Rose, 

I started with a similar set to the one Stephanie mentioned (below).  I like to use them because they are so cheap that everyone can have a set, and can take sets home to use with their kids, who are often having similar problems understanding fractions. 

 

However, I have also accumulated over the years various commercial manipulatives--I particularly like Fraction Stax (google the name for more info) because students find them easy to manipulate.  Also have some cardboard pizzas, much cheaper!  The fraction stax are about $25.00 --by the time I paid for them in Canadian dollars, years ago,  they cost me nearly twice as much.  However, I have been using the same four sets of stax for 7 years, and not a piece is lost, not a piece broken.  Considering there are about 50 pieces in a set, I think that says something for the value students place on them. 

 

I also have been enjoying this week's discussion.  Thanks! 

 
Kate Nonesuch
Career and Academic Preparation
Malaspina University-College, Cowichan Campus
222 Cowichan Way
Duncan, BC
V9L 6P4
 
nonesuch at mala.ca
phone:  (250) 746-3565
Fax:  (250) 746-3563

 
________________________________


From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rose Steiner
Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 6:31 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 699] Re: Components of Numeracy

Kate (and others),

You mentioned  "we had the appropriate manipulatives for -halves, quarters, eighths, sixteenths, thirds, sixths, twelfths, fifths, and tenths."  

What exactly do you consider the appropriate manipulatives for these fractions?   Are there inexpensive ones that work well?  So many of our sites in Montana have limited funds and I am sure we are not alone.

We have used egg cartons (12 and 18 egg size) for many of these fractions.  But to do all of these, our class would need to make some adaptations to the cartons (i.e. cover up some of the egg slots so that are not a part of the whole, etc).   

I look forward to trying your 10 pages with my students.  ;-)

Thanks

Rose Steiner

I am enjoying this great discussion on the special topic of numeracy...


 

Stephanie Shultz wrote:    

I also taught in a low budget Adult Ed program. I made a complete set of equivalent fraction bars for my students using colored heavy construction paper. I had one strip that represented one whole. It was in one color. Then, using another color I made models for ½ of the original whole. Using a third color, I made a whole sheet of models of the whole divided into thirds.. I continued this way for several other fractional parts. I think I made the original templates on plain white paper and just filled the photocopy machine with a different color for each set of the fractions that I wanted the students to have. I cut out the strips and put the sets, which were now a collection of many different colors representing different fractions, in envelopes. The students used them when we talked about the basic definition of a fraction, for ordering fractions, naming equivalent fractions and for adding and subtracting fractions. It was definitely very cheap and as I recall effective enough for the work we were doing. 

 

 

 

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