For many math educators, teaching with manipulatives and visual models can feel like speaking another language. Most of us never learned them in school. And with so much content to cover, they might feel like just one more thing packed into the curriculum.

But when it comes to conceptual learning, there’s just no substitute for teaching with manipulatives and visual models.

In this workshop, you’ll learn the theory behind visual models, as well as the practical strategies to bring visual models to your classroom.

The Challenges of Teaching with Manipulatives and Visual Models

Does it feel like the visual model lessons in your textbook leave your students more confused than before?

In many classrooms, manipulatives sit on the shelves. And when they are used, they can become a distraction, with students making a mess or just playing with them like toys. So how can you be sure that teaching with manipulatives and visual models is helping them to learn the important concepts?

If any of these challenges sound familiar, this workshop is for you. By the end of this session, you’ll have all the tools and concepts you’ll need to get the most from visual models and manipulatives.

How to Get the Most from Teaching with Manipulatives and Visual Models

Visual models and manipulatives help students progress through the concrete, representational, and abstract phases of conceptual understanding.

As students develop their understanding of numbers, operations, and associations, it’s important for them to be able to both interpret and create physical and visual models.

In this workshop, you’ll learn the the visual models that best support conceptual understanding in middle school. We’ll also explore planning and assessment as it relates to teaching manipulatives and visual models.

Topics include the following:

• Numbers: Counting, Base-10 understanding, and fractions
• Operations: How to model all four basic operations
• Associations: Modeling equality, patterns, and functions
• Common visual models: arrays, number lines, and area models
• Aligning to Your Grade-Level Standards
• Visual Models Planning and Assessment
• Considerations for digital and remote learning

Workshop Overview

Teaching with Manipulatives and Visual Models in Grades 1-5 consists of 6 hours of hands-on, interactive professional learning. Sessions are conducted in real time, with a live facilitator. You’ll solve problems and engage in discussions with fellow educators.

As a participant, you’ll learn how to teach with manipulatives and visual models, and you’ll receive copies of all the print and digital classroom resources to help you bring what you learn back to your classroom the very next day!

Unit 1: Numbers and Scale – Learn the importance of using scale models to support numeracy.

Unit 2: Modeling Operations – Explore strategies to represent operations with whole number and fractions with physical and visual models.

Unit 3: Associations and Standards – Use models to represent equality, patterns, and functions. Connect models to your grade level standards.

Unit 4: Planning and Assessment – Learn to plan units and lessons that incorporate visual models. Use manipulatives and visual models for formative and summative assessments.

Save Your Seat

Enrollment is