Online Tools: Math Manipulatives

Having math manipulatives in class is always helpful to show our thinking in different ways and we usually encourage students to use them, but they are more important for use in my role as "teacher". I like to think that I can communicate ideas clearly with my voice, but I know that I am only saying the words that make sense to me. If I show a picture I can allow my students to use their words to share what they see.

The following are free online math manipulatives that you can use with your students. I have seen them be used when doing a PD session by Dr. Theresa Wills. During her classes, she provides the links to the sites that best match the problem she is presenting, encouraging students to go and use them to communicate their thinking. She usually presents 4 tools and encourages students to show their thinking using more than one. Students can screen capture or copy what they have created into a group slide/document, showing their thinking and helping them communicate with their peers.

Math Manipulatives:

Unifix Blocks: A simple drag and drop tool that allows students to create stretches of blocks. They can represent anything from patterns to measurement to ratios.

Cuisenaire Rods: Quickly drag the control to create bars of different sizes. Click and drag them onto the mat. They can be used to represent anything you need.

Ten Frame: The Ten Frame was a new manipulative for me as a MS/HS teachers, but I feel it is important to be aware of all the tools students may have used in the past that they connect with. I can see how this can also be used to help with integers. All students need to do is drag and drop.

Number Line: I use a number line in my class all the time when exploring ratios, rates, integers or just general problem-solving. The tool requires just a few students to start playing with it to see what it can create. Also, the information button provides a clear explanation of all the tools. Have students create their number lines, take a screenshot, and share them with the class.

Algebra Tiles, Base 10 Blocks, Number Lines and More: This site provides lots of visuals tools. By having the blocks and number lines in one location, students can easily combine the tools together to represent what they are wanting to create. There are also backgrounds that can be used that can support algebraic reasoning.

GeoBoard: Just like in person, but now without the hassle of trying to find elastic bands or having the plastic nobs break off. Students can use this to explore various geometric representations.

Fraction Bars: Create your own fractions in either a rectangle or a circle. You decide how many parts it is out of and then add the colours as you need. This is a great tool for students to quickly create the fraction bars they are wanting to represent, make them the same size and compare values.

Pattern Blocks: Never lose the blocks again. Students can pull as many as they need to their board, manipulate the direction and copy/paste to create patterns. There is a protractor that snaps into place to measure any angles. This can use used for patterns, geometry and number sense. There are also backgrounds that have shadows of shapes, allowing students to cover them with the tiles.

Additional Resources:

• Math Learning Centre: Many of the tools listed above are on the site. There are others as well as additional resources to explore
• DiDax Virtual Manipulatives: Some cross over with those in the Math Learning Centre, but there are a few new ones: 120 board, balance boards, spinners and more.
• Math Playground: Many of these require Flash to work which may cause problems with access by students. However, there are lots of options here as well.
• Geogebra Graphing and Calculator: This site provides a geoboard, calculator and graphing software. Students can save their work for later review.
• Desmos Graphing: Students can quickly create a graph, build a table of values or write a function. When finished, they can screenshot the image and add it to their work.
• Desmos Scientific Calculator: Use this as the class scientific calculator, making it easy for everyone to have access and talk about how to use the same device.

Digital Tools: Opening my eyes to online learning

I am now entering week 10 of online learning, and it has been a pivot. I decided to lean into the pivot and use these weeks as an opportunity to explore. In my explorations, I came across Dr. Theresa Wills. She is a professor from George Mason University and has been teaching math online for years. I forget how I found her, but she has opened my eyes to what is possible. Since she has been teaching online for years, her strategies are very well developed and the free daily PD she offers allows anyone to learn from her. I sat and watched many of her recordings and learned the following:

• Teaching is a skill you develop over time and with practice. Teaching online means applying the skills I have developed but in a new medium. I have to now practice these tools, giving myself the time and play to learn them. I can't expect to be good at this unless I practice. 
• There are so many other people who have been doing this for a while and doing it well. There are benefits to this method of learning that I can learn and help my students, now and in the future, if we go back to class. 
• The online teaching community is supportive and caring. I have taken two of Dr. Wills PD sessions and all the teachers I have been grouped with make me feel supported and help me where I am at. 

I recommend that anyone who is teaching online to explore what Dr. Theresa Wills is doing to develop community and collaborative learning in her classes by using Google Slides.

This is the video that hooked me. I hope that it hooks you. 

Developing a Globally Aware Student - 5 minutes at a time

The internet and globalization has brought the world to each of our students finger tips through various media sources. However, when speaking with students it becomes very obvious that even though they have numerous international influences through music, media and also through the products they wear and use, they have a poor understanding of the daily lives of those living outside their city or even small community. The two resources shown below, I have used to fill 5 minute periods in transition or homeroom to bring attention to issues or ideas occurring around them. Both sites have brought on conversations and engagement to understand more about the current events and world around them.

BBC News Daily Pictures is a site that provides about 10 images from the previous day, highlighting key news worthy events, celebrations or geographical wonders. A single sentence appears on the bottom when the cursor goes over top. With each picture I ask the students to predict either what they feel is happening, where this picture was taken or why the people are doing what they are doing. They give evidence from the picture and as a class we read the single sentence, creating an uproar of cheers if they had any information correct, but also eliciting questions as to what is actually happening.

Gapminder is an online program that takes valid international data from various sources including the UN, World Bank and government files and visualizes it clearly for the audience to see. Circles representing different countries move around on the graph allowing the viewer to see how the country has changed over time. The beauty of the program is that you can select a wide variety of things to compare from numerous countries. For example, you can see if female literacy has an affect on the number of children per woman. I ask students to make predictions of where they think countries will end up on the graph in the most recent data. Usually starting 30 years ago, the balls move around the diagram leaving a trail to indicate where they started and how they have improved or declined. Also it is interesting to have students see where the "third world countries" lie in comparison to Canada today and in the past. Here is a Ted Talk that I saw and made me love the program even more!

Hans Rosling - Gapminder

 

Student Feedback using Poll Everywhere

It is the time of year when both teachers and students hit that lull in the road, at least on my end. With the weather changing and the holidays a month away, I have found that my middle school girls are getting more tired and having shorter attention spans than in September. This is the lull.

To see how we could change things up, and also have the girls take ownership over their actions, I decided to use the polleverywhere.com service as a warm up for a math class. The goal was to have the girls reflect on the class so far this year, what they enjoy, what they don't enjoy and also make suggestions to others as how to make things better. This 10 minute activity was very successful and created a revived classroom community that was eager for change and improvement.

Using only their lap tops, the girls were blown away with the instant feedback. They also enjoyed seeing their comments posted where everyone could see. By asking the students for suggestions and improvements, they gained some control of how they like to learn and how they want the class to run. It was also a great opportunity to have the girls reflect upon the behaviours of the class, shouting out, taking too long to transition and not completing homework and how they are affecting others. By using the text input message, the students were able to express anonymously how these actions have impacted their learning, making others aware the affect they have.

I would highly recommend others to take 10 minutes to allow your students to provide feedback to you and also to each other. This process created an "upswing" in attitude at a challenging time of year.