Bridge is a game full of strategy and tactics. It's part science, part math, part logic, part reason. Bridge embodies cooperation, logic, problem-solving and has even been linked to higher test scores among children (see accompanying study for supporting documentation). Bridge is also a partnership game. Trust, communication and patience are the essential attributes of winning at bridge.
Coded to State Standards
The lessons found on this website and included in our “Bridge in a Box” curriculum are correlated to academic curriculum standards for all states and provinces. For the most part, the lessons address standards in Math, Language arts and Social Studies.
Meeting NCLB
The Bridge lesson have also been designed to meet the character education traits as outlined in the government mandated public school requirements of No Child Left Behind – Title V. These Character Education Traits are listed as: Caring, Civic Virtue and Citizenship, Justice and Fairness, Respect, Responsibility, Trustworthiness and Giving.
Innovative Teaching Strategies
School Bridge League curriculum is designed to use highly successful instructional strategies, including:
1) Co-operative Learning
2) Addressing Multiple Intelligences such as Visual/Spatial Intelligence, Interpersonal Intelligence,
Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence, and Logical/Mathematical Intelligence
3) Service Learning
Mathematical Applications
Duplicate Bridge is a game of mathematics. The game is a vehicle for introducing concepts such as probability, percentages, data analysis, reasoning and proof, assessing value and applying this assessment to problem solving, and practicing inferential reasoning skills.
Numbers and Operations: Students incorporate multiple evaluation methods to assess the value of their hand as well as their partner's and how to weigh these values.
Data Analysis and Probability: Students confront situations in each hand (game) which require them to assess the probability of certain outcomes and make decisions accordingly.
Algebra: Players reason from the communication skills learned in the bidding (auction), the value of their hand (a), plus the value of their partner's hand (b), must equal a specific total (c). Therefore, decisions are then made to achieve their goals.
Problem Solving: Each hand (game) amounts to a set of problems that must be evaluated and re-evaluated in the span of a few minutes
Reasoning and Proof: Based upon communications skills learned during the teaching process, students reason that they can achieve a stated goal (contract), which they set out to prove. Flaws in the proof result in scoring adjustments
Communications: Students are taught the 'language' of bridge which they use to communicate the value of their cards, formulate a goal (contract) and set out to prove.