The Must-Have Math Manipulatives for Upper Elementary Classrooms
Welcome to the Getting Started With Math Manipulatives series! I created this series to share tips and ideas to help you break through the biggest roadblocks that may be holding you back from using math manipulatives in your upper elementary classroom.
If I had $1 for every teacher who told me they love the idea of using math manipulatives but have hit roadblock after roadblock when trying to use them, I'd have a lot of money to buy more math manipulatives 😉
Maybe it's a lack of time in your math block that is holding you back. Or maybe you're unsure which manipulatives to use for which math concepts. Maybe you're struggling with holding students accountable when they're working with manipulatives.
We are going to talk about all of that and more in this series. Each part will include tips to help you overcome the top obstacles keeping 3rd-5th grade teachers stuck when it comes to using math manipulatives.
In Part 1, we’re diving into the must-have math manipulatives for upper elementary!
You aren't alone if you're unsure what manipulatives to use to teach 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade math concepts.
There are SO many amazing math manipulatives, but you can create lots of rich, hands-on learning experiences throughout the entire year with just a few go-to manipulatives!
Here is a list of my favorites (the ones in bold I consider "must-haves"):
Math Manipulatives to Explore Whole Numbers & Decimals
Base Ten Blocks
Play Money
Place Value Disks
Number Tiles
Math Manipulatives to Explore Fractions
Pattern Blocks
Blank Fraction Tiles*
Fraction Circles
*If you already have Cuisenaire Rods, you can use those instead of purchasing Blank Fraction Tiles.
Math Manipulatives to Explore Measurement & Geometry
Connecting Cubes (We love Omnifix cubes!)
Geoboards
Square Tiles
Geometry Sticks (like AngLegs or GeoStix)
*Of course, there are many other math tools that would be helpful with measurement and geometry concepts, such as protractors, clocks, meter or yard sticks, scales, and measuring cups.
Taking Inventory of Your Math Manipulatives
Before reading the next post in this series, take a few minutes to do a quick audit of your math manipulatives. Knowing which math concepts you already have math manipulatives for (and which you don't) will help you plan ahead.
You’ll find the Upper Elementary Math Manipulative Audits in the FREE Getting Started With Manipulatives Toolkit. Simply print them out and begin looking through your cabinets or searching storage closets in your school to see what you can find!
Want to grab the Getting Started With Manipulatives Toolkit?
Enter your name and email address below to access the toolkit for free!
We’ll send a folder full of manipulative resources straight to your inbox!
If you're missing any key manipulatives, try putting in a request to your admin team, checking to see if your school or district has extra resources, or setting up a Donors Choose project.
Alternatives to Physical Math Manipulatives
In a perfect world, every teacher would have a cabinet full of all the manipulatives their math heart could dream of. But what are you supposed to do when you don't have enough manipulatives for your students?
Luckily, you have options! If you have laptops or tablets in your classroom, virtual math manipulatives are a great alternative. My two favorite websites are BrainingCamp and Math Learning Center!
If virtual math manipulatives are not an option for your classroom, we made this set of printable math manipulatives just for you – they’re another resource included in the free Getting Started With Math Manipulatives Toolkit!
While this isn't a perfect solution, it is an option if you're frustrated with your incomplete sets of fraction tiles or you don't have enough base ten blocks for every student in your class.
Want to grab the Getting Started With Manipulatives Toolkit?
Enter your name and email address below to access the toolkit for free!
We’ll send a folder full of manipulative resources straight to your inbox!
In Part 2 of the series, we’re going to discuss how purposeful organization can save precious minutes in your math block.
Don’t miss the rest of the Getting Started With Math Manipulatives in Upper Elementary Series