From Concepts to Manipulatives

The following is a listing of some of the manipulatives that can effectively be used to teach the given concept. The list is recommended by the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics, Supporting Leaders in Mathematics Education: A Source Book of Essential Information, 1994.

Angles

protractors, compasses, geoboards, miras, rulers, tangrams, pattern blocks

Area

geoboards, color tiles, base-ten blocks, decimal squares, cubes, tangrams, pattern blocks, rulers, fraction models

Classification, sorting

attribute blocks, cubes, pattern blocks, tangrams, 2-color counters, Cuisenaire rods, dominoes, geometric solids, money, numeral cards, base-ten materials, polyhedra models, geoboards, decimal squares, fraction models

Coordinate geometry

geoboards

Constructions

Compasses, protractors, rulers, miras

Counting

Cubes, 2-color counters, color tiles, Cuisenaire rods, dominoes, numeral cards, spinners, 10-frames, number cubes, money, calculators

Decimals

decimal squares, base-ten blocks, money, calculators, number cubes, numeral cards, spinners

Equations/inequalities; Equality/inequality; Equivalence

algebra tiles, math balance, calculators, 10-framers, balance scale, color tiles, dominoes, money, numeral cards, 2-color counters, cubes, Cuisenaire rods, decimal squares, fraction models

Estimate

color tiles, geoboards, balance scale, capacity containers, rulers, Cuisenaire rods, calculators

Factoring

algebra tiles

Fact strategies

10-frames, 2-color counters, dominoes, cubes, numeral cards, spinners, number cubes, money, math balance, calculators

Fractions

fraction models, pattern blocks, base-ten materials, geoboards, clocks, color tiles, cubes, Cuisenaire rods, money, tangrams, calculators, number cubes, spinners, 2-color counters, decimal squares, numeral cards

Integers

2-color counters, algebra tiles, thermometers, color tiles

Logical reasoning

attribute blocks, Cuisenaire rods, dominoes, pattern blocks, tangrams, number cubes, spinners, geoboards

Measurement

balance scale, math balance, rulers, capacity containers, thermometers, clocks, geometric solids, base-ten materials, color tiles

Mental math

10-frames, dominoes, number cubes, spinners

Money

money

Number concepts

cubes, 2-color counters, spinners, number cubes, calculators, dominoes, numeral cards, base-ten materials, Cuisenaire rods, fraction models, decimal squares, color tiles, 10-frames, money

Odd, even, prime, composite

color tiles, cubes, Cuisenaire rods, numeral cards, 2-color counters

Patterns

pattern blocks, attribute blocks, tangrams, calculators, cubes, color tiles, Cuisenaire rods, dominoes, numeral cards, 10-frames

Percent

base-ten materials, decimal squares, color tiles, cubes, geoboards, fraction models

Perimeter/Circumference

geoboards, color tiles, tangrams, pattern blocks, rules, base-ten materials, cubes, fraction circles, decimal squares

Place value

base-ten materials, decimal squares, 10-frames, Cuisenaire rods, math balance, cubes, 2-color counters

Polynomials

algebra tiles, base-ten materials

Probability

spinners, number cubes, fraction models, money, color tiles, cubes, 2-color counters

Pythagorean Theorem

geoboards

Ratio/proportion

color tiles, cubes, Cuisenaire rods, tangrams, pattern blocks, 2-color counters

Similarity/congruence

geoboards, attribute blocks, pattern blocks, tangrams, miras

Size/shape/color

attribute blocks, cubes, color tiles, geoboards, geometric solids, pattern blocks, tangrams, polyhedra models

Spatial visualization

tangrams, pattern blocks, geoboards, geometric solids, polyhedra models, cubes, color tiles

Square/cubic numbers

color tiles, cubes, base-ten materials, geoboards

Surface area

color tiles, cubes

Symmetry

geoboards, pattern blocks, tangrams, miras, cubes, attribute blocks

Tessellations

pattern blocks, attribute blocks

Transformational geom.: translation, rotations, reflections

geoboards, cubes, miras, pattern blocks, tangrams

Volume

capacity containers, cubes, geometric solids, rules

Whole numbers

base-ten materials, balance scale, number cubes, spinners, color tiles, cubes, math balance, money, numeral cards, dominoes, rules, calculators, 10-frames, Cuisenaire rods, clocks, 2-color counters