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Concrete and Virtual Manipulatives

What is it?

The Concrete and Virtual Manipulatives assignment gives you an opportunity to work with a variety of
concrete mathematical models and then compare these concrete models to their virtual versions.

Why is it important to my preparation as a future math teacher?

All learners (children of all ages and adults) require the use of mathematical models to fully understand math
concepts and develop proficiency with skills. Your own experiences learning with manipulative models may be
limited so it is critical that this semester you become comfortable using manipulatives to represent
mathematical ideas and as tools for solving problems. Additionally, this assignment will help you to think
about the benefits of concrete manipulatives over virtual manipulatives and when it is appropriate to use
virtual manipulatives.

Where will I submit it?

Submit the Concrete and Virtual Manipulatives assignment to Blackboard.

Name: Gallo, Eleanora

Concrete and Virtual Manipulatives Comparison

1. Reread pages 20-22 in chapter 2 of our textbook, paying particular attention to the explanation of
mathematical tools and figures 2.8, 2.9, and 2.10.

2. Read this explanation of mathematical tools by math education researcher Thomas Carpenter and colleagues
below. Highlight the three purposes Carpenter names for using mathematical tools to support learning.

Tools can be used in a number of ways to amplify students’ mathematical activity. They can provide a
convenient and permanent record of mathematical activity. If students want to remember a particular
quantity or action, they can represent it with words or materials or symbols and then use this record later to
recall the activity. Tools can also provide a way of communicating with others. Words, of course, are a
primary communication tool, but materials and written symbols also can be used effectively in this way.
Finally, tools can be used to think with. They can make difficult thoughts easier to manage; they can enable
some thoughts that would hardly be possible without them; and they can shape the kinds of thoughts we
have. (p. 53)

Carpenter, T.P., Fennema, E., Fuson, K., Hiebert, J., Murray, H., & Wearne, D. (1997). Making sense:
 Teaching and learning mathematics with understanding. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

3. Look at the two Mathematics Process TEKS below. Notice how the purposes for using tools named by
Carpenter in the above quote are also spotlighted in these TEKS:

The student uses mathematical processes to acquire and demonstrate mathematical understanding. The
student is expected to:

(C) select tools, including real objects, manipulatives, paper and pencil, and technology as appropriate,
and techniquest, including mental math, estimation, and number sense as appropriate to solve
problems.

(E) create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas.

4. Explore these manipulative models from your material packet. Think about how their unique features could
support student understanding of math concepts

Two-color counters Color tiles Base-ten blocks

5. Explore virtual versions of these same three manipulatives at https://www.didax.com/math/virtual-

manipulatives.html. Think about the advantages and disadvantages of concrete manipulatives in comparison
to virtual manipulatives.

6. Read Chapter 5 (Cows and Chickens and Other Such Problems: Building Number Sense) in Welcome to Math
Class! (p. 47-57). Choose two problems from this chapter.

7. Solve the first problem as if you were a young student. Use your choice of concrete manipulative. Take a
photo showing how you solved the problem using the manipulative and paste this photo into the recording
space below. Repeat this process with the virtual version of this same manipulative. Take a screen shot (Ctrl-
PrtScr on a PC) or a photo of your virtual manipulatives and paste this into the recording space below. Add
numbers and words to the recording space to explain how you thought about and solved the problems.

8. Repeat this same process for your second problem from this chapter using a different concrete/virtual
manipulative.
 Problem 1: How many boots?
Some students went out to play in the snow. When they came in, they put their boots by the door to dry. There were
12 boots. How many students put their boots by the door?

Solution using concrete manipulatives Solution using virtual manipulatives

Show how you can represent your solutions with Use words to explain how you solved the problem.
numbers.
I let the green rectangles represent a student and a
2+2+2+2+2+2+12 yellow block represent 1 boot. For every student
(rectangle) I put 2 boots (blocks) on them until I used all
12 blocks. I then counted all the green rectangles to
solve for how many students put their boots by the
door.

Problem 2: How many dry feet?

4 racoons went down to the lake for a drink. 2 got their front feet wet. 1 got its front and back feet wet. 1 didn’t get
any feet wet. How many dry feet were there?

Solution using concrete manipulatives Solution using virtual manipulatives

Show how you can represent your solutions with Use words to explain how you solved the problem.
numbers.
For each racoon I wrote the number of dry feet it had
2+2+4=8 after going to the lake. After knowing how many dry feet
each racoon had, I added them together for a solution of
8 dry feet.

Reflection on Your Experience with Mathematical Tools

Your answers to the questions below demonstrate what you are learning about using mathematical tools. To earn full
credit for this learning work, include specific details and connections to the pedagogical ideas you’ve read about as
part of this assignment.

1. How did your experiences with the concrete and pictorial manipulative bring the ideas on p. 20-22 of our textbook
to life for you? I was able to visually see the concept being taught/learned.

2. How did your experiences with the concrete and pictorial manipulatives connect with the three purposes for
mathematical tools named by Carpenter and colleagues?
○ Using Tools to Keep Records – The manipulatives were more stimulating, made me more intrigued
because I was hands-on and I’m sure this creates better learning retention.
○ Using Tools to Communicate – I was able to use my senses as I was learning. Each manipulative
represented ideas that could be interpreted in more than one way.
○ Using Tools to Think – They created an understanding of ideas while connecting the mathematical
problem to symbols, object, images, etc.

3. How did you engage in Process TEKS C and E as you worked with these mathematical tools?
I used real objects to solve math problems using representations and symbols to connect and communicate
mathematical ideas.

4. How were your experiences using the concrete and virtual manipulatives similar and different? What are the
advantages of each type of mathematical tool?
I felt like the concrete manipulatives were more effective to building conceptual understanding for students.
Virtual manipulatives seem more like something you would use when you were reviewing prior knowledge or
refreshing your memory on a math concept.

5. In your own words, why are mathematical tools important?

Mathematical tools/manipulatives make the problems come to life and connect with the learner. They keep
learners engaged and avoid an idle mindset which usually results in daydreaming.

6. What are your ideas at this time about how you will encourage your students to use mathematical tools to
support their learning?
I will demonstrate to my students how fun using manipulatives and tools are for learning. Believing is seeing and
doing, not just saying.

Grading scale for Concrete/Virtual Manipulatives Comparison Assignment

5 points = Response is complete and thoughtful

4 points = Response is complete but lacks depth of thought
0-3 points = Response is incomplete