A method for approaching the value of pi using a transparent sheet of parallel lines is discussed. (MP)

Math manipulatives that are made from inexpensive, common items help students understand basic mathematics concepts. Learning activities using Cheerios, jellybeans, and clay as teaching materials are suggested. (DF)

Using a geoboard to find polygons with given perimeters presents a problem which refines skills and provides an opportunity to inquire and discover. (MK)

The purpose of this study was to compare instruction in multiplication and division by means of manipulative materials and pupil discovery to instruction using abstract and semi-concrete materials combined with teacher explanation and exposition. The effect of the two methods on pupils' attitude and achievement also was compared. Ten classrooms…

It is viewed understandable that many teachers consider fractions one of the most difficult mathematical topics to teach. School experiences need careful planning to include sequential activities which develop accurate concepts, and concepts are thought best developed by activities which move along the concrete-to-abstract continuum. (MP)

The hypothesis was tested that students with a field-independent cognitive style would learn most about numeration systems if they had minimum guidance and maximum opportunity for discovery through the use of manipulative materials. Data were gathered on 46 prospective elementary school teachers. The hypothesis was supported. (Author/MH)

Presents a mathematics investigation in which students discover number patterns in physical structures and express their generalizations algebraically. (MKR)

Learning activities based on a geometrical puzzle that consists of rearranging triangles and trapezoids are used to teach concepts involving area. (MP)

Describes a series of learning activities built around number cubes. Sample activities introduce elementary properties of the cube, the magic rule of seven, and basic concepts related to graphs in the plane coordinate system. (PVD)

Presents methods for teaching two mathematical concepts that utilize visualization. The first illustrates a visual approach to developing the formula for the sum of the terms of an arithmetic sequence. The second develops the relationship between the slopes of perpendicular lines by performing a rotation of the coordinate axes and examining the…

A set of three worksheets is provided, along with a guide for the teacher. Using manipulative materials, students investigate the difference between the consecutive sums of the numbers along the three sides of a triangle. (MNS)

Presents three hands-on, discovery geometry lessons based on the use of special pieces called Polydrons by a fifth-grade class to build and investigate special properties of polyhedra and to stimulate students to think geometrically. Includes reproducible student worksheets. (MKR)

Five different triangle shapes cut from poster board or construction paper provide the springboard for student activities and discussions of a variety of geometric concepts from kindergarten to grade 8. (MP)

Presents a series of lessons that extend the concrete experiences many elementary students have had with attribute blocks to provide middle school students with informal opportunities to explore the concepts and properties of relations and functions. (DDR)

Presents a cooperative-learning lesson in which high school students visit stations equipped with different tools to establish the midpoint of a Pixy Stix, a brand of candy-filled straw. Provides solutions for two potential stations, suggestions to extend the activity, and two activity worksheets. (MDH)