Using Virtual Manipulatives to Create Digital Pictures in Mathematics

All students learn differently. This is a proven point. It is also proven that students prefer to demonstrate their knowledge of curriculum in multiple ways. Our visual/spatial learners gather and demonstrate knowledge using sight.  These students prefer designing a mural or diorama over a written book report or a worksheet.  During Digital Learning Day, our third grade math classes used virtual manipulative sites to create visual representations of mathematics concepts. The goal of their lessons were to prove their answers were correct by creating picture graphics on their device.

Here are some of our favorite virtual manipulative sites.

http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/mathematics/ebook_assets/vmf/VMF-Interface.html

http://www.fuelthebrain.com/Interactives/app.php?ID=201

 http://nlvm.usu.edu/

A student in Mrs. Catt's class uses geometric shapes to create a picture.

 Students in this class were allowed to use a certain numbers of shapes and then were required to identify all the shapes in their final picture.

 Students in Mrs. York's class worked on multiplication. They used virtual base ten blocks to solve double-digit multiplication problems. They were required to show their work (with the virtual manipulatives instead of paper/pencil) before moving on to the next problem.

 

 

Ideas for using virtual manipulatives in your classroom:

• Use fraction bars to find like fractions
• Create patterns
• Count money
• Use base ten blocks for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
• Create graphs
• Use a virtual hundreds chart for addition and subtraction
• Create various types of geometric shapes
• Tangrams and Pentominoes
• Digital geoboards (eliminate those flying rubber bands!)
• Practice with clocks and telling time