manipulative activities in math

individual practice in a small group setting

practicing skip counting

Number grid 1 – 120

The children choose the number they need to practice (skip counting). They arrange the manipulatives in rows, then they cover the number on the grid. After each row that is built, they count from the start. Soon they begin to notice that the numbers repeat and a pattern in counting is being generated.

Buttons in rows

covering the grid with discs

tens or longs ones or units

number tile

After the child builds the number with the base ten blocks, she adds or subtracts a tens amount. For example –

87 take away 30.

Once he shows it with the base ten blocks, he uses the number grid to “act out” what he did. This helps a child see the connection between the manipulatives and the more abstract representation of an equation.

telling time using the analog clock

The long hand (minute hand) matches the numbers in minutes. The children know how to count by fives. They can be guided to use that skill in counting the minutes.

The hour hand is short and red. The numbers on the clock are red too.

When practicing, the child is guided to recognize which is the short hand, which is the long hand; initially, they read the hour hand first, then the minute hand.

Now we use ‘quarter past,’ ‘half past,’ and ‘quarter to,’ interchangeably with :15 :30 and :45.

This is our child friendly clock.

We explore new material before it is used in a lesson – these are attribute shapes which we will use in future lessons in geometry.

Exploring new materials is done before any formal teaching using these manipulatives begins. This helps the children formulate additional ideas that will enhance their understanding of new concepts.

an array

concentric circles

symmetry

counting money

counting money The child rolls a die. He or she takes the amount

from a pile of coins. Then the amount is written. The die is rolled again

and coins are counted and taken from the pile of coins.

Once a child gets 5 or more pennies, a trade must be done for a nickel. The child counts the new coin combination and rolls the die.

The objective is to keep trading when feasible and recounting the new coin combination.

The children are also learning to write amounts using the decimal notation once 100 cents is reached.

We hope you have learned more about how we work with math manipulatives.

Math is enjoyable even if it is challenging at times.