Math Manipulatives

Base Ten Blocks

These math manipulatives should be a
staple in every elementary classroom.
Even if you are just starting to learn the
basics of ordinal numbers base ten blocks
can help students understand how
numbers can be regrouped and rearranged
to make up a larger number. Base ten
blocks are great for teaching younger
grades what large numbers look like. In
higher grades base ten blocks are helpful
for those students who may still be
struggling with some of the more basic
ideas in math, but it is also a way to help
students understand decimal numbers by
assigning a different value to the different
objects in a base ten set.
Snap Cubes
Snap cubes are a very helpful tool when
teaching students about patterns.
Students love building different structures
so snap cubes help integrate play and
learning. Not only can snap cubes help
students understand patterns, but are also
helpful in teaching addition. With snap
cubes you can look at different
combinations that help make up a number.
Snap cubes are easy to arrange and
change. They can also be used as a great
show what you know assessment. If you
give students a rod of snap cubes you can
ask them to make addition sentences and
then hold it above their head to when they
have an answer.
Geoboards

With the math units about shape and

space, geoboards become extremely useful.
This is a great tool to get students
experimenting with shapes, as they can
create them and build other shapes inside
the first shape they have created. This is
also a great tool to help students
understand area, as the pegs can act as a
way of measuring the space inside the
shape.
Number Chart

When teaching students about ordinal

numbers, number charts help students
visualize what it is that they are learning.
A number chart also allows students to be
able to pick out patterns that they see in
numbers, which will help them gain a
better sense of numbers and how they
work. Most number charts have pockets
for the numbers which is another way in
which they can be helpful for identifying
patterns in numbers. Having a number
chart in the classroom is a great reference
tool as well.

Dice

Dice are not normally thought of as a math

manipulative, but rather as an object to
play games with. In math I think that
games are important. Being able to pair
math with games and dice help students
see a practical use for math. Students how
have played board games with their friends
and families will often have a good idea as
to how they are to be used, therefore they
are also a manipulative that is not
threatening, which can help students who
may have math anxieties.