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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 shopping sales (many states offer 鈥溾�� during this season) by sticking to the basic school supplies recommended below. And remember, you can鈥檛 go wrong with tools that help kids get — and stay — organized.

Writing essentials

Don鈥檛 waste your money on feather pencils, light-up pencil sharpeners, or pretty erasers that don鈥檛 work, teachers say.

No. 2 pencils (Stick with the classic to avoid classroom competition.) Start with a pack of 12.

Colored pencils

Pencil sharpener (manual with a top to collect shavings)聽

Large pink eraser聽

Ballpoint pens

Box of crayons (Teachers recommend buying a 16-pack for younger kids, more for older ones.)

Water-based markers

Spiral-bound or composition notebooks*

Loose-leaf notebook paper* (Teachers can be picky about paper. Schools usually supply specially ruled handwriting paper to help younger children with letter formation. Older children use wide-ruled paper.)

*Kindergarteners may not need聽notebooks and paper yet. Check the teacher’s list.

Organizational helpers

Expensive folders with multiple pockets and zippers are often too bulky to fit in desks. Better to stick with more streamlined (and cheaper) models.

Three-ring binder*

Pocket folders* (If you get a folder with two pockets, label one 鈥渒eep at home鈥� and the other 鈥渂ring back to school鈥� to help your child organize his papers.)

Box for storing items (Teachers recommend one that鈥檚 8聽x 5聽inches and 2聽inches deep to hold pencils, crayons, erasers and scissors.)

Highlighters* (These are probably unnecessary for kids in kindergarten through second grade.)

Index cards, ruled and unruled (for making flash cards)

A sturdy, supportive backpack (Some schools do not permit rolling backpacks because of space considerations, so check with your school before purchasing one.)

*Kindergarteners may not need folders and binders or highlighters聽yet. Check the teacher’s list.

Craft materials

Dioramas and other 3-D projects provide a hands-on learning experience for students. Most teachers recommend having these items available:

Drawing paper

Construction paper

Ruler with English and metric measurements

Glue sticks (Some teachers prefer white to purple.)

A 4聽ounce bottle of white glue

Scotch tape

Stapler (best is a for last minute stapling emergencies. And it fits in the box.)

Scissors (blunt ended for younger kids, pointed for older ones)

Watercolor paints

Home computer supplies

Printer paper

Ink cartridges

Nice to have school supplies

Sturdy lunch box

Water bottle (Stainless steel is recommended. Avoid plastic bottles; many contain bisphenol A, a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, birth defects and cancer. If choosing plastic, look for a BPA-free label.)

See the back-to-school supply list for preschool and 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, too.