Ideas are presented for using candy M & M's as materials to teach mathematics. Six different activities are reviewed. (MP)

This study examined the effects of visual aids and word structure on kindergarten children's learning of phonemic segmentation--a skill which correlates with reading achievement. Visual aids were the counters, squares, and pictures previously utilized by Soviet researchers. Squares contributed to segmentation of two-phoneme words. Error patterns…

This study was designed to determine if the use of manipulative aids facilitated learning of mathematical concepts and skills by preservice elementary teachers. Results suggest that demonstration of materials is as effective as the "hands-on" approach. (MK)

Misconceptions and abuses of manipulative aids for teaching mathematics are discussed, as well as suggestions for their more effective use. (JMF)

Students of English brought into the classroom subject-related objects, changing their room constantly as new ideas and concepts were encountered; their teacher believes that students contributing to the physical environment of their room are more imaginative and freer to try different activities than students who are passive and uninvolved. (JD)

Organizing, storing, and using materials for classroom games are discussed. Materials and directions are listed for three strategy games, three whole number games, three fraction games, and three geometry games. (DT)

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 activities to help students develop the notion of geometric congruence and similarity in a hands-on environment. (ASK)

Notes that Montessori classrooms provide children with the opportunity to explore and discover mathematics. Describes the introduction to Pascal's Triangle as a suggested opportunity to connect young children to deep mathematical truths. Provides teachers with materials requirements, and notes ideas on what can be acquired from the problem, the…

Contrasts student achievement using commercial curricula (CC) for initial fraction learning with that of using the Rational Number Project (RNP) fraction curriculum. Indicates that students using RNP materials had statistically higher mean scores on concepts, order, transfer, and estimation. Interview data showed differences in the quality of…

This study compared effectiveness of either a concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) or a representational-abstract (RA) instructional sequence in teaching fraction concepts to 50 middle school students with mathematics disabilities. On all achievement measures, students in the CRA group had overall higher mean scores than did students in the RA…

Described is a study in which three instructional approaches were applied in second grade classes. Discussed are proportional materials, nonproportional materials, nonproportional materials with pictorial models. Findings, results, and recommendations are presented. (CW)

Discusses the ways in which young children's minds can be engaged through play with a variety of manipulative objects and experiential activities in the day care environment. Such engagement encourages children's thinking and increases awareness and understanding of the world. (NH)

Describes the steps for making overhead manipulative materials on base-10 blocks, colored chips, place-value charts, number lines, and grids. Suggests the materials, procedures, and uses. (YP)

A bulletin board learning center was used to improve the spelling performance of students with learning disabilities in grades five-six. Using a fishing theme, the bulletin board became part of an instructional approach which involved tape recordings of spelling words, tactile learning, matching words to scrambled letters, completing cloze…