Home Education~Ministry Moments~Hearth and Home

Saturday, January 7, 2012

A Magnificent Math Manipulative

     Homeschooling Hearts & Minds

     Six years ago when we started homeschooling I decided to go with Singapore math.  I did this because I read or heard somewhere that worldwide, kids who use this math score highest on testing.  I'm not really into test scores, but it sounded good to me.  Singapore has been a challenge...in a good way.  One of the items that was recommended to be purchased with the math curriculum were the gram/centimeter cubes.  I love hands-on anything, so I purchased them.  I had no idea they would be so well used.  There are uses for them K-6!  The versatility of these little fellas is seemingly endless!


My kids love the colors and how there are several possibilities of how they link together.
Never a complaint when it's time to do math with these!  It really helps them (and me) to SEE the math...not
just numbers on a page.  These cubes are used as an introduction to lots of lessons.  After my kids "get" the concept,
we just move along to numbers and paper. 






I found this picture in our archives...back when my oldest was
finishing up 3rd grade.  I remember this fun assignment: He was
to see how many different combinations he could make with 5 cubes. 
Geometry and critical thinking skills all in one.  :)


Check out these other great posts on math:


http://pebblekeeper.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/math-lapbooksvirtual-curriculum-fair-week-2/

http://courtneysix.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-curriculum-fair-week-two.html

http://www.gchomeschool.com/2012/01/our-choices-for-math.html

http://ourbusyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2012/01/our-math-choicesvirtual-curriculum-fair.html

http://debbiesdigest.blogspot.com/2012/01/math-using-hamburger-paper.html

http://crunchycountrycatholic.blogspot.com/2012/01/math-literature.html

http://www.modest-mama.org/2012/01/learning-math-at-my-house.html

http://homeschoolheartandmind.blogspot.com/2012/01/1st-2nd-6th-grade-math-in-our.html

http://oramblings.blogspot.com/2012/01/math-facts-or-fun-why-not-both.html

http://ladybug-chronicles.blogspot.com/2012/01/heart-of-dakota-fine-details-part-2.html

http://daybydayinourworld.com/2012/01/learning-math-block-by-block/

http://www.fencedinfamily.com/blog/2012/01/plugging-along-with-math/

http://montessoritidbits.blogspot.com/2012/01/whats-working-and-whats-not-math.html

http://www.for-one-another.blogspot.com/2012/01/math-anyone.html

http://schoolinginthesun.blogspot.com/2012/01/ahhh-math.html

http://everydaysnapshots.blogspot.com/2012/01/flying-without-parachute-math-with-no.html

http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/math-in-our-homeschool.html

http://tractorsandtireswings.blogspot.com/2012/01/math-math-and-more-math.html

http://sunrisetosunsethomeschool.com/2012/01/09/thinking-mathematically-how-i-choose-math-curriculum/

http://christadarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/discovering-patterns-math-logic-and.html

http://myhomeschoolgarden.com/2012/01/09/the-science-of-math/

http://learning-adventures.blogspot.com/2012/01/mom-did-we-do-math-today.html

http://homeschoolingforhisglory.blogspot.com/2012/01/math-math-and-more-math.html


5 comments:

debbie said...

We like these too. And after math is done, the math manipulatives magically turn into tanks and robots, used somewhat like Legos.

Susan said...

Cool. Somehow my math manipulatives are always all over the house, though. Because they've been turned into various vehicles, towers, and weapons of mass destruction. ;0)

Thank you for contributing to the Virtual Curriculum Fair!

Cindy said...

My students NEVER liked using manipulatives...so I stopped long ago

Pam Barnhill said...

We have Unifix that we use for any number of things. I wonder if these are similar.

Unknown said...

I would have to agree with Susan, my manipulatives ended up all over the house. :)