Just as we decided to start this blog, we realized that Amazon Prime Day is just days away. Clearly, we wanted to share as many great choices as we could, because if you’re anything like us, you’re about to get a jump on Back to School shopping!
These suggestions will break down in a few ways: for South Branch Cooperative, this year has a theme of “Ancient.” Among the resources we will share in this post are things we will be using in our co-op classes, in our homes, or just think are great options that connect with that theme, and manipulatives that help learning come alive for our children!
We will also share other items we love that are generally helpful for homeschool- including those “learning through play” options that are hits in our homes. Plus, there’s a few recommendations for the adults, because, well- book nerds are going to recommend books. We can’t help ourselves!
Please let us know in the comments what items on the list are your favorites or what great suggestions you have! Happy shopping, everyone!
(Disclosure notice: These items have affiliate links which may earn us money if you click the link and buy an item. All profits from funds earned are in support of South Branch Cooperative, a 501-3 registered nonprofit and secular, inclusive homeschool cooperative in Central NJ.)
Physical Science Materials
- Clay (Model Magic) (Prime Day Deal!) - This type of clay is excellent for younger friends who need a clay that's easier to manipulate.
- Books
The Deep Well of Time by Michael J. Dorer
Hatching the Cosmic Egg by Michael J Dorer
Nature Is a Sculptor: Weathering and Erosion by Heather Ferranti Kinser
How Do Wind and Water Change Earth? by Natalie Hyde
Earth's Landforms and Bodies of Water by Natalie Hyde
Earth's Atmosphere by Melissa Ra Shofner
Earth's Geosphere by Jenna Tolli
Earth's Hydrosphere by Amy Hayes
Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years by Stacy McAnulty
Is a Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There Is? by Robert E. Wells
Many Ways to Move: A Look at Motion by Jennifer Boothroyd
What Holds Us to Earth?: A Look at Gravity by Jennifer Boothroyd
What Floats? What Sinks?: A Look at Density by Jennifer Boothroyd
Give It a Push! Give It a Pull!: A Look at Forces by Jennifer Boothroyd
Many Kinds of Matter: A Look at Solids, Liquids, and Gases by Jennifer Boothroyd
Bang!: How We Came to Be by Michael Rubino
Older than The Stars by Karen C. Fox
Planetarium by Raman Prinja
Forces Make Things Move by Kimberly Bradley
Continental Drift by Martin Ince
Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story by Jennifer Morgan
How Mountains Are Made by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
What Is the World Made Of?: All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
Volcanoes by Dr. Franklyn M. Branley
The Planets in Our Solar System by Dr. Franklyn M. Branley
What Makes Day and Night by Dr. Franklyn M. Branley
Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Dr. Franklyn M. Branley
Solar System by Gregory Vogt
Planet Earth/Inside Out by Gail Gibbons
The Planets by Gail Gibbons
Volcanoes by Gail Gibbons
The Reasons for Seasons by Gail Gibbons
Earth: By The Numbers by Steve Jenkins
Solar System: By The Numbers by Steve Jenkins
Planet Earth for Kids by Stacy W Kish MS
Geology for Kids by Meghan Vestal
Solar System for Kids by Hilary Statum
Montessori: Planet Work by Bobby George
Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorros
Children's Planet Earth Encyclopedia by Clare Hibbert
Children's Encyclopedia of Science by Giles Sparrow
Children's Encyclopedia of Space by Giles Sparrow
First Space Encyclopedia by DK
First Earth Encyclopedia by DK
Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney
Land and Water: Landforms & Bodies of Water by Eve Heidi Bine-Stock
Water Land: Land and Water Forms Around the World by Christy Hale
Thank You, Earth: A Love Letter to Our Planet by April Pulley Sayre
Math Materials
- Sandpaper Numerals (Prime Day Deal!) - This material is excellent for children just beginning to learn number forms, and can be traced with the first 2 fingers to give an impression of the shape of each numeral. It's helpful for labeling items around the house with a number, or playing "hide and seek" with numbers. They can be used for cards and counters, as well.
- Red and Blue Rods (Prime Day Deal!) - This material is excellent for introducing the concept of quantity in relation to numerals, as well as to complete basic addition problems, and viewing the physical impression of greater than, less than, and equal to.
- Counters (Prime Day Deal!) - This material is excellent for counting, mathematical operations, odd and even, and so much more. It gives the physical impression of increasing quantity while also being able to use them for other purposes, such as color mixing on a light table.
- Spindle Box (Prime Day Deal!) - This material can be used with the included spindles, or even with random household objects for counting and understanding quantity, including internalizing the concept of zero.
- Seguin Boards - This material is excellent for after a child can rote count through the teens or double digit numbers, to help them understand the parts that make up the teens and tens numbers. They can build the numeral from its parts, as well as representing the quantity using bead bars.
- Hanging Bead Stair (Prime Day Deal!) - This material is another great way to reinforce the concept of teens and what makes up a teen numeral, combined with its quantity.
- Hundred Board (Prime Day Deal!) - This material is great for reinforcing the concepts learned in the teens and tens seguin boards above, along with helping to reach 3 digit numbers in number comprehension.
