Mastering Math Manipulatives, Grades K-3

Book excerpt: Put math manipulatives to work in your classroom and make teaching and learning math both meaningful and productive. Mastering Math Manipulatives includes everything you need to integrate math manipulatives—both concrete and virtual—into math learning. Each chapter of this richly illustrated, easy-to-use guide focuses on a different powerful tool, such as two-color counters, linking cubes, base ten blocks, fraction manipulatives, pattern blocks, tangrams, geometric solids, and others, and includes a set of activities that demonstrate the many ways teachers can leverage manipulatives to model and reinforce math concepts for all learners. It features: • Classroom strategies for introducing math manipulatives, including commercial, virtual, and hand-made manipulatives, into formal math instruction. • Step-by-step instructions for 75 activities that work with any curriculum, including four-color photos, printable work mats, and demonstration videos. • Handy charts that sort activities by manipulative type, math topic, domains aligned with standards, and grade-level appropriateness.