.) In the world of educational resources, the options for favorites are limitless. It can be hard to pick resources that will take our students’ learning to the next level. So, in honor of my first graders and their inquisitive nature, I have compiled a list of 10 of my favorite “must-have” resources from Oriental Trading that we love in first grade. I hope that you may find a new favorite too, whether it be tape, math tools, or center activities!
Where has this been my whole life? Seriously, once I tried this tape there was no looking back! It sticks to anything, even in humidity, and comes off without leaving any residue.
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It is so important for our students to have time to manipulate with concrete learning materials, so that they can begin to see and understand how numbers work. These ten frame trays are one of my favorite math tools to use!
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These math strategy posters are a great classroom resource for students to reference. I love the bright colors and kid-friendly pictures that match the strategy. It is perfect for first grade!
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Dice are like books—you can never have too many! These 10-sided dice can be used for so many math skills (addition, subtraction, greater/less than, etc.) and my students love using them because the two-dice-in-one feature makes them unlike any of our other dice. Plus, when you change out the dice on an activity it magically makes it feel like new.
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I am always on the lookout for great resources for my writing center and am a big fan of this story starter kit! I love that it has real photographs for students to choose from and that the pieces are durable.
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Our students only have 1 minute of attention span per year of age, so it is crucial that we get our kids up and moving in order for them to be successful. These brain break dice are a fun and easy tool to use whenever students need a quick movement break before transitioning on to the next activity.
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When I first saw these I knew I had to have them for my students! These shake and learn cards are a perfect center activity for kids to discover lots of fun science facts.
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My first graders need lots of practice and time to play with numbers as they grow as mathematicians. This magnetic addition activity center is such a fun way for them to practice the relationship between the part-part-whole. I also love that the answer is on the back so that students can independently check their work!
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I don’t know where I’d be without our dry erase lap boards—we use them every day! Whether we are at our desks or on the carpet, students love using these. They are great for assessment as I can quickly look around the room at the answers on their board and then adjust my instruction accordingly.
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Number lines are a great tool for our students to use as they are learning the foundations of addition and subtraction. I love that these number lines arrive laminated so that my students can write on them and reuse them throughout the year.
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