There is so much to look forward to in teaching first grade. From the books you’ll stock your bookshelves with to the daily 1st grade teacher supplies you’ll use, we’ve collected the first grade classroom essentials that teachers find most useful for a successful year.

Whether you're preparing your classroom for your very first year of teaching, you just switched grades, or you're an experienced teacher looking to restock your classroom, these books and supplies will make the upcoming school year run even smoother. 

Book Sets & Collections for First Grade

When it comes to creating your classroom library, book sets and collections are an important part of captivating your students’ attention. When you introduce kids to new characters and worlds, you’ll soon find that they will want to keep reaching for a new book in the series — which is where collections come in handy.

With first grade book sets, you’ll save on large-quantity purchases of leveled readers, picture books, and more. It’s a great way to quickly build up your classroom library!

Here are the most popular first grade book sets and collections teachers choose:

Fiction Books for First Grade 

Fiction is a fantastic way to engage your students’ imaginations. This genre encourages students to think outside the box, get creative, and even learn to forge their own worlds in play. 

It’s also a great way to engage students in read-alouds. These books will add levity, creativity, and wonder to your classroom library.

Here are the most popular first grade fiction books teachers choose:

Nonfiction Books for First Grade

Nonfiction books teach your students about the world around them. Whether your students are fascinated by animals or learning about their five senses, nonfiction books will supplement your curriculum for science, math, history, and more. 

Here are the most popular first grade nonfiction books teachers choose:

First Grade Workbooks 

No need for tedious workbooks in your classroom! When sharpening your students’ skills during quiet time or independent learning time (especially if you have fast finishers in the class), engaging workbooks are essential first grade classroom supplies. 

Practicing reading comprehension, writing skills, math, and science will become second nature as your students engage with fun characters, games, puzzles, and more in their favorite activity books. 

Here are the most popular first grade workbooks teachers choose: 

Supporting Materials for First Grade 

Finding the right first grade classroom materials to supplement your curriculum is key to helping your students fully understand the subject matter.

Whether it’s learning the days of the week, navigating maps, or understanding how to tell time, these materials will quickly help your students understand new concepts taught in first grade. 

Here are the most popular first grade supporting materials teachers choose: 

Supplies for First Grade Classrooms

Having smart first grade teacher supplies for the year ahead can make all the difference — something experienced teachers know well! During the school year, it’s important to make sure your students (and you!) are equipped with everything they’ll need to succeed, from your own teacher planner to substitute teacher folders and stickers just for fun. 

Here are the most popular 1st grade classroom supplies teachers choose:

Storage for First Grade Classrooms 

Something as simple as storage means more for keeping your books in excellent condition than you might think, as bins protect delicate pages from dust, accidental tears, and more while not in use. Your classroom library — while it’s being built, and otherwise — needs the proper methods of storage to maintain books for many years to come. Experienced teachers typically stock up on library bins to help keep books in tip-top shape. 

Here are the most popular first grade storage supplies teachers choose:  

Professional Development for First Grade Teachers 

Taking the time to sharpen your own skills will help advance your curriculum and create new lesson plans throughout the year. Tools for professional development will keep you in the loop on the latest teaching methods and schools of thought in education. 

Here are the most popular professional development books teachers choose for first grade:  

Classroom Games & Manipulatives for First Grade 

Games and manipulatives are an important part of 1st grade classroom essentials, and a fun way for students to continue practicing their knowledge from their earlier lessons. While your students play and solve puzzles, they’ll be having fun learning the ins and outs of word- and sentence-building and structure, counting, and more. 

Here are the most popular first grade classroom games and manipulatives teachers choose: 

Budget Books Under $5

Stock up your classroom library with these budget-friendly books. Early elementary schoolers are growing readers so it is important to expose your students to a variety of books. From funny rhyming tales to empowering stories — there is something for everyone! 

Social-Emotional Learning Resources

First grade is a time when many kids learn important life skills like manners and emotion regulation. These social-emotional books have eye-catching illustrations and relatable characters that will help your students stay engaged. Teach your students valuable lessons with these inspiring stories!