What supplies do I need to get started? plus...

[Jumping In Puddles]

some organization tips would be helpful. (of materials not spaces)

 

After reading this thread on organizing your school space, I realized that I don't have any school supplies - just school books!

 

Do I need a map yet? Or a globe? ( I'm not really doing geography yet) Here are 2 I'm interested in unless there are more suggestions: world map $19.95 or one of these these maps for kids.

 

I have HWT, so I have 2 little slates, and one larger slate with chalk.

 

They have a pile of broken crayons.

 

I have one, one inch binder.

 

Here's the other part to my question, how do I organize the school work? Folders? Binders? any thing else?

 

(I'm really only doing K with my son, my daughter likes to do homework by coloring and cutting up paper and being read to)

 

Maybe I'm looking to much into this and whatever we have around the house is just fine.

[clarkacademy]

HMMM I think that you should just start with what you have and go from there. You never know what you'll really need until you start. Everyone is different, and I am sure you'll do great. I would get a map though. My 4 yr old loves to look at where we live Indiana, where grandma lives in Florida. Sometimes books will mention places and you can casually oh let's go look on the map etc. I know that we also have a big calendar like schools have so they can learn about the days and everything. Alphabet poster, number line thats about it until you decided how you want to do things. I always hit the back to school sales and majorly stock up on crayons markers glue sticks things like that. Have a great year and have fun don't get too stressed.

[Ellie]

Well, it never hurts to have a globe or a map, but with such little dc, I wouldn't worry too much about folders and whatnots.

[Sue G in PA]

I agree to get started and then see what you need. School supplies are often significantly discounted after school starts and there is a ton of stuff usually left. You could pick up a box of crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, pencils, pens, eraser, ruler, scissors for each child. I overbought crayons last year (5 cents was a good deal!) so I have about 10 boxes left over. :001_huh: We won't need those for a while. Teehee... When you find coupons to places like JoAnns or Michaels...stock up on modeling clay (if you use it). I always place one big Rainbow order in August to get our construction paper and other supplies and get free shipping. As far as notebooks, figure out first how you want to "house" all the dc work. Math could be done in a spiral as could spelling. You could get one of those 3 subject spirals for those type of subjects...even dictations and copywork could be done in those. I just bought a 1 1/2" binder for each child at Target. It was $3.99 and came with 5 dividers, a thin plastic ruler and something else. Nice quality, not perfect but good. I love shopping for supplies...

[WTMindy]

some organization tips would be helpful. (of materials not spaces)

 

After reading this thread on organizing your school space, I realized that I don't have any school supplies - just school books!

 

Do I need a map yet? Or a globe? ( I'm not really doing geography yet) Here are 2 I'm interested in unless there are more suggestions: world map $19.95 or one of these these maps for kids.

 

I have HWT, so I have 2 little slates, and one larger slate with chalk.

 

They have a pile of broken crayons.

 

I have one, one inch binder.

 

Here's the other part to my question, how do I organize the school work? Folders? Binders? any thing else?

 

(I'm really only doing K with my son, my daughter likes to do homework by coloring and cutting up paper and being read to)

 

Maybe I'm looking to much into this and whatever we have around the house is just fine.

 

I would definitely get a world map to hang and get in the habit of looking on it whenever you mention a place. Other than that, I would wait and see what you need. I think that a binder is always a good place to start and it will grow from there. I think many times people tend to overbuy because they buy before they need things. Now, having said that, I'm a sucker for back to school sales, and I know I will be enticed by all the new school supplies and notebooks, even though we don't really need anything this year! :001_smile:

[sadiegirl]

WOW!!! Great minds think alike! I just ordered maps from Omnimap( I ordered the children's map of inventors, world, and Santa map for Christmas traditions of the world). I think they look great and my boys are going into 6th and 7th grade but I know from experience that books, maps, posters like these really draw them into learning without realizing it!!! They are just fun to look at and then you can take it from there on whatever area you are looking at!!

My advice is K.I.S.S. I am a school supplies addict so I tend to get things for that occasional need and the just-in-case items. However, I would keep to the basic at the beginning as they will get as much out of that. Believe me, it will definitely be your cheapest years of homeschooling because the older your kids get, the more it costs and I tend to buy more fun things because they can do more. I have noticed there isn't as much of the fun stuff for older kids so watch the boards for those neat things as people mention them and get them for the appropriate grade.

[Melissa in NC]

The only thing I would recommend is Leggos. They can be used for math and creative urges. Other than that, just buy as you need. This is my fifth year homeschooling and I am not buying any school supplies because we take care of what we have.

[rafiki]

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[love2read]

Have you googled homeschool schoolrooms? Just seeing the organization and material in some of them have truly inspired me over the years. I used to have a link to a page full of them, but must have deleted it. I'll start another thread so that others can contribute. Here's the link

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?p=400583#post400583

[Parrothead]

Maybe for the age of your kids, an atlas instead of a wall map. That way they can get their hands on it and look closely.

 

Next, what does you state require for year-end? Do you have to have a portfolio? I do, and find it easy to keep a couple of large three ring binders for the paper we generate. I put things into the binders according to subject and date completed.

 

I like to take dd shopping for school supplies at the beginning of our school year just like public school kids. It seems to cement the fact that school is starting and summer freedom is at an end. She gets a new box of crayons, pencils, markers, paper, etc.

[Jenmomof3]

Another option for the map is a fabric one. I made one that had a world map panel on one side and the U.S. on the other side. I got the panels at the fabric store. The kids love getting it out on the floor and being able to really get their hands on it. After we're finished, we just fold it and throw it over the back of the couch (doubles as a blanket). It has been much used in our house.

 

As to the other supplies, I put together school boxes as a present for each of my kids for the first day of school. It was a huge hit and gave us the basics - scissors, glue, markers, crayons, pencils, erasers, etc. Other than that, we used a lot of construction paper, unlined white paper, and glue sticks. You'll definitely get a feel for how you want to organize as you get started.

 

Best of luck,

[Suzannah]

I haven't read the rest of the replies yet but wanted to share a few things from my experience. For PK and K, keep one binder for each child. Put all of the schoolwork (narrations, pictures related to your studies, math worksheets, photos of projects) in the binder. It doesn't have to be very elaborate. You may find you have way more than you can fit into the binder. It was so rewarding at the end of DS' K year both to look back at the binder we kept. I didn't do that exactly for DD this past year and I hope I get to go back through the separate folders we used and compile a binder for her.

 

The most important things you will need for PK and K are crayons (which you have, but if you get school supply fever you can always pick up a couple more boxes at Walmart for 50 cents), pencils and paper. I would suggest that you lay in a supply of printer paper. You can use it blank for drawings, print out coloring sheets or worksheets, or print out handwriting paper from http://www.donnayoung.org. She also has story paper with lines at th bottom and a space at the top for drawing.

 

Of the permanent school supplies I would suggest a pencil sharpener, plenty of toner/ink cartridges for your printer, a 3-hole punch and a globe. If you find one that you like, get that one. But there's no need to get anything expensive. The only caution I would give is to make sure the water is blue. Some of the antique-looking ones are attractive but can be a little confusing to a child who is just learning how to use one. If you have the space for a wall map that's nice too, but the globe is the most useful at that age.

 

Blessings!

[Jumping In Puddles]

Thanks everyone for your input. I really appreciate it! :)

 

There are some great ideas here and I will be looking into getting a globe. The fabric map sounds interesting too.

 

I will probably them a little box for supplies and although I don't have to keep any portfolio (NJ has no reporting laws at all) I would like to keep one thing - I'm thinking of doing a journal (even if its just cut and paste or drawing ) and keep that for a keepsake for myself.

 

Thanks again, I'll come back to this thread before I head out to get some supplies.

[farmwife]

Here's what I buy every year:

1.) crayons- I just bought 9 boxes for $.22/ each

2.) glue sticks-these are great for art projects etc.

3.) washable markers

4.) binders, I like to keep a portfolio of sorts with page protectors so my little ones can see what they did and they still love looking at them

5.) page protectors to use with the binders

6.) good pencils/ not the cheap ones!

 

My little ones like the globe more than the map.

 

A good pencil sharpener is a must!!! Be prepared for broken pencil leads. ;)

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

My K list was a follows:

 

1)Purchase a good pencil sharpener (teach safety if electric)

2)Get all art supplies (crayons, glue sticks, paper, clay, what ever you use and perhaps start saving tp and papertowle rolls for craft projects)

3)A great set of colored pencils (as many different colors as space/budget allow)

4)Appropriate handwriting paper

5)good old fashioned #2 pencils and extra erasers

6)pack of notebook style paper

7)Heavier paper for art projects/nature notebooks etc.

8)fun placemats (ie 100s chart, presidents, flags, etc. what ever you are studying or is of interest

9)fun bookmarks

10)a good wall map (actually 2 world and US), hung at eye level of student (kids love to find their place or what they are studying)

11)the counting manipulative of your choice that works with your math program (anything from dried beans and legos to base ten blocks)

12)a good US/metric ruler (1 foot) and yard and meter sticks ("If a blue whale is x meters long what does that mean?" so we measure it out...)

 

A notebook/binder/file for you to keep notes in, calendar, plans, records needed for your state, etc. Also, a designate place to keep library books (tote, laundry basket, special shelf). I guess you also should have a good sturdy book bag (box, basket) for those library trips. Start organizing the work once you see what sort of papers you produce. We use three ring binders by subject.

 

Play it by ear-try to read a bit ahead in any curriculum to make sure you have supplies ready and see what you need as you go.

[jpklehm]

Sharon,

All very good ideas above...I only have a few suggestions. I purchase a ream of hole-punched printer paper each fall so I can immediately put the papers in their appropriate binders, once completed; this saves me a step.

 

I also found recently at Target's Dollar Spot little plastic containers with handles, that I'm putting supplies into for each of my boys. Then each day they will grab their container and (hopefully) be set for the day. This will be our first year hsing both boys (grade 5 and K) so I am trying to avoid possible arguments about supplies!

 

It's also easy to purchase one of the 3-drawer containers at Target or Walmart, and label each with (words or pictures) the supplies that go in each (crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc., in one; scissors, tape, rulers, and glue sticks in another; construction paper in the third drawer, for example).

 

In TWTM book (beginning in grade one, I believe), SWB and JW go over in detail how to organize your children's paperwork (binders and dividers for each major subject). I followed their advice and am pleased with how it's working. A binder for each child at this age will work out well for you, imo.

 

I did splurge a little this year and purchased personalized pencils for each of my sons. I plan on having them in their school supplies containers on the "first day" of school. Just a little surprise for them...

 

HTH,

PAM

[Jumping In Puddles]

Sharon,

 

 

In TWTM book (beginning in grade one, I believe), SWB and JW go over in detail how to organize your children's paperwork (binders and dividers for each major subject). I followed their advice and am pleased with how it's working. A binder for each child at this age will work out well for you, imo.

 

 

Thanks! That definitely helps :)

 

I have been getting the WTM from the library and I didn't remember that they had a section on that. I'll have to get to the library for a refresher!

[Targhee]

Do I need a map yet? Or a globe? ( I'm not really doing geography yet) Here are 2 I'm interested in unless there are more suggestions: world map $19.95 or one of these these maps for kids.

 

We have an inflatable beach ball style globe, but hardly use it. A US map (we had one on a placemat) seems to get used more.

 

As far as other supplies, crayons, paper, scissors, glue and pencils seem to be about all for pre-K to 1st. And any other project-specific supplies. If you're doing HWT I think they have special paper they use for handwriting. Otherwise we got some crayola sketch pads/doodle pads and construction paper.

 

Here's the other part to my question, how do I organize the school work? Folders? Binders? any thing else?

 

I am not big on "production" in the early years - so we didn't have a ton of things to organize. We had one 2" binder with some folders/dividers in it to hold everything - we could have been fine with a 3/4" binder. My DD loves to save everything (even paper scraps), so she could choose what to put in the binder and what to keep in her desk (which is brimming with junk paper).

[Pink Fairy]

I would say that in Kindy you want to have lots of art supplies and math manipulatives. I'd really stock up when they start clearing out the crayons and markers at Target/Walmart. You can always use beans or whatever you have around the house for counters, but my kids love to use the counting bears or counting kids. Other stuff I would wait for, because you never know what you will need later on and you don't want to blow your budget too early. Have fun shopping!