4 squares per inch — This is ideal for lining up columns of wayward numbers in arithmetic — addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, fractions, etc. It is also good for number-lines and graphing coordinates — slip a sheet of graph paper inside a plastic page protector and write on the plastic with wash-off transparency markers.
5 squares per inch — I used this paper to make a measuring tape for math that was compatible with Cuisenaire Rods: 2 squares = 1 centimeter, so I marked numbers on every other line. I used it to illustrate multiplication and division: accordion-fold the paper tape in 6 sections of 8 to show 6 x 8 = 48.)
1 square per inch — map-making, enlarging/reducing drawings, etc.
Transparency markers wash off with water
Whiteboard markers brush off with a tissue
Permanent markers will not wash off with water, but will clean off with rubbing alcohol [Hint: draw a number line or x and y axes with a permanent marker, then use whiteboard or transparency markers for illustrating the math lesson]
China markers or wipe-off crayons [caution — these will meltif left in a hot car in the summer!]
COLORED CHALK & a sidewalk, driveway, or LARGE paper, & Dr. Seuss books. Try to copy his delightful drawings. Be sure to get “chalkboard” or “sidewalk” chalk; some “artist’s chalk” colors will permanently stain clothing.
FOOD —
Macaroni — letters, shapes
Dry beans — hardly messy at all, but be cautious around your little tykes
Sugar cubes — great for teaching volume, but keep them on a jelly-roll pan to contain the inevitable crumbs
Crackers — These come in nearly every geometric shape!
Yogurt or pudding — “draw” fractions in the surface, then smooth it out and do another
“Lunch will be served when this lesson/page is finished.” — a great motivator for pokey students
GAMES — In addition to playing each game the way it was designed, combine the parts from several games, then sort them out again for next time.
Letter tiles or cards — Seeing an assortment of lettering styles and sizes will help recognition.
Pawns
Money — For some reason, math is easier for children when it is related to money!
Dice — Find an assortment of sizes, shapes, colors, etc. Blank dice can be marked with tiny home-made stickers for letters, numbers, or arithmetic operation signs.
CUPCAKE PAPERS & PANS — for sorting & counting
CATALOGS — Borrow ideas for something you will use only once or twice. Save your money for ordering the good stuff that your students will use over and over and over.
BIG DICTIONARY — I recently saw one at my local Goodwill for about $3!
NATURE REFERENCE BOOK — we used Reader’s Digest North American Wildlife
MAPS — I taped 3 wall maps to a large window shade and mounted it above the windows in our back porch/schoolroom. (I had tried attaching more, but the extra weight caused the shade to unroll all by itself.) The window-shade maps can be flipped over much like the big expensive maps used in school classrooms.
U.S.
World
Our state
Our city — Use the one in the phone book, or help your students make their own simple map with 1-inch graph paper. Be sure to mark important landmarks, such as your church, the
library, the ice cream shop, and Grandma’s house.
Atlases for closer looks at other states, countries
8 1/2″ x 11″ FILLER PAPER — It is much easier to organize lined paper with printer paper and worksheet pages if they are all the same size. We buy it at an office-supply store.
3-HOLE PUNCH — Quickly prepare any paper for notebook storage. Also works for plastic pages and craft foam sheets.
PAPER CUTTER — I did without one for a long time, but was so glad when I finally treated myself!
CHALK HOLDER — for drawing music staffs that holds 5 pieces of chalk. Inserting only 3 pieces of chalk, you can draw lines (wider apart or closer together) on your chalkboard for children to practice handwriting. Using all 5 pieces of chalk, you can draw overlapping horizontal and vertical lines, turning the chalkboard into a graph for math class. Thin whiteboard markers may also fit, making this gadget usable for whiteboards.
MAGNIFYING GLASS and/or MINI-MICROSCOPE— Radio Shack sells a 30x mini-microscope for around $20.
FOUND OBJECTS FOR HOMESCHOOLING
Cardboard centers from carpet rolls are usually free for the asking from carpet stores. I knew one family who secured one of these in a corner of each child’s bedroom and screwed in cup hooks at appropriate intervals for its entire length. A small plastic ring was sewn to each stuffed animal and hung up on the floor-to-ceiling vertical tube making an attractive decoration, as well as organized storage.
Practice counting and sorting with 15-bean soup. Use the beans dry; do not cook them.
Toothpicks are very cheap when you need 100’s of something to count, but use with care around your little people.
Empty film canisters are, again, usually free for the asking from photo-developing counters. Use them for sorting small batches of tiny things (like beans), or as large game pawns for small hands to grasp.
Masking tape can turn your carpeting into an indoor hopscotch game or beanbag target.
Make an alphabet or number book with a 3-ring binder and filler paper. Designate one page per letter or number and tape or glue pictures cut from magazines and newspapers to represent each letter/number. Include both upper and lower cases, and various fonts and sizes of letters/numbers to help beginners recognize variations.
Another 3-ring binder can be filled with car trip activities. Put age-appropriate worksheets into plastic page protectors and use dry-erase markers, china markers, or wipe-off crayons for marking and wiping off with a dry tissue (beware of hot temperatures and melting). A state map can be cut into page-sized segments and inserted into plastic page protectors for avoiding are-we-there-yet syndrome. Multiple books can be made with some identical pages for siblings to play games together (Battleship, travel bingo, etc.)
