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Hello, middle school! Here are 23 school supplies every sixth-grader needs

We've got all the essentials covered.
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The end of summer is right around the corner, which means that school is almost back in session! Whether your sixth-grader is going back to school in-person or virtually, it's important to make sure they've got everything they need for a great first day.

School may look a bit different this year, but your child will still need some new supplies to make the most of their first day back. Fortunately, most of what they'll need is readily available online!

From cool backpacks with durable designs to binders for organizing, here's a list of essential supplies to help your student get ready for the new school year.

Backpacks and lunch boxes for sixth-graders

1. L.L. Bean Deluxe Book Pack

This spacious design comes with multiple pockets for storage, including two main compartments and a front pocket. The material is made to be weather-resistant and aims to keep rain from leaking inside.

2. Targus Strata II Backpack

No matter the weather, this backpack was made to keep your belongings safe. It includes a special pocket for laptops or other devices and it also comes in multiple colors and designs.

3. Opux Premium Insulated Lunch Bag

This lunch box is as stylish as it is durable. The brand incorporated a side mesh pocket to help hold water bottles, while the inside was designed to insulate and keep food fresh until lunch.

4. Gap Kids Tie-Dye Lunch Bag

If you're looking for a lunch box that stands out from the crowd, this is the option for you! The tie-dye design features swirls of pink and blue, while the inside is made with an insulated liner to help keep food at the perfect temperature.

Storage and organizers for sixth-graders

1. Discount School Supply Three-Ring Binders

From important handouts to class notes, these classic binders will keep your child's classwork in one place. This pack includes four binders made of hardback vinyl to help with durability.

2. Jam Paper Two-Pocket Folders

Is your child always losing their homework assignments? A simple folder will definitely keep them organized. This six-pack of plastic folders comes in different colors to help separate your child's work.

3. Sterilite Pencil Box

Keep your student's pencils, pens and more all in one convenient place. This pencil box is made of plastic and comes in multiple colors, including clear and black.

4. Avery Five-Tab Dividers With Pockets

Organizing your child's binders will be a breeze with the help of tab dividers. Each tab in this pack from Avery features a different color to help separate each section of the binder. The plastic inserts also include a pocket to help hold any additional paper.

5. AreTop USB Flash Drive

Get your child a flash drive they'll want to show off! With fun designs including a pineapple, penguin and pig, this flash drive is perfect for storing presentations, essays and other big assignments.

Writing supplies for sixth-graders

1. Paper Mate SharpWriter Mechanical Pencils

Whether you're taking detailed notes or sketching doodles, having a dependable pencil is important. This pack of 36 mechanical pencils is designed to have less lead breakage, so you can spend more time writing and less time sharpening.

2. BIC Assorted Retractable Gel Pens

If you're looking for a pen that glides across the paper with ease, these may be the ones for you. Made to glide as you write, these retractable pens come in a variety pack featuring black, blue and red ink.

3. Sharpie Retractable Highlighters

With this set, your sixth-grader can grab their favorite color to make homework and reading assignments a little more exciting. The variety pack comes with eight different highlighters to help organize and color-code your notes. Plus, the retractable design means your student will never have to worry about losing the cap!

4. Tru Red College Ruled Filler Paper

Sturdy, reliable paper is a must-have in the classroom and at home — so make sure your sixth-grader is stocked up!

5. OHill Animal Erasers

These animal-inspired erasers are sure to add some fun to their pencil case! Filled with 32 animals to choose from, these erasers are also non-toxic and latex-free.

6. Tru Red Assorted Colors Index Card

Keeping notes and study materials organized is important, and index cards can definitely help. This pack comes with multiple colors so your student can easily sort and separate information.

7. Mead Spiral Notebooks

Whether they're taking notes or doing homework, a quality notebook can keep it all together and organized. This six-pack comes with multiple colors so your child can label and choose one for each class.

8. Expo Dry-Erase Markers

These dry-erase markers come with a chisel tip to help with underlining and writing. These are perfect if your sixth-grader has an at-home whiteboard to keep track of assignments.

Math supplies for sixth-graders

1. Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator

When a simple calculator is not enough, consider a graphing calculator for the harder equations. This model has seven different graphing options and also comes with a rechargeable battery!

2. Sparco Plastic Protractor

Measuring shapes and angles is much easier with a reliable protractor. One side features an angle-measuring tool to help your child determine the angles of shapes, while the other side is a ruler to help with measuring and drawing straight lines.

3. School Smart Graph Paper

Rather than complete your math problems on plain paper, consider adding graph paper to your list. Each little square can help your student accurately draw precise graphs, shapes and more.

Art supplies for sixth-graders

1. Elmer's Washable School Glue

Glue is always a must-have! This formula from Elmer's is non-toxic and washable, so those messy crafts will be much easier to clean up. The clear formula is also run-free, meaning it quickly adheres to paper, wood, fabric and ceramics.

2. Crayola Colored Pencils

Give your art a pop of color without the mess of marker ink. This assorted pack of colored pencils comes with an array of shades to choose from, so your child can draw or write with their favorite colors.

3. Fiskars Big Kids Scissors

Add some fun to school projects with a funky pair of scissors! Created with a soft grip to help avoid hand fatigue, these scissors were designed especially for the big kid in your life.

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