BRIDGES MATH
Bridges in Mathematics is a comprehensive K–5 mathematics curriculum that equips teachers to fully implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in a manner that is rigorous, coherent, engaging, and accessible to all learners. The curriculum focuses on developing students’ deep understandings of mathematical concepts, proficiency with key skills, and ability to solve complex and novel problems. Bridges blends direct instruction, structured investigation, and open exploration. The program taps into the intelligence strengths of all students by presenting material that is as linguistically, visually, and kinestheti- cally rich as it is mathematically powerful.
A Bridges classroom features a combination of whole-group, small-group, and independent activities that are problem centered. Fifth graders engage in five major kinds of activities: Problems & Investigations, Work Places, Math Forums, Problem Strings, and Assessments.
Problems and Investigations - Problems & Investigations are whole-group activities that also incorporate periods of independent and partner work.
Work Places are engaging, developmentally appropriate math stations that offer ongoing practice with key skills. Many Work Places are partner games, but some are independent activities or more open-ended partner work.
Math Forums - Students discuss their solutions to and strategies for solving problems in nearly every Bridges lesson. Math forums, which occur a few times in most units, are a more formal and structured time for students to share and discuss their work.
Problem Strings are fast-paced exercises in which the teacher presents a carefully structured sequence of problems one at a time to the entire class. Each time, students solve the problem independently using any strategy they like, and then the teacher uses a specific model (a number line or ratio table, for example) to represent students’ strategies. The goal is to help students develop more efficient ways of solving a particular kind of problem, based upon the connections they see among the problems in the string.
NUMBER CORNER
Number Corner is a program that supplements our Bridges Math series. It provides the students with skills practice, as well as ongoing encounters with broader mathematical concepts. Over the course of any given month, fifth graders predict and post new markers in the Calendar Grid pocket chart; collect and record a unit of measure or a small set of data each day and then make observations and draw conclusions about the collection; play games and participate in activities designed to improve computational fluency; engage in problem strings—a focused whole-group activity designed to increase students’ understanding of mathematical operations and relationships between numbers; and solve problems involving multiple steps, estimating, reasoning, fractions, decimals, conversions, and all four operations. Math becomes less abstract as students use concrete materials and visual models to represent and perform operations with multi-digit numbers, fractions, and decimals. They also use a variety of tools to take measurements in different units while gathering data.
Bridges in Mathematics is a comprehensive K–5 mathematics curriculum that equips teachers to fully implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in a manner that is rigorous, coherent, engaging, and accessible to all learners. The curriculum focuses on developing students’ deep understandings of mathematical concepts, proficiency with key skills, and ability to solve complex and novel problems. Bridges blends direct instruction, structured investigation, and open exploration. The program taps into the intelligence strengths of all students by presenting material that is as linguistically, visually, and kinestheti- cally rich as it is mathematically powerful.
A Bridges classroom features a combination of whole-group, small-group, and independent activities that are problem centered. Fifth graders engage in five major kinds of activities: Problems & Investigations, Work Places, Math Forums, Problem Strings, and Assessments.
Problems and Investigations - Problems & Investigations are whole-group activities that also incorporate periods of independent and partner work.
Work Places are engaging, developmentally appropriate math stations that offer ongoing practice with key skills. Many Work Places are partner games, but some are independent activities or more open-ended partner work.
Math Forums - Students discuss their solutions to and strategies for solving problems in nearly every Bridges lesson. Math forums, which occur a few times in most units, are a more formal and structured time for students to share and discuss their work.
Problem Strings are fast-paced exercises in which the teacher presents a carefully structured sequence of problems one at a time to the entire class. Each time, students solve the problem independently using any strategy they like, and then the teacher uses a specific model (a number line or ratio table, for example) to represent students’ strategies. The goal is to help students develop more efficient ways of solving a particular kind of problem, based upon the connections they see among the problems in the string.
NUMBER CORNER
Number Corner is a program that supplements our Bridges Math series. It provides the students with skills practice, as well as ongoing encounters with broader mathematical concepts. Over the course of any given month, fifth graders predict and post new markers in the Calendar Grid pocket chart; collect and record a unit of measure or a small set of data each day and then make observations and draw conclusions about the collection; play games and participate in activities designed to improve computational fluency; engage in problem strings—a focused whole-group activity designed to increase students’ understanding of mathematical operations and relationships between numbers; and solve problems involving multiple steps, estimating, reasoning, fractions, decimals, conversions, and all four operations. Math becomes less abstract as students use concrete materials and visual models to represent and perform operations with multi-digit numbers, fractions, and decimals. They also use a variety of tools to take measurements in different units while gathering data.