After reviewing the free Web Resources Treasure Box, I had the opportunity to learn about some new possible resources to use in the classroom. The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives is most intriguing because there are Smartboard resources geared for children at all levels. I feel that many of the sites listed in the Treasure Box were aimed to be used with middle and high school students, but that they virtual manipulatives really cross across grade levels. For example, in the Fractions – Parts of a Whole program,teachers can select how many parts they would like a circle to be divided into. Students can click on fractional parts to change the color of that part of the fraction. This is a fantastic resource to use while completing word problems with an entire class. By calling just a few students up to the smartboard, the students can complete the difficult problem in a hands-on manner!
Other great resources include the adding fractions manipulative for students. I think that this particular program would be perfect for using in a fourth or fifth grade classroom. As a teacher in these grade levels, I might teach a mini-lesson on adding fractions, provide an in class hands-on activity related to the topic, and then bring the class back together in closure by selecting children to solve the virtual manipulative problems on the Smartboard. These problems provide immediate feedback and visual assistance for each problem. Student literacy skills will be enhanced as the children read the problems and process the format of the problems on the screen.
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| Image Credit: http://manicmathmadness.blogspot.com/2010/09/fractions-stage-1-4.html |
Thinkfinity has some great links for curriculum reinforcing games children can play. In particular, I was excited about a game called Coin Box This game displays a random assortment of coins, and then students count how much the money is worth. At the top of the screen, student’s type in how much the coins are worth, and then are able to check their work instantly. In a first grade classroom, I would use this manipulative during my morning meeting calendar time. In first grade, students often count the number of days in school by adding the same amount in coins. For example, for 120 days, the students would have $1.20 displayed. This program would supplement the money counting activity and would allow children to try problems harder than just adding one penny per day and then trading for larger coins. Students are enhancing their literacy skills by learning basic words related to counting coins (such as ‘value,’ ‘owed,’ or ‘change,’ etc. )
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A favorite resource that I use constantly at work is a YouTube video based off a kid’s song by Rhonda Crigger. This particular video really allows children to have fun while learning key money countings skills!
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