Making Math Fun with Manipulatives:Hands-On Standards

Nowadays you can walk into a classroom and you will see buckets of colored tiles, pattern blocks, cubes, fraction circles, and various math manipulatives. As educators we know the importance of using math manipulatives to teach math. Research has shown that children learn math better through hands on manipulatives. When students are using math manipulatives in the classroom they are acting out the math concept with their hands. This is very useful, especially for the kinesthetic learner. Plus an added bonus, you will be making math fun for the students.

Okay so you know the importance of math manipulatives. Did you know that there is an excellent resource with math lesson plans? It’s called Hands-On Standards. I absolutely cannot imagine teaching math without this book. This resource is available for grades Prek-K, 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6. Each spiral bound book has between 60 and 70 manipulative-based fun math activities (math lesson plans) depending on what grade level you teach. I currently use the 3-4 grade book since I teach 4th grade. What is awesome about the Hands-On Standards Resource is that it provides step by step photo illustrations; guiding the teacher, parent, or tutor through the lesson. Furthermore it is aligned to the NCTM (National Council of Teacher of Mathematics) standards. At the end of the spiral bound book there are blackline masters for many of the math activities.

Benefits of Hands-On Standards Resource

• Step-by-step photo illustrations and activity procedures
• Objective is included with each lesson
• Top three mathematical skills listed for each lesson
• NCTM expectations followed
• Lesson Introduction
• Math activity to try with students
• Post-activity discussion topics/questions
• Solve it section-allows students to practice what they have learned
• Additional ideas for teaching math conecpt
• Standardized practice
• Quick tips on commom errors and misconceptions
• Blackline masters

This resource is almost like my best friend because of the simple, straighforward way the book presents the math activities. You cannot go wrong with the step-by-step photo illustrations of the fun math activities. Hands-On Standards is very useful for the first year or experienced teacher. The objective and top three mathematical skills for each interactive math activity is listed at the beginning of each new lesson. Also, you will see a lesson introduction that explores the background of the concepts and skills covered. Afterwards, the lesson leads you into the manipulative-based student activity to try with your students. The interactive math activity covers one page with three step-by-step directions and photographs. This activity can be done in a small group or whole class. Right next to the activity is a "Look Out!" box. This box shares some common errors and misconceptions that students might have. After this activity Hands-On Standards provides additional activitiesand suggestions for teaching the math lesson. I like these additional ideas because I don't have to spend lots of time looking for additional activities to support the objective. The book will allows students to practice the math concept as they might encounter it on a standardized test. And to wrap up the lesson there is a "Talk About It" section that provides post-activity discussion topics and questions. The discussion helps the teacher see and hear if the students understand the concept taught. Some lessons will have blackline masters you can copy for your students. The blackline masters are found at the end of the book.

Conclusion

What are you waiting for? I am greatful that I came across this book. All of the teachers in my elementary school use it for making math fun with manipulatives. There are four elementary math books; Prek-K, 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6.