I keep supply baskets on my student tables in the elementary school, which contains each of the following listed supplies. Students were also required to provide most of these supplies at the beginning of the year. The baskets were designed for students who "forgot" their supplies or students who never had them to begin with. I found the middle schoolers a bit rougher on supplies so I would I collect them up at the end of each period and pass them out as needed.
GLUE - I always require white school glue (no glue sticks!). Glue sticks tend to dry out either in the tube or on the paper making it easier for whatever was glued to fall out of the compostition books. With my school money I puchased large glue refills from Staples so I could top bottles off. Elmers glue has a recycling program for their bottles and sticks that we collect throughout the year (you go through a lot of glue). I use the "just a dot" motto when it relates to gluing. In fact in both the middle and elementary school I would model what "just a dot" looks like and give them their first grade in gluing. CAUTION - Make sure students don't glue too close to the edge or it bleeds out and pages can stick together. If that happens I just slide my hands between the two pages to break the glue seal. I usually put dots in all four corners and in the middle and that works just fine.
COLORED PENCILS - Colored pencils work the best. I absolutely don't allow markers or sharpies (they bleed through to the next page). Crayons are fine but if you are requiring that they go over their drawing with pen or pencil to label or identify they won't be able to do that because of the wax.
SCISSORS - The scissors picture above are mine but any type of scissors work fine. I find that the fourth and sixth graders I have taught can handle sharper scissors. I keep a super sharp pair of scissors in my desk that I pull out from time to time if more detailed cutting is required.
PENCIL - I require everything be written in pencil. However, I know some middle school teachers who want pen in their notebook. This is a personal preference. I know I make a lot of mistakes...and it is nice to have the opportunity to erase.
NOT PICTURED
CD - This was a suggestion from another teacher and I have been using it this year. A CD in the supply box is great when students are doing a venn diagram exercise. Model it the first time otherwise the middle part is not large enough!
RULER - Some students simply can not eyeball a third of a page or draw a straight line without one. Always good to have on hand.
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