What can a new student pilot do on their own to prepare for class and instruction?
Usually the best way is to call your local flight school and ask to take a discovery flight.  It’s a 30 minute or so flight in a Cessna 172 or similar aircraft and you’ll get a good introduction to flying, even some stick time in the airplane.

If you’re looking for material to read on the subject of learning to fly, I suggest getting copies of the pilots handbook of aeronautical knowledge, and the airplane flying handbook. Both are available for free as PDFs on the FAA’s website.  They will be the fundamental textbooks for your private pilot training and most of the knowledge and practical information on flying that the FAA will test you on are going to come from these documents.