Math manipulatives are very important in math as they help students visualize and internalize different concepts. Children need to hold math in their hands before they can hold math in their minds. Virtual math manipulatives that simulate the physical manipulatives and more are very useful with the new reality of virtual learning. There are some great free virtual tools on the web that can be used by students to practice skills and by teachers to explain different concepts. We have put together a list of our favorite math manipulatives, this time for the intermediate and high school students. The list is in the form of a google slide for easier access and sharing in virtual classrooms. Feel free to use it as it is or edit it according to your needs.
Check out our virtual manipulatives slide/list for grades k-4 here Grades K-4
Find the link for intermediate/high school manipulatives here
Do not add the link directly to google classroom. Follow the link and make a copy. Edit if you want and then add that link to google classroom.
Some information about these great math tools.
Toy theater is a great collection of educational games and tools for your elementary classroom. It is free and it is designed to work on tablets, computers and mobile devices. We love the interactive tools for number sense and practice. A great addition to your teacher/parent toolbox.
The Math Learning Center offers a variety of apps based on the visual models featured in Bridges in Mathematics. All apps are available in two or more versions: a web app for all modern browsers, and downloadable versions for specific operating systems and devices (such as Apple iOS for iPad). The Math Learning Center (MLC) is a nonprofit organization serving the education community.
Mathigon’s Polypad is a great set of virtual manipulatives: polygons, number and algebra tiles, fraction bars, tangram, and so much more. It’s completely free and works on desktop, tablets or phones.
Didax offers an ad-free collection of Virtual Manipulatives. These are free and will continue to be available throughout the 2020/21 school year. You can download the icons and add these tools and activities to your virtual classroom.
Didax offers an ad-free collection of Virtual Manipulatives. These are free and will continue to be available throughout the 2020/21 school year. You can download the icons and add these tools and activities to your virtual classroom.
Desmos is a free graphing and teaching tool for math available on the web as well as on iOS and Android. In addition to plotting equations, classroom activities are available to help students learn about a variety of math concepts. With a free Desmos account, students and teachers can save graphs to revisit later.
Founded in 2002 by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder creates free interactive math and science simulations. PhET sims are based on extensive education research and engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery.
More suggestons for virtual tools and activities coming soon.
