Books and websites about manipulatives in mathematics?

In summary, the conversation discussed the use of manipulatives in mathematics teaching for secondary schools. The participants mentioned the usefulness of manipulatives, such as Cuisenaire rods, in teaching operations and fractions. They also shared resources, such as a Wikipedia page and a website, for further information on manipulatives. The conversation ended with a realization of how manipulatives can aid understanding of mathematical concepts.
  • #1
robertphy
11
3
Do you know about books and websites about manipulatives in mathematics teaching for secondary schools?
I think manipulatives are incredibly useful in teaching Mathematics.

Thank you for your support.
 
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  • #2
Never heard of that method
 
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Likes vanhees71
  • #3
What is a manipulative?
 
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Likes jtbell
  • #5
I believe Cuisinaire rods (see https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F8R5N2/?tag=pfamazon01-20) fall into the category of mathematics manipulatives. They're very useful IMO for teaching such arithmetic operations as multiplication and division and working with fractional amounts.

They're mostly used in the primary grades. I don't know of anything of this nature that is used in the higher grades.
 
  • #8
I've never seen those rods before (elementary school in the 1960s). Though I do remember staring at a floor tiled with small square tiles, and "seeing why" the sum of the first n odd numbers is n^2.
 
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Likes mathwonk, vanhees71 and Demystifier
  • #9
And thanks to your mental picture, I see why it is also equivalent to the algebraic formula (n+1)^2 - n^2 = 2n+1, which also proves it by induction. cool.
 
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Likes Demystifier and gmax137

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