Mathematics Manipulative Online Resources
Experiential learning is built on the premise that students who are actively involved will retain, recall, and make connections of material learned. Math contains many abstract concepts which may be difficult for students to grasp. Using manipulatives will actively involve your students in the learning process thus aiding in their understanding of abstractions and concrete operations.
I have combed the internet looking for resources for teachers, parents, and students. You will find links to papers about using manipulatives, math applets, printable manipulatives, and some links to other resources. These links are all quality links, think about including some in your weekly class newsletter to share with parents.
Online Manipulatives with Lessons
Illuminations i-Maths
This site has online, interactive, multimedia math investigations called i-maths! All the activities are interactive math applets. Some of them contain video clips as well. The i-maths are written for single day activities or for several days. You can use them to introduce, explore, or practice a concept. There is a teacher note page to accompany each lesson. Students will use the student i-Maths which contain just the student portion of the activity. There are also e-examples for each i-Math that allow educators to get an in-depth understanding of why the activity is important and how to implement it.
This site is broken up by grade levels. All the i-Maths were created to conform to the National Standards for Mathematics and each learning activity is linked to its corresponding standard.
Grades Pre-K to 2:
Single Day Activities:
- Developing Geometry Concepts Using Computer Programming Environments This is an application in which students try to problem solve and estimate length and angle measurements. Students must use geometric angles and lengths to help a turtle find his way to the pond.
Multiple Day Activities:
- Creating, Describing, and Analyzing Patterns to Recognize Relationships and Make Predictions Students make patterns, describe patterns, and analyze patterns. The first part of the activity is online.
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Investigating the Concept of Triangle and the Properties of Polygons: Making Triangles This is a two part investigation. In this first part, students use this online geoboard to make triangles. In the second part of the lesson students will make and compare a variety of polygons and describe the salient properties of the shapes they create.
- Developing Geometry Understandings and Spatial through Puzzle like Problems with Tangrams Students drag and drop tangram pieces to create shapes. Using the computer has the added advantage that the student has to think about how to manipulate pieces instead of the more common method which is by trial and error. Students can explore problem solving skills using tangrams by clicking on the Tangram Challenges which is also interactive.
- Numbers Using Calculators and Hundred Boards This two part activity will build on a students understanding of number patterns and relationships. There are virtual calculators that students will enjoy using.
Grades 3 to 5:
Single Day I-Math Activities:
- Understanding Distance, Speed, and Time Relationships Using Simulation Software This lesson includes a software simulation of two runners. Students control the speeds and starting points of the runners. They then watch the race and after the race they examine a graph of the time vs distance relationship.
- Exploring Properties of Rectangles and Parallelograms Using Dynamic Software Students will explore geometric relationships while making and testing conjunctures. This lesson has students comparing rectangles and parallelograms. They will be identifying what is the distinguishing properties that make a rectangle different from a parallelogram.
Multiple Day Activities:
- Exploring Geometric Solids and Their Properties Students get to explore geometric solids and their properties in this five part investigation. This is my favorite i-Math. Students can manipulate, color, and set transparencies on shapes. There are also some printable activities here.
- Communicating about Mathematics Using Games This lesson uses a fraction game to get students to think about, and apply concepts and skills. They play the game and while playing they must explain why they choose the moves they did.
- Collecting, Representing, and Interpreting Data Using Spreadsheets and Graphing Software In this activity, students explore spreadsheets as tools for organizing, representing, and comparing data. They must collect and examine weather data for the first part of the activity. In the second part they organize and examine the data using the spreadsheet application which is online. The spreadsheet application also allows students to look at a scatter plot and a bar chart of their data.
Grades 6 to 8:
- Simulating Probability Situations Using Box Models This activity has a simulated box model interactive tool which can help students investigate probability and statistics. You can also download the student version of this lesson.
- Exploring Histograms This activity allows students to create sets of data while learning about statistical functions such as mean, median, and standard deviation depend on the choice of data.
- Learning about Multiplication Using Dynamic Sketches of an Area Model Using this online tool students can visualize the effects of multiplying a positive number by positive numbers less than and greater than one. By using decimal and fractions they can learn that multiplication does not necessarily mean that multiplication makes a number larger.
- Understanding the Pythagorean Relationship Using Interactive Figures At last, a way to visualize the proofs of the Pythagorean theory that require little or no explanation! This lesson helps students analyze and explain mathematical relationships.
- Comparing Properties of the Mean and the Median through the Use of Technology This lesson uses interactive software allowing students to compare and contrast properties of measures of center. By changing data values students learn it can influence the mean and median.
Multiple Day Activities:
- Analyzing Numeric and Geometric Patterns of Paper Pool This investigations allows students to develop their understanding of ratio, proportion and least common multiple. The student version can be downloaded.
- Spatial Reasoning using Cubes and Isometric Drawings In this four part investigation students explore volume and area using block figures. They will also explore polyhedra using different representations and perspectives using three dimensional block figures. There are many different activities to use with this lesson.
- The Factor Game Students have a friendly contest to distinguish the strategies involving numbers with many factors and numbers with just a few factors. This ends with the students being guided through an analysis of game strategies and introduction to the definitions of prime and composite numbers.
- The Product Game In this game students start with factors and find their product. There are four parts to this lesson. Students work in groups of two. This can be downloaded. There are also directions for making your own Product Game. This investigation makes learning these skills fun!!!
- Learning about the Rate of Change in Linear Functions Using Interactive Graphs This is a two part investigation where students drag a slider on an interactive graph to modify a rate of change. They can then learn how such modifications in that rate can affect the linear graph.
- Learning about Length, Perimeter, Area, and Volume of Similar Objects Using Interactive Figures Students will learn about length, perimeter, area, and volume of similar objects.
- Understanding Congruence, Similarity, and Symmetry Using Transformations and Interactive Figures This tool allows students to change an objects position or orientation. Students are also challenged to identify the transformation that has occurred. They are also challenged to create equivalent transformations in two different ways!
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