ABSTRACT
Julianne Wurm makes an important distinction between the terms space and environment: space is the physical setup of the classroom, including static features like windows and doors, while environment refers to the ways in which the space is used. The type of learning environment we create shapes the mathematical learning that happens within the walls of the classroom and beyond. A variety of materials are available in the writing center, including paper, pencils, crayons, markers, magnet letters, alphabet tracers, and vocabulary cards. In the reading center, children can choose to explore and read books or engage in an activity. Children are invited to use a variety of purchased, found, and repurposed tools and materials to create art. The building center is a large area of the classroom where children have space to plan and build large structures using a variety of materials, including blocks, train tracks, ramps, and tubes.
