Children’s Books

-Local library: Ask them to call you when they clean out the Children’s Book section, or check regularly to see what books they have put up for sale.  They can go for as low as $0.25 and are usually hardcover!  Also ask if teachers can check out books for extended periods of time.  Some libraries will allow teachers to keep books for 3-12 weeks, which is long enough to utilize their resources throughout an entire thematic unit.

-Book fairs:  In central Virginia where my grandparents live, there is a regular event called the Green Valley Bookfair.  They sell new books that were over-printed, out of print, didn’t sell as well as hoped, etc.  I recently got 35 books for $29!

-Scholastic:  By far the best deal anywhere for teachers.  You get points towards free books every time you or one of your families buy books, and prices start from $0.50. 

-Good Will, Salvation Army, etc.: A great source of used books.

-Corporate donations (Verizon, etc.):  Many companies have literacy outreach programs in which they donate books to schools.  Verizon (a phone company) sends a rep each year to my old school to read to all of the third grade classes (their goal is to have all children on grade level by the end of third grade) and donates at least one book for every child.  I keep them in the classroom so everyone can read them.  Over the past two years, I have gotten about 100 books from corporate donations.  Go to company’s websites or call, or ask friends who work for big companies to look into it for you.  Verizon Reads is affiliated with the First Book Program, which provides books for low-income students.

Teacher Resource Books

-Ebay:  Lots of great stuff, some new, some used, sold auction style.  Great bargains!

-Local library:  You would be surprised what your local library might have!  There are usually several workbooks for parents to help their kids be successful in school.  I have also seen books of reading games, early-childhood school-readiness activities, and craft books.  Copy what you need, and send it back, no charge!

-Other teachers:  Of course photocopying an entire resource book breaks copyright laws, so I can’t advocate that… But do recognize that other teachers in your building have likely spent hundreds of dollars on books, most of which they don’t use.  Borrow, and write down any ideas you like!  See the planning page for ideas on how to keep up with and organize all the information you read.

-Retiring Teachers:  One retiring teacher I know set up a store in her room on the last teacher workday of the year.  Everything was free for the taking, although donations were requested.  There were tons of resource books, none of which she wanted to lug home to store in her garage!

-Pennysaver-type newspapers:  Many teachers sell their stuff in June when they switch grade levels, take maternity leave, retire, etc.  Check the ads!

-Internet:  Who says it has to be a book?  Nowdays, just about any printables or lesson ideas you need can be found for free online!  See the links page for site recommendations.

 
Manipulatives

-Make them!  Just about the only manips I have ever bought were those cute little erasers that come in different shapes from the dollar store and playing cards.  Maybe $10 total over the years.  Everything else comes from the ton of math manips schools generally supply, file folder games, or pieces from pattern books.  I actually found a book of patterns (snowmen, dinosaurs, hearts, etc.- the usual) at the library, photocopied what I needed, had the kids color them, then laminated and had the kids cut them out for me.  I program the pieces using permanent marker according to the skill we’re doing, then spray them with hairspray to remove the words and reprogram.

-Other teachers:  Again, ask around!  See what everyone else has and isn’t using.  The longer someone’s been in the classroom, they more likely it is that they have materials they no longer use but refuse to get rid of.  Put the stuff to good use!

-Scholastic: They do sell some manips, and if you or your families buy enough books, you can use your points to get free manips.

-Wal-Mart: I’ve seen plastic teddy bears, coins, mini-clock matching games, and more for very reasonable prices.  And be creative- check the sale shelves to see if there’s anything you can use.

-Dollar Stores:  These are the best for manips, in my opinion.  Dice, cards, erasers, action figures, cars, stickers… and they’re all within your budget.  J

-Retiring teachers:  From the retiring teacher “store” I described above I got a place value pocket chart and counters: never used.

Decorations

-Make them!  Craft stores sell special markers that let you draw on windows.  Use the die cutter (if your school has one) to cut out shapes to spruce up wall displays.  Use what you have, your school provides, and other teachers are willing to share to make your classroom beautiful.

-Have kids make them!  My kids have made posters explaining how to solve math problems, displays of different geometric shapes in the classroom, a ‘quilt’ of their favorite books, etc.  Use their work rather than store-bought posters.  It’s more meaningful to the kids, and tells visitors more about what’s happening in your classroom.  Large paintings done by children always look beautiful, no matter how young the students.