- Golden Beads (Prime Day Deal!) - This is an incredible material with extensive uses, which also entices children with its golden color. The beads can physically represent quantities 1, 10, 100, and 1000, introducing the decimal system and place value, while also being able to be used for 4-digit mathematical operations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The numeral cards it comes with can be used instead of writing the numbers, to give an even more concrete sense of these very large and often incomprehensible numbers.
- Golden Beads without Numeral Cards (Prime Day Deal) - This smaller set includes just the beads, in case you'd rather DIY the numeral cards!
- Wooden Number Cards (Prime Day Deal!) - The numeral cards (viewable as part of the set above) is also sold separately.
- Wooden Thousand Cubes (Prime Day Deal!) - This wooden representation of the golden bead thousand cubes can be much more economical in pricing- and is on a deal!
- Stamp Game (Prime Day Deal!) - This material is excellent for adding a layer of abstraction to the decimal system, and should be used after the golden beads have been used extensively. Each number is still color coded, and large addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems can be done with this material, except that the squares representing each number are all the same size.
- Addition and Subtraction Strip Board - This material is excellent for memorizing single- or 2-digit addition and subtraction problems up to 18 using rods of different lengths, and allowing the child to read the answer off the board.
- Multiplication and Division Board (Prime Day Deal!) - This material is excellent for multiplication of single digit numbers and division of 2-digit numbers up to 81. It allows the child to physically manipulate the beads to find the answer to a problem, and allows them to practice memorization of math facts through this activity.
- Decanomial Bead Set (Prime Day Deal!) - This is an incredibly versatile material which allows children to count, perform mathematical operations, skip count, square numbers, cube numbers, and so much more, by representing different numbers in the form of bead bars. The bars are color-coded to allow the children to internalize each quantity and to improve ease of use and memorization of math facts.
- Large Bead Frame (Prime Day Deal!)- This material is excellent for children who are ready for the next level of abstraction in mathematical operations, representing each number with a bead on a bar, instead of a physical quantity, while still being able to use the visual reference of color to understand the place value of a number.
- Golden Bead Frame - This material adds another layer of abstraction for the child, beyond the large bead frame, by removing the aid of color to differentiate between place value. This material also allows for multiplication of even larger numbers, or even division!
- Play Money (Prime Day Deal!) - Realistic play money gives a better physical impression than play money that doesn't look real. It can be used for play stores, learning the values of bills and coins, and so much more.
- Making Change Game (Prime Day Deal!) - This game is a great extension for using math with money!
- Fraction Circles Option 2: Magnetic Fraction Circles (Prime Day Deal!) - This material is an excellent way to learn about fractions, what numerators and denominators represent, what fractions are equivalent to each other, and how fractions represent less than a whole.
- Clock Work - This manipulative clock is excellent for learning how analog clocks work, how quickly the hands move in relation to one another, and what the equivalent time would be on a digital clock. This particular version adds a puzzle and game element, making it even more interactive, and ties time in to a child's real life by connecting it to their daily schedule.
- Wooden Clock Work (Prime Day Deal!) - This material is another great way to visualize how long the minutes are compared to the hours.
- Learning Clock - This material is an excellent item to have in a home or classroom, allowing the child to visualize the hour eacilt, and even connect it to the amount of minutes and even fractions of an hour! The rainbow is enticing for children and adults alike.
- Books
One Day: By the Numbers by Steve Jenkins
Montessori: Number Work by Bobby George
The History of Counting by Denise Schmandt-Besserat
The History of Number Systems: Place Value by Gabriel Esmay
Can You Count in Greek?: Exploring Ancient Number Systems by Judy Leimbach
What Is Money, Anyway?: Why Dollars and Coins Have Value Jennifer S. Larson
The Story of Money by Betsy Maestro
The Story of Clocks and Calendars by Betsy Maestro
A Second is a Hiccup: A Child's Book of Time by Hazel Hutchins
All About Time by André Verdet
Telling Time with Big Mama Cat by Dan Harper
Telling the Time by Rupert Matthews
About Time: A First Look at Time and Clocks by Bruce Koscielniak
How Do You Know What Time It Is? by Robert E. Wells
Can You Count to a Googol? by Robert E. Wells
If You Made a Million by David M Schwartz
12 Ways to Get to 11 by Eve Merriam
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental
The Great Divide: A Mathematical Marathon by Dayle Ann Dodds
History/Cultural Materials (To Be Expanded!)
- Linear Calendar - A linear calendar is a great way for young children, especially, to better visualize lengths of time, like months, in a way that feels more intuitive than a traditional calendar. It's an excellent way for children to anticipate calendar events and understand the past, present, and future. This can also be used to teach tense in English.
- Puzzle Map of the World - This material is excellent for learning how the continents are sized and located in relation to one another, in addition to learning the names of continents and oceans of the world. The pieces can be removed and manipulated to show the history of the world's continents and where they were located in the distant past, as well as removed and used for pin-punching for children to make their own maps.
- Colored Globe - This material is excellent for visualizing the shape, tilt, and rotation of the Earth, and can be used to demonstrate the world as it is, as opposed to showing it as a flat plane.
- Books (More Coming Soon!)