Right Start Math Manipulatives

[WhirlyBirds]

I'm trying to build my own manipulatives kit for the Right Start Math second edition. Do you need all of the manipulative for every Level? I'm specifically wondering what I need for Level B. Do I need the drawing board kit? The geometry panels? Goniometer?

[kirstenhill]

Are you in 1st edition or 2nd edition?

[WhirlyBirds]

I want to get the second edition.

 

[kalusignan]

Absolute necessities IMO: abacus, basic cards, place value cards, base ten cards, centimeter cubes, square inch tiles.

 

Other manipulatives like multiplication cards, fraction cards and chart, math balance, geometry reflector, geo board, etc. aren't used often, so I would just get the book, an abacus, and some cards and start working through. You'll get a feel for what you want and what you don't think is necessary as you start using it.

[WhirlyBirds]

Thanks, that's going to save me a lot of money! ;)

[kirstenhill]

At least in 1st edition, you don't need the drawing board, drawing tools and goinometer until Level C.  But I know they moved some material around so it's possible some of those drawing lessons moved down from C into B?  The board isn't an absolute requirement if you have a nice smooth table to work on, but T-square and triangles are necessary for the lessons when you get to them.  You probably can find them locally as well (maybe an art supply store?).

[scoutingmom]

At least in 1st edition, you don't need the drawing board, drawing tools and goinometer until Level C. But I know they moved some material around so it's possible some of those drawing lessons moved down from C into B? The board isn't an absolute requirement if you have a nice smooth table to work on, but T-square and triangles are necessary for the lessons when you get to them. You probably can find them locally as well (maybe an art supply store?).

Michaels in Canada has the triangles and t square. Do you have Michaels in the States? I bought an artist canvas (very thin) at a dollar store that was the same size as the drawing board and used the smooth backside. I did this when I had 2 students in level C, but only one board.

 

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[WhirlyBirds]

UPDATE: I just decided to call Right Start to make sure and she told me that one of the changes to the second edition is that you use all of the manipulatives starting at Level B! I guess that's good that they are getting to use a wide range of tools, but kind of bad for my wallet!!

[Kiara.I]

Yes, you do use them (almost) all.  But as kalusignan said, not often.

If you're planning to continue on with RS past B (some people do B planning to switch to something else after...) then buying them all now actually does make sense financially, unless you can find a bunch used for cheap.

 

If you're planning to switch to something else later, then you could get away without some of them by modifying the lessons they're used in.  So for example, the drawing board, triangles and T-square gets used heavily in C, but not really in B much.  The goniometer I think is used in only one lesson in B.

[Jackie]

UPDATE: I just decided to call Right Start to make sure and she told me that one of the changes to the second edition is that you use all of the manipulatives starting at Level B! I guess that's good that they are getting to use a wide range of tools, but kind of bad for my wallet!!

Sort of true.

 

The last ~25% of the level includes *brief* introductions to a wide variety of topics that will be explored in further depth in later levels. During that section of the book, you do pull out nearly every manipulative... for about 1-2 lessons each. I decided to pick and choose which concepts to introduce at that time, and using which manipulatives. We went through most of Level C before leaving RightStart and there are still a LOT of manipulatives that I never used because they were never even suggested for more than 1-2 lessons and we just didn't need them. YMMV.

[WhirlyBirds]

Jackie, would you mind sharing what you did use for levels B and C?

[smarson]

I recently saw RightStart packages on HSBC but they were a bit different than what's on RS's website.  It's not significant but I wonder if this may help save some money?

[Jackie]

Jackie, would you mind sharing what you did use for levels B and C?

I am traveling right now. If you bump this in two weeks or send me a PM, I'll respond when I'm back at home near my shelves of school stuff!