What鈥檚 the smart way to shop for school supplies? Eliminate the guesswork by getting a list from your child鈥檚 teacher ahead of time or waiting until school starts to find out what鈥檚 actually required. The teacher may recommend specific brands, sizes, or quantities, but even if the list isn鈥檛 available, you can still take advantage of back-to-school supply sales (many states offer 鈥溾�� during this season) by sticking to the basic supplies recommended below. And remember, you can鈥檛 go wrong with tools that help kids get 鈥� and stay 鈥� organized. Looking for discount school supplies? Search online and off-season 鈥� a little too late when everything is on sale or earlier in the year.聽 Discount school supplies are also often available at places like dollar stores or community thrift stores.

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Basic supplies

No. 2 pencils

Mechanical pencils

Colored pencils

Pencil sharpener (manual with a top to collect shavings)

Large pink eraser

Ballpoint pens (Get a few red, purple or green ink ones, too, because some teachers have students do peer editing.)

Highlighters

Spiral-bound or composition notebooks

Loose-leaf notebook paper (Teachers can be picky about paper. Some middle schools ask that students use the college-ruled variety.)

Ruler with English and metric measurements

Organizational helpers

Several three-ring binders (Some teachers require that a binder be used exclusively for their class.)

A three-hole punch (a regular one or one that fits in a three-ring binder)

A pencil case that fits in a binder

Binder dividers (The kinds with pockets are good for loose papers.)

Pocket folders

Folders that fit in binders

Small notebook to record assignments

Calendar for scheduling assignments

Sturdy, supportive backpack (Some schools do not permit rolling backpacks because of space considerations, so check with your school before considering this option.)

Two combination locks (If the school lockers do not have built-in locks, your child might need one for the hallway and one for the gym.)

Study aids

Index cards, ruled and unruled (These are great for making flash cards.)

Highlighters

Calculator or mobile phone with calculator.聽 Check with the math teacher first before investing in an expensive calculator. Graphing calculators, for example, are required in some middle and high school math classes. Teachers advise parents not to buy a calculator with more functions than their students will use.聽 Also, check with the teacher to determine their policy on mobile phones that have calculators, and determine whether your child will use it responsibly.

Protractor (Some middle school students will need one, sometimes as early as sixth grade.)

Craft materials

Drawing paper

Construction paper

Glue sticks

Four-ounce bottle of white glue

Scotch tape

Stapler

Scissors

Watercolor paints

Water-based markers

Home computer supplies

Printer paper

Ink cartridges

Back-to-school nice to haves

Stainless steel water bottle. (To be extra safe, you might want to avoid plastic bottles that contain bisphenol A, a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to such health problems as heart disease and diabetes.)

Locker organizer (and other locker accessories).

See the school supplies lists for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade and high school, too.