Math You Can Hold in Your Hand

1
Math You Can Hold in Your Hand

• The role of manipulatives in your math classes.

2
Why use concrete materials?

• Multiple Representations is one of the big five
  process standards
• Students learn by DOing mathematics
• Support hands-on learners
• Help students to construct knowledge
• Help students to make connections (another
  process standard)

3
Levels of Knowing

• Intuitive
• Conceptual
• Pictorial
• Procedural
• Application
• Communication
• Adapted from Dr. M. Sharma (2004) Presentation
  given at Math Mentor workshop in Halifax, NS

4
Looking at Your Guides

• Search your curriculum documents for the
  following words that indicate the need for
  Manipulatives
• Model
• Build
• Concretely
• Construct

5
What did you discover?

• In how many places did you find references to
  concrete materials?
• Are these references in the curriculum documents
  at every grade level?
• Are we doing enough with concrete materials in
  our classrooms?

6
Fractions

• In what grades should we be teaching fractions?
• What aspects of fractions should we teach at each
  grade level?
• When should we teach algorithms for adding,
  subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions?

7
Manipulatives to use when teaching fractions

• Fraction blocks
• Fraction factory
• Fraction circles
• Geo-boards
• Two-colour counters

• Cube-a-link blocks
• Fraction Strips
• Chocolate bars
• Egg Cartons
• Coloured tiles
• Anything else you can imagine!