Skip to main content

MANIPULATIVE MATERIALS

Today, I will be focused on the different materials that we can use during the lessons of mathematics. I consider that it is very useful to use these manipulative materials because it helps students to understand better the mathematical concepts. Moreover, there are so many advantages of working with these materials;

1. It allows students to recreate situations in which they have to use logical thinking through the visual observation, strategies, reasoning, etc.

 2. The students can repeat the activity as many times as they need, thus, we can adapt the different level of learning from each child, since as we know, not everybody learns with the same rhythm.

 3. The manipulative materials are always more attractive for students; thus, they prefer manipulative materials rather than doing theoretical activities which are represented in a worksheet.

 After telling you some reasons for using these types of tools, I am going to share with you some examples of them that you can apply in your classroom with the students:

  o   Tangram
  It is not required a special ability to do it, just only patience and time. The tangram is composed of seven pieces; a square, a parallelogram, and different triangles. It is a game which challenges your imagination, there are a great number of possibilities of designing. This game develops the intuitive sense of geometry and abilities of rotation, it helps you to classify the different geometric forms and explore its spatial relations as well as discovering concepts as the symmetry. 



o   Geoplano
It is a very interesting didactic recourse to work with geometry since we can use it to introduce geometric concepts as well as it allows us to learn its properties and calculate its areas and length in a manipulative way.



o   Tiras de Mecano
It is composed by different larges metal strips with small and equidistant holes. This material has different ways of playing in a creative way and it is very useful for working in geometry. Moreover, it improves the development of creativity and manual skill as well as it develops a direct application in recognizing the geometric figures.




o  Policubo
It is a versatile material which allows us to work in the different mathematical area, such as, geometry, logic, arithmetic, etc. Therefore, we can let students experiment with this material by prosing them different challenges in order to make a specific object. Moreover, their many advantages to working with this material; for example, children can work with their fine psychomotricity, it is very visual and attractive for them, it develops the creativity and it is a type of material which we can design research activities. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

REFLECTION

I will dedicate this entry to talk about my final reflection regarding the previous entries that I have posted during this short period of time. I consider that during my entries I have learned so much about geometry and the different applications that I can apply in the classroom in the future. Moreover, I have come to the conclusion that many teachers may think that there are not any materials and resources to make students think and reason in order to acquire the new knowledge through the development of practical and dynamic activities, because I have learned that the best way of learning in a motivating and having a positive attitude to mathematics, in this case, geometry, it is very useful and rewarding that students feel comfortable, motivated and interested in the subject. I just want to tell you that this is not a farewell, it is a reflection that I have wanted to share with all of you about the positive advantages that this blog has, because I am sure that a...
Post a Comment
Read more

THE FRACTAL WORLD

Today, I would like to talk about fractal geometry and its application in the classroom of Primary Education. A fractal is a geometric object whose basic structure is divided irregularly, and it is repeated by different scales. The study of fractals is a motivating element for students of primary education because it can be attracting because of its aesthetic. Therefore, as a way of recognizing the importance of geometry and implementing new ways of understanding better this subject, we can carry out dynamic and practical activities so in such a way that the students improve their spatial and geometric thinking.   In this way, the activities about fractals that we can develop with students are developing an educative project in which the students introduce the different materials that they have done to other children. For example, surfing the net, I have found a website in which they prepared an exhibition about fractal geometry, I would link you the video so, in this way,...
Post a Comment
Read more

ORIGAMI AND GEOMETRY

Hello everyone! Today, I want to tell you a different way of working with geometry in order to apply it in the classroom and transform geometry more practical and entertaining for children. But, what is the origami ? Well, it is a type of art of paper folding without using any type of instruments such as scissors or stick, with the purpose of making new figures which can have different types of forms. The particularity of these technic is the transformation of the paper in different sizes from an initial square or rectangular base. Therefore, it is a really good opportunity to introduce the origami as an enjoyable activity in the classroom, since it develops the ability of hand-eye coordination, but also, it improves the peer support and the relationship between students as well as it fosters the curiosity and interest about learning geometry through the game. Now, I will share with you some vide os about examples of how to make origami: 
Post a Comment
Read more