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Counting Kit: Teacher Notes

Teacher Notes

Enlarged Paper Bond Blocks

Click to download a complete set of enlarged Bond Blocks. 
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. 

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. 

  • 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. 

This will leave you one spare magnet out of a packet of 50. Happy sticking!

Explicit Instruction

I love using the magnetic Bond Blocks for explicit teaching with the whole class on the mat. Print the activity board on paper, sticky tack the activity board to the whiteboard and the magnetic Bond Blocks will stick to the whiteboard through the paper. 

Here is a photo of me with a gorgeous class of Year 1s. I didn’t have my magnetic Bond Blocks with me so I improvised sticking the Bond Blocks to a write-n-wipe sleeve with sticky tack.

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. 
Implementation: General Tips video
Tier Two and Three Intervention Implementation video

Counting Posters