Counting Kit: Teacher Notes
Teacher Notes
Click to open link in a new tab Counting Kit Teacher Notes
Enlarged Paper Bond Blocks
Click this link to download a complete set of enlarged Bond Blocks.Â
Colour print, laminate and stick them to the whiteboard with magnetic tape.
Stick the Bond Blocks needed for the session on the whiteboard. This visual help students to:
- Take out the correct blocks when setting up the activity. This reduces the number of times students ask, “What blocks do I need?”
- Check the orientation of their blocks.Â
Magnetic Bond Blocks
Make your Bond Blocks magnetic so they stick to whiteboards using one packet of J.Burrows Self-Adhesive Magnetic Strips (40 x 15mm – 50 pack), sold from Office Works. These magnets are strong enough and sticky enough. You only need one packet. Just peel and stick. I’ve tried several types and found these best.Â
- Use two strips for every Bond Block from 5 to 10.
- Use one strip for Blocks 2, 3 and 4.
- Cut one magnet in half for the 1 Block. I cut 1mm off each half so it doesn’t stick over the edge of the block.
This will leave you one spare magnet out of a packet of 50. Happy sticking!
Introductory Play
Before beginning the A3 Teacher Led Activities students must have engaged in Exploratory Play.
See the A4 card Exploratory Play 1 ‘Introductory Play’.
Use this time to teach:
- How to open a set of Bond Blocks with the sticker up.
- How to pack away a set of Bond Blocks, checking there are no blocks missing.
- How to close a case of Bond Blocks, clicking shut both clips before picking up the case by the handle.
- Where and how to store the Bond Blocks case.
- Appropriate use of Bond Blocks.
- A cue to stop and look, that means not touching blocks.Â
Lesson Structure
Most of the A3 Teacher Led Activity Boards are fluency activities. These are coded with an 8 minute clock in the planner.
This is Narelle’s lessons structure for these activities. Note, this is different to for the understanding Teacher Led Activities that are at the beginning of each chapter and coded with a 20 minute clock.
It will take all of Term One to get this routine down from 30 minutes to 14 minutes, of which 8 minutes will be spent specifically focusing on the Bond Block activity. This is time well spent because it helps students develop essential skills for learning in a whole class setting.
For detailed instructions click this link.