-Focus on useful displays.  A pretty poster is just taking up wall space unless it’s helping the kids learn, retain, and utilize their skills.  Hang up your text connection poster, tricks for remembering multiplication facts, directions for how to do long division, a calendar with important dates and events for your students clearly marked, the correct friendly letter writing format, etc.  Refer to the posters often and your kids will, too.

-Retiring teachers:  Of course.

-Teacher’s Magazines:  Lots of times there are free pull-outs in teacher magazines.  If your college or public library subscribes, ask if you can take them out.

-Don’t change them frequently:  There’s no law that says you have to have new bulletin board displays from every holiday.  Pick bulletin board paper that will work all year long and change the border, if you must.  (For example, red is nice for fall leaves and apples, and then for Christmas, later for Valentines’s Day, and then for a general or thematic display towards the end of the year).   Buy one versatile set of borders for each bulletin board you have, and leave them up.  I have frogs, planets, calendars, paintbrushes, designs, plain colors, and other themes not associated with any particular time of year.  Also, remember that your border does not have to correlate with the stuff that’s on the board, as long as the colors and styles complement one another.  A train bulletin board does not have to have a train border:  a plain blue one will work just fine.

-Display a minimum of seasonal decorations:  I try to pick borders that don’t need to be changed- I have way too much to do to worry about having snowflakes up in May!  In fact, I rarely display kid’s seasonal work, focusing on thematic displays or things that look good all year, such as “Our Best Work”.   When I do hang seasonal work, I try to do it at least a month before the occasion to get the maximum usage out of it.

-Go online to find ideas: type in the materials you have, or the end product you want, and check out other’s teachers’ ideas.

Office Supplies

-Wal-Mart:  The absolute BEST prices…BUT you MUST wait until their back-to-school sales!  Prices really hit rock bottom then.  Go in right away before everything is picked over, then right before (or after) school starts, go back and collect all the colorful cardboard boxes the supplies came in and are ready to be disposed of.

-Dollar store:  Quality is not as good because dollar stores carry off-brands.  But things such as erasers, rulers, file labels, etc. are readily available here.

-Parent donations/ School Supply Lists:  Put what you need on the students’ school supply list, if possible.  (I know some places provide crayons, paper, etc., but this is not the case in Maryland- parents must provide everything but the textbooks.  Ridiculous).  I always ask for hand sanitizer, sticky notes, slide-loc plastic baggies, and dry erase markers.  These things are just too expensive to continually buy.  Even if only 5 kids bring them in, hey, that saved me $30 out of my own pocket!  Many times I only have to ask for certain supplies every other year.  For example, two years ago I had so much glue and so many rulers left over, I didn’t ask parents to purchase them the next year.  Now for the coming year, I need those things again, but I have tons of left-over sticky notes and bags, so I won’t request those.  I also send home requests before winter and spring break asking for donations.  Most parents don’t send anything, but the ones who do really make a difference.  It’s worth asking, if you can.   There is also a trend in some schools for teachers to ask parents for $20-$35 and the teachers purchase all the school supplies.   This way they can often get bulk discounts and can make sure every child has the right supplies.  Leftover funds can go towards additional classroom matierals.   (This method may be more costly for bargain-shopping parents who generally spend far less than that amount, even if it is easier on them time-wise, so be sure to think about your demographics and get your principal's permission).

Misc.

-Highlights Magazine: stickers, organizers, CDs, and more!  This is a fantastic resource- you send home a slip asking parents to subscribe.  They check yes or no, and for every slip returned to you, you get points for merchandise.  Even if the parents says no, their slip still counts for the same amount of points!  I have gotten an overhead organizer, carbon-copy notes, sticky tack, two huge and sturdy pocket charts, a craft idea book, stickers, four classical music CDs, and more over the past two years.  The best part is, the quality of the products is excellent- materials are extremely durable.   Highlights also publishes PuzzleMania and MathMania, offering the same deals for those publications.

-Yard Sales:  Books, toys, games, and much more.  Don’t forget flea markets, silent auctions, church auctions, community yard sales, garage sales… check the newspapers to see what’s going on near you. 

-Trade with other teachers each year in June when you clean out your room.  Make a stack of all the things you could consider parting with (I know, it’s hard!) and get together with co-workers and teacher friends from other schools.  This is especially tempting for teachers who are switching grade levels or schools- be sure to personally invite them. Swap your materials and ideas, and walk away with brand new stuff, less junk, and money still in your pocket!