Nestof3 Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I bought a kit at a thrift store years ago, and now I have no idea why I did? I haven't figured out anything interesting to do with them. So far, I like my place value cubes, rods, and flats the most. We use the abacus some as well, but not as much. I also have Cuisenaire rods which we haven't used yet, though I have some resources that show me how the can be used in lots of ways. Tell me it's time to get rid of them. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 They were mainly used for building army forts for little plastic soldier guys. They served that purpose quite well, but were very rarely used as math manipulatives. I did use them for some basic arithmatic instruction though. Oh, and our cats always loved swatting the cubes around the floor. I still occasionally find a Unifix cube underneath a couch, or way in the back of a closet. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akmommy Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Well they kept my preschooler (when I had one) busy for a good 15 minutes or so while we got a little work done, he will still drag them out now and then to build forts and what not. Like Michelle said there were other math manipulatives we prefer when we are actually doing math.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share Posted March 11, 2008 Akmommy: I love that quote. I will have to share it with my husband. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Mine become Star Wars spaceships. I don't know why I keep them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 It just struck me as really, really funny!!! I know exactly what you mean and I am no help at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akmommy Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Akmommy: I love that quote. I will have to share it with my husband. Thanks. It's one of my favorites and so true. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 My ds6 uses them for math to add/subtract. Dd2 loves to sort them by color and snap and unsnap them. We use them for graphing. I also have a book with lots of great ideas for games, teaching, etc. Of course, I'm a math manipulative junkie so we have LOTS of math blocks, etc. MUS, Unifix, Cuisenaire, Base 10 blocks/rods/flats/cube, pattern blocks, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in VA Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Same here! We use them a good bit as math manipulatives in the younger years. Dd6 had a "lightbulb moment" with them last week when she had snapped together her sets of 10s, each in their own color, and all of a sudden she realized what I have been meaning when I say you can add 10 of anything - 10 ones, 10 tens, 10 apples, 10 swings - together, just tell me how many 10's you have total. That probably makes very little sense -- sorry! It's late here. But, we use them for addition/subtraction, patterning, measuring, etc. They also get used to make toy forts, toy roads, etc. If you don't use yours, though, then by all means, get rid of them! I have way too much stuff I keep, and I'm not sure why! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I bought a kit at a thrift store years ago, and now I have no idea why I did? I haven't figured out anything interesting to do with them. So far, I like my place value cubes, rods, and flats the most. We use the abacus some as well, but not as much. I also have Cuisenaire rods which we haven't used yet, though I have some resources that show me how the can be used in lots of ways. Tell me it's time to get rid of them. LOL They are really good for the beginning student. When kiddo was 3 I would say "Give me..........3 Black ones" and he'd dutifully break off those and hand them to me, and then ask for his choice. At 4 and 5 it was a good visual cue that 2 and 4 and 6 were related. Now I pull them out when he needs to "work out" something. He isn't ready for the pencil work for addition (too busy thinking) and we are just graduating to using the number line. Once that is tight, I think the cubes will go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 My ds6 uses them for math to add/subtract. Dd2 loves to sort them by color and snap and unsnap them. We use them for graphing. I also have a book with lots of great ideas for games, teaching, etc. Of course, I'm a math manipulative junkie so we have LOTS of math blocks, etc. MUS, Unifix, Cuisenaire, Base 10 blocks/rods/flats/cube, pattern blocks, etc. What book do you have Sue? I am always looking for more ideas to use our math manipulatives. My 2nd and 3rd son just love doing activities with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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