Lisa in the UP of MI Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I'm considering getting some Cuisenaire rods for my kids. I'd like to buy from Rainbow Resource Center when I make my big order but they have so many kinds. I like the idea of the ones that have little indents so that they show the actual number. What kind do you have? Anything else that I should get to go along with the rods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I have the connecting ones and love them - they do have the little marks on the side as well. We have the cards for multiplication and for fractions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usetoschool Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I thought I would like the wooden ones better but after years of use I am still happy with the plastic ones while the wooden ones are dirty and splintery. I actually prefer the feel of the plastic ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I like the plastic non-connecting (non-scored) ones made by Learning Resources in a 155 piece kit. They are not supposed to show the number, or to promote counting, as not counting is part of the point of using Cuisenaire rods. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 These: http://www.rainbowresource.com/pictures/006380/1242169193-1030265 Not these: http://www.rainbowresource.com/pictures/024116/1242169193-1030265 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I prefer the plastic linking ones, as well. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Well I guess I'll be the odd man out, we have and enjoy the wooden ones, not scored. I seem to be the only one in our household who has trouble remembering which color is which number. :glare: I did get several sets and put them all in a big bucket, as if one kid pulls them out everyone wants to use them at the same time. I haven't had trouble with splintering or anything else, I like the feel of the wood (haven't "test driven" the plastic to know how they are). Only additional thing I have is a number track, calibrated like a number line: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 You might also consider this: Mathematics Made Meaningful. It comes with a set of rods plus task cards which teach all sorts of mathematic concepts. Even I enjoy doing them. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyndie Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 We have the plastic non-scored ones. My son used the Miquon math books the first year we had them but had trouble when it came to fractions and I was hopeless with it so we switched to Abeka math. My dd still uses the quisinare rods on her own without books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alegnab Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Well I guess I'll be the odd man out, we have and enjoy the wooden ones, not scored. I love the wooden ones. I actually ordered the plastic ones, because the wooden ones were more expensive, but the only plastic ones I received were the cube/unit rods. I don't like the cube/unit rods because they aren't white -- they're tan. Since everything written for use with the Cuisenaire rods (like Miquon) refers to the white rods, it's a little frustrating to have a different color (perhaps they've changed that in the many years since I bought mine). I've had my regular-sized wooden Cuisenaire rods for about 13 years, and they are still in very good shape. We store the rods in the original tray, so that probably helps. I've also had a set of jumbo wooden Cuisenaire rods (the cube/unit rods are white), for almost 15 years. They are just thrown into a plastic shoebox when a kid finishes with them. The ends are slightly splintered. I have a sample set of plastic connecting rods, and I don't like the feel of them. They feel like they would break easily if stepped on, which is not an uncommon occurance at my home. I also have rod tracks -- 100 cm, positive/negative, and jumbo 1-20. I love rod tracks! They're especially handy for multiplication. I also have a set of Math-U-See blocks, since I switched to the MUS curriculum. I figured that the Cuisenaire rods wouldn't work very well with MUS since they are sized and colored differently. I have my likes and dislikes about both kinds of rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 The plastic rods made my Learning Resources are white for the 1 unit size. Tan would be weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckabella Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 The plastic rods made my Learning Resources are white for the 1 unit size. Tan would be weird. Mine are also tan. Hmmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Mine are also tan. Hmmm... Um...by, uh..."weird"...I, uh...just meant "unusual" :D That's it, unusual :lol: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 They are the perfect sugar cube size, they should be white if for no other reason than that! (The green MUS units fit nicely on the tips of one's fingers and thumb and make you look like a tree frog. The red MUS 100's blocks would be OK tan, they are used as sandwich bread, the other blocks are the sandwich fillings.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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