Best Middle School Back to School Math Supplies
By Kathleen Cantor, 10 Aug 2021
Your preteen probably has summer plans to sleep in, play video games, see friends, and maybe travel with family. It's the perfect time to relax and forget about the stress of school, homework, and math class, right? On the other hand, parents are practically giddy about sending their middle school students back to the classroom. Once the sunburns have turned to tan lines and curfews have been broken, parents are ready to go shopping for the best back to school math supplies available.
The Best Middle School Back to School Math Supplies for Your Child
Math is an interesting subject, and for some students, it's a breeze. For others, they'd rather get a tooth pulled without novocaine. Yeah, it's that bad. But fortunately, we've created a guide to help you pick the best middle school math supplies to help make this dry subject a lot more fun.
1. Invest in a Scientific Calculator
Unless specified by the student's teacher, a scientific calculator is ideal for any middle school student. Purchasing a professional-grade scientific calculator ensures that your child can easily handle statistical calculations in middle school math and beyond. A scientific calculator can help students calculate different angle modes, scientific notation modes, two-step equations, or basic algebra.
When getting a calculator for your child, consider some factors such as the batteries required, screen display, ability to read calculation records, and other basic features. Read the reviews available online to help you find the right product for your child at a price that is within budget.
Not only is a calculator one of the best middle school, back to school math supplies you can purchase for your kid, but they can also use the calculator for any math class they take once they finish with middle school. Think about it like a long-term investment.
2. Provide Additional Aids with a Geometry Kit
An average geometry kit should come with a compass, a protractor, set square, storage box, triangle, 15 cm ruler, eraser, a small pencil, and lead refills. With it, your child should be able to solve any tricky equation that comes their way.
Each geometry kit item plays a different role, from taking length measurements to construction and angling. The tools are easy-to-use, durable, and most of them utilize an ergonomic design, improving safety and comfort when handling.
The geometry kit you purchase should be portable, in a durable case. The ease of packing it away to carry to and from school will allow your student to work comfortably at home and school.
3. Grab a Graph Paper Notebook or Loose Leaf Graph Paper
Notebooks are necessary for almost any subject in middle school. However, specific notebooks serve best in math–the glorious graph paper notebook or loose-leaf paper.
Parents can find graph paper at almost any store. These notebooks or loose-leaf paper packs vary depending on the number of sheets, size of squares, and paper quality. Purchasing a few math graph paper notebooks, with each having 50 letter-sized sheets, should start your child out on the right math path.
With the ease of graph paper, your child can focus on the required math work instead of the accuracy of their hand-drawn graph lines. It makes the list of essential, back to school math supplies fr middle schoolers.
4. Purchase or Make Math Flashcards
Middle school is the right place for students to develop their upper math skills, but these new concepts can be pesky to get down. With the help of math flashcards, students can focus on the necessary equations, terms, geometry angles, etc., that they need to memorize. True, students can make flashcards themselves. All they need is a pack of index cards, a key ring, and a pen.
But this Koogel kit includes pre-punched cards in six different colors. It also includes the keyrings they need to make flashcard sets for every module during the year. Color coding the flashcards can also help students find the current study terms too. Creating their own math flashcards give the student ownership over the cards and may allow them to be more involved in their studies.
5. Add Magnetic Fraction Tiles to Your Fridge
Visual aids can help middle school students learn math quickly and better understand the subject's topics. With a magnetic fraction tile, students can learn fractions using visual and hands-on magnetic aids to improve their understanding of fractions. This magnetic fraction set introduces the whole concept of fractions, parts to a whole, equivalents, and comparisons.
Depending on the type of magnetic fraction tiles you opt for, most tiles come with varying color codes and soft foam to depict different fractions from wholes to twelfths. Placing the magnetic tiles on your fridge may allow your student the opportunity to learn fractions in a comfortable environment.
6. Reusable Scratch Paper: Individual Whiteboards and Dry Erase Markers
Whiteboards offer a paperless form of learning math. They are easy to write long answers, brainstorm, and find solutions to math problems. Math whiteboards for students are designed to be big enough to handle whole problems while small enough for your child to carry them around.
Unlike books, whiteboards can be erased and new problems solved on the same board. Whiteboards give your child room to make and correct mistakes easily. It can also save you from buying reams and reams of scratch paper.
7. Posters with Math Facts, Equations, Angles, Etc.
If your student does a lot of work at home, they may benefit from math posters. Math posters can provide a quick glance reminder of the work they need to be completing. The poster may contain math equations, common geometry angles, or various math terms that your child needs to be familiar with.
By posting a math poster in their workspace, your child will be exposed to and utilize the tools around them as they complete their schoolwork.
A Note on the Best Middle School Math Supplies
In some cases, your child might have a required or suggested list of math supplies sent home from your child's school. If that is the case, consider quality, safety, ease of use, durability, and price when purchasing their middle school, back to school math supplies.
Regardless of your child's perception of math, having the top math supplies for middle schoolers may help them survive their year of math with a smile. Even though math supplies can vary from one school to another, these standard items can support your child's learning.
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