Storing Materials

As part of classroom set-up, I find myself once again re-evaluating the storage systems that I use for classroom materials, particularly math manipulatives. Most of these materials are stored on open shelving in the classroom, and I generally try to divvy up items into boxes or bins so that students can easily access materials and take them to their table spots.   After reading this great post by Lori of Camp Creek Blog I decided to separate materials in more containers with individual sets for each child whenever possible and with sets for no more than two children to share when sharing is necessary.  Lori talks about how conditions of scarcity breed panic in the classroom, and since there is nothing worse than trying to teach while managing fights over the sharing of materials, I am finding room on our shelves for more boxes!