Bridges Intervention
The Bridges Intervention Sets are wonderful resources for classroom teachers–not just interventionists! All teachers of Bridges have access to these materials. Below are some key takeaways to get you started.
Takeaway #1: Not just for SPEDs and Interventionists!
Takeaway #2: ❄️ Let it Go, Let it Go! ❄️
These standards hinge on an understanding of number:
- K-2: Addition and subtraction – counting concepts, skills, place value and problem-solving.
- 3-5: Multiplication and division of whole numbers and fractions – concepts, skills and problem-solving.
If students are not mastering concepts such as telling time on analog clocks or classification of two-dimensional figures, we might just have to channel our inner Elsa and Let it Go! Building strong number sense should be our focus, as this is key for developing a solid K-5 mathematical foundation.
Takeaway #3: Progression of Volumes
Bridges Intervention is divided into Set 1 and Set 2 (click for overviews).
There are a total of 9 Volumes:
- Volumes 1-4 (Set 1) address content that tends to appear in K-2 standards
- Volumes 5-9 (Set 2) address content that tends to appear in 3-5 standards
Photos & Videos: During our training, we created anchor charts and short video summaries of each volume. You can access them here.
Helpful Resources:
- Snapshot of the 9 volumes
- Profile/Structure of a Bridges Intervention Volume (Set 1 example)
- Profile/Structure of a Bridges Intervention Volume (Set 2 example)
- Great references when placing students:
- Grade-Level Recommendation Charts (Set 1)
- Grade-Level Recommendation Charts (Set 2)
- Starting Points (Set 1)
- Starting Points (Set 2)
Caution! There is no need to start with Volume 1 and progress all the way through. This is not how the Intervention Sets were designed! There are multiple entry/exit points depending on what students need.
Takeaway #4: Bridges Intervention is Structured
There are 5 sessions per Module. Each session is 30 minutes long. Sessions 1–4 include:
- warm-ups
- a game or activity
- guided, independent practice
Takeaway #5: Support & Intervention Tips
Watch this screencast to find the Support & Intervention sections.
Watch this screencast to learn about the Intervention placement assessments.
Bridges Educator Site: click on Curriculum > Assessment Guide > Click on the bookmark symbol (top right) > Select the Unit you want. Scroll to the third or fourth page of that section. You will see a page titled Support & Intervention. Read through this page. Bridges provides very specific directives for next steps with students.
Takeaway #6: Our Students are Visual Learners
Research is showing that the portion of our students' brains that deals with memory is less developed now than it was years ago. Our students are visual learners. They access much of the world through digital photos, website searches and tutorials on YouTube. They FaceTime/Skype with grandparents. This reinforces our need, as educators, to help build deeper conceptual understanding by making math visual.
Takeaway #7: There are Great Resources!
There are terrific games and other resources in the Intervention Sets.
These are not part of the regular Bridges units. We've highlighted two below.
Number Study Mat
These are great for building number sense. They could be used for morning work or as a collaborative activity at many grade levels! Click here for your copy.
Number Grids
A great tool for teaching students how to build arrays efficiently. The dark horizontal and vertical lines divide the 10 x 10 work space into 5s. If a student is figuring out 6 x 8, she can use the benchmarks of five as she draws her dimensions of 6 (5 + 1) and 8 (5 + 3). Click here for your copy.Other Resources
- Intervention Placement Assessments: Learn how to locate them in this screencast.
- Assessment Maps: These maps show when mastery of standards is expected. Click here.
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