Bridges Blog Archive for Classroom Organization

Over the past year, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics released five free mobile apps. I spent a few hours investigating Pick-a-Path with a fourth grader who found it mesmerizing; we used it as an opportunity to practice mental math.

The second grade Number Corner text asks teachers to prepare a Daily Number Chart using straight pins. In the Number Corner Grade 2 Advice for October, Dennis Adams suggests making a reusable chart:

Shannon Gilmore, District 196 Elementary Math Trainer in Minnesota, shares an idea that the second grade team at Highland Elementary recently developed. She writes, "They shrink down the Work Place Planners to 25% of the original size, copy sets of the planners, cut them apart, and then staple them inside a folder. This is a way to save paper and have all the Work Place planners ready to go for the year.

The following list of links and resources is designed to support Bridges users with planning, prep, and organization as they begin a new school year.

Manipulatives

Laurie Karl, a District 196 Math Trainer in Minnesota, submitted lists representing the consumable materials needed to prepare each month for Bridges sessions and for Number Corner activities in grades K, 1, and 3. She writes, "I listed all months, but when there is nothing listed for a particular Number Corner, that means there is nothing to prepare!"

Exploring fractions? Short on egg cartons? Although many students will need to experience egg cartons and tile in the third dimension, in a pinch these egg carton blacklines come in handy; students place tile and yarn on the blackline rather than in the egg carton.

one 12-compartment egg carton, pdf

two 12-compartment egg carton, pdf

Egg carton fractions are coming up in Unit 3 (Grade 4) and Unit 4 (Grade 5.)

Bill Alsdurf Jr. teaches second grade at Epiphany School in Seattle, Washington. After his summer Getting Started with Bridges class, he chose to take a close look at Number Corner in the following reflection. Notice all the creative touches he uses to personalize NC for his specific classroom needs. What a beautiful example!

Bill writes...