Glossary of Manipulatives
Contents
Attribute Blocks
The Attribute Blocks set includes five basic shapes (triangle, square, rectangle,
circle, and hexagon) displaying different attributes. The basic shapes come in three
different colors, two different sizes, and two different thicknesses. Attribute Blocks
can be used to teach sorting, patterns, and identifying attributes.
Base Ten Blocks
Base Ten Blocks include cubes representing 1,000, flats representing 100, rods
representing 10, and units representing 1. Blocks can be used to teach various number
and place value concepts, such as the use of regrouping in addition and subtraction.
Each unit measures 1 cm2, making blocks ideal for measuring area and volume.
Bucket Balance
1 -liter buckets. The buckets are clear to
The Bucket Balance features removable __
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help students get a visual idea of what they are measuring. The balance helps
students explore the measurement of mass with accuracy to 1 gram.
Centimeter Cubes
Multicolored cubes measure 1 cm. They can be used to teach counting, patterning,
and spatial reasoning. Because each Centimeter Cube weighs 1 gram, they can
be used to teach metric measurement of both length and weight. They are also
suitable for measuring area and volume.
Color Tiles
These 1" square tiles come in four different colors. They can be used to explore
many mathematical concepts, including geometry, patterns, and number sense.
Cuisenaire® Rods
Cuisenaire Rods include Rods of 10 different colors, each corresponding to a specific
length. White Rods, the shortest, are 1 cm long. Orange Rods, the longest, are 10 cm
long. Rods allow students to explore all fundamental math concepts, including addition
and patterning, multiplication, division, fractions and decimals, and data analysis.
Fraction Circles
Basic Fraction Circles have six circles that show halves, thirds, fourths, sixths,
eighths, and one whole. Each circle is a different color, with plastic pieces that can
be put together and taken apart to show different fractions. Circles are ideal for
introducing students to basic fraction concepts.
Fraction Tower® Equivalency Cubes
Fraction Tower Equivalency Cubes snap together to show fractions, decimals, and
percents. Towers are divided into stacking Cubes that show halves, thirds, fourths,
fifths, sixths, eighths, tenths, twelfths, and one whole, as well as equivalent
decimals and percents. Each Cube is labeled to show the part of one whole that
it represents. One side is labeled with the fraction, another with the decimal, and
a third with the percent. Students can look at the three sides to see equivalency
between the different representations of numbers less than one.
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Geoboards
Geoboards can be used to study symmetry, congruency, area, and perimeter.
Students stretch rubber bands from peg to peg to form geometric shapes. Some
geoboards are double sided, with a grid on one side and a circle on the other.
Geoboards can also be used to study graphing and ordinate pairs.
Pattern Blocks
Blocks include six shapes in six different colors: yellow hexagon, red trapezoid,
orange square, green triangle, blue parallelogram, and tan rhombus. Each side
length is calibrated so that pieces fit together. The versatile blocks can be used to
teach concepts from all strands of mathematics. Blocks illustrate algebraic concepts
such as patterning and sorting. Students learn geometry and measurement
concepts such as symmetry, transformations, and area. Blocks can also be used to
show number concepts such as counting and fractions.
Relational Geosolids®
Relational Geosolids are transparent three-dimensional shapes. Shapes include
prisms, pyramids, spheres, cylinders, cones, and hemispheres. Geosolids can be used
to give students a concrete framework for the study of volume. They can be filled
with water, sand, rice, or other materials to facilitate classroom demonstration and
experimentation.
Tangrams
Tangrams are ancient Chinese puzzles made of seven three- and four-sided shapes.
Each set of tangrams contains four tangram puzzles. Each puzzle consists of five
triangles (two small, one medium, and two large), a square, and a parallelogram.
Tangrams can be used to solve puzzles in which all seven pieces must be put
together to create a specified shape. Because the shapes’ sides are proportional,
tangrams can be used to explore many geometric concepts, including symmetry,
congruency, transformations, and problem solving.
Three Bear Family® Counters
Bear Counters come in three different sizes and weights—Baby Bear™ (4 grams),
Mama Bear™ (8 grams), and Papa Bear™ (12 grams). Bear Counters can be used to
teach abstract concepts involving number sense and operations by allowing students to
act them out. Use Bears to explore sorting and comparing sets, counting, estimating,
addition and subtraction, and sequencing. Bears can be used to experiment with
measuring mass, or to teach patterning concepts and early algebra.
Two-Color Counters
These versatile counters are thicker than most other counters and easy for students
to manipulate. They can be used to teach number and operations concepts such as
patterning, addition and subtraction, and multiplication and division. Counters can
also be used to introduce students to basic ideas of probability.
Write-On/Wipe-Off Clocks
These clocks are laminated so that students can write the digital time below the
moveable hands of the clock face. Clocks can be reused over and over again to
give students plenty of hands-on practice measuring time. Clocks also help students
practice addition, subtraction, and problem solving.
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