d.g. Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I have the chance to spend $100 for school stuff this month, no questions asked, on whatever I'd like from Amazon. Our budget has been tight for a LONG time now, and that isn't likely to change, so this is probably the only chance I'll have to buy *new* fun stuff for my boys for a while. I buy ahead whenever possible, and will be hitting garage sales over the summer with other budgeted money. This money is a one-time thing, spend it or it goes elsewhere. We start our new year in July, doing 3rd grade with a tag-along pre-Ker. All of our core subjects are covered and then some. Here's what we have already: DS8, 3rd: WWE 3, FLL3, Daily Language Review 3, ZB spelling 3, cursive (Scholastic resources), lots of good literature, RS C/D for math, extra supplements for math (Scholastic, others), WTM-style chemistry plus Chemistry for Every Kid and some assorted science kits, SOTW 3, supplemental activities for history (Scholastic), Geography for Every Kid, Analogies 2-3 (Scholastic), GSWL, Matin Latin 1, and How to Teach Art to Children. DS-nearly-3: C-rods and TONS of manipulatives, MEP (maybe), lots of books, more art supplies than I think we'll ever use up Here's what I have in my cart so far: The Complete Book of Maps & Geography The Blast Off with Logic series That brings me to almost $40 with tax (I'm in KS, they tax me :glare: ) What would you buy with the remaining $60??? There's so much I *could* buy that I'm at a loss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'd buy an Amazon gift card for yourself and buy things as they come up...things you decide you really need or want and can't find used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edeemarie Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Maybe an inflatable globe if they will do geography (if you don't already have one:)) Maybe a nice dry erase board- these boards are used all of the time in our house! -Oh, and plenty of dry erase markers to go with that! I would maybe look at some good puzzles- we use those a lot during read-aloud time. I'll have to keep thinking- I have kids similar ages :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 microscope? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.g. Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 I hadn't even thought about a globe! We have plenty of dry erase markers, and both a large wall board and three personal dry erase boards. They're cheap, but effective. Maybe I should think about getting another board for the basement, though, as we school down there during the summer. We already have two microscopes. One is more toy-quality, the other a bit better. That does make me think, though... maybe I should use some of the money to throw together a nature explorer kit... notebook, magnifying glasses, containers, etc. The boys would have a blast with that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'd go look at Timberdoodle for some ideas--they have great recommendations for fun extras. I like one person logic games/puzzles (Clicko, Rush Hour, Pattern Play, SepToys, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloggermom Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Get the Brian P. Cleary grammar series Pitch and Throw, Grasp and Know: What is a Synonym? I and You and Don't Forget Who: What Is a Prounoun? Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What Is an Adjective? How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?: What Are Homonyms and Homophones? Dearly, Nearly, Insincerely: What Is an Adverb? Slide and Slurp, Scratch and Burp: More about Verbs Stop and Go, Yes and No: What Is an Antonym? Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk: What Are Similes and Metaphors? A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? Under, Over, by the Clover: What Is a Preposition? To Root to Toot to Parachute: What Is a Verb? A Lime, a Mime, a Pool of Slime: More About Nouns I'm and Won't, They're and Don't: What's a Contraction? Thumbtacks, Earwax, Lipstick, Dipstick: What Is a Compound Word? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.g. Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 Get the Brian P. Cleary grammar seriesPitch and Throw, Grasp and Know: What is a Synonym? I and You and Don't Forget Who: What Is a Prounoun? Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What Is an Adjective? How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?: What Are Homonyms and Homophones? Dearly, Nearly, Insincerely: What Is an Adverb? Slide and Slurp, Scratch and Burp: More about Verbs Stop and Go, Yes and No: What Is an Antonym? Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk: What Are Similes and Metaphors? A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? Under, Over, by the Clover: What Is a Preposition? To Root to Toot to Parachute: What Is a Verb? A Lime, a Mime, a Pool of Slime: More About Nouns I'm and Won't, They're and Don't: What's a Contraction? Thumbtacks, Earwax, Lipstick, Dipstick: What Is a Compound Word? We LOVE these! We don't have all of them yet, but I find them at garage sales a lot. The Nouns and Adjectives books were only $.25 each. :D I'm tempted to use these as a gentle grammar intro with my younger DS before we start FLL1 in a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djsmom Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I have Logic Liftoff & Orbiting w/ Logic that you can have if you want. The pages have been removed from the binding but both are complete w/ front and back covers. If you want them, pm your mailing info to me and I will ship them to you on Monday at no cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.g. Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 Thank you, Charlotte! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djsmom Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 You're welcome! Happy to do it:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edeemarie Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Thought of one more thing if you don't already have it- a laminator! We use ours a lot!! I don't know what I ever did without it:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.g. Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 We do have a big laminator (thanks to a long time accumulating MyPoints... rewards programs make things so much easier sometimes :D) but I should probably check my stock of laminating pouches! Thanks for the remider! Thank you all for the advice. I'm leaning towards putting together an explorers kit (like the Backyard Safari brand stuff, but probably cheaper and better quality), buying the geography and maps book, and then using the rest to buy a gift card, like pitterpatter suggested. That way, the money doesn't "disappear" and it goes toward its intended purpose. I can also step up my SwagBucks earnings and add to it. If you have any additional suggestions, please share! :D Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'd get fun but educational games - Bananagrams, You've Been Sentenced, Zeus on the Loose, Mastermind, Sequence... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'm a big fan of GeoPuzzles: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=geopuzzle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.g. Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'm a big fan of GeoPuzzles: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=geopuzzle Nice! It looks like the 2-pack with the World and USA/Canada puzzles is a good deal. I'm putting it in my cart for now. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomandlorih Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I don't know how much US history is covered in SOTW 3 & 4 (since we are just on 2 but you might consider The Complete Book of US History. I have that and was going to use it alongside SOTW 3 next year as appropriate. Our cover school considers it a full year of history for third grade just by itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.g. Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'm not worried about US history at this point. We'll supplement with plenty of other materials (Scholastic Teacher Express $$ sales have been a godsend!) and I tend to buy all the US history/historical fiction I can find at garage sales. He'll get a lot just out of his regular independent reading. We'll also stop and do several "unit study" blocks in the middle of SOTW 3 & 4 to cover the wars and major events in US history. Add in the 50 states project he'll start after we finish studying the Revolutionary War, and I'd say we have elementary US history pretty well covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstenH Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Get the Brian P. Cleary grammar seriesPitch and Throw, Grasp and Know: What is a Synonym? I and You and Don't Forget Who: What Is a Prounoun? Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What Is an Adjective? How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?: What Are Homonyms and Homophones? Dearly, Nearly, Insincerely: What Is an Adverb? Slide and Slurp, Scratch and Burp: More about Verbs Stop and Go, Yes and No: What Is an Antonym? Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk: What Are Similes and Metaphors? A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? Under, Over, by the Clover: What Is a Preposition? To Root to Toot to Parachute: What Is a Verb? A Lime, a Mime, a Pool of Slime: More About Nouns I'm and Won't, They're and Don't: What's a Contraction? Thumbtacks, Earwax, Lipstick, Dipstick: What Is a Compound Word? My bank account hates you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellers Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I think you should throw in another $99 and buy a Kindle Fire. :D I bought one for each of my girls for Christmas, and the absolutely LOVE them! Bananagrams Sum Swamp Addition and Subtraction is fun math game. Sequence for Kids Zingo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 We really like: Architecto http://www.amazon.com/FoxMind-5512623-Architecto-Game/dp/B000PHQLME/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335577831&sr=8-1 Camelot Jr. http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Tangoes-USA-SG-011/dp/B004TGPQDW/ref=sr_1_3?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1335577999&sr=1-3 Set http://www.amazon.com/SET-Enterprises-100-Set/dp/B00000IV34/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1335578062&sr=1-1 Spot It http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Orange-410-Spot-It/dp/B0039S7NO6/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1335578129&sr=1-1 Muggins Math http://www.amazon.com/Muggins-Knock-Out-Wooden-Math-Games/dp/B001HTBOSK/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1335578197&sr=1-1 and Zingo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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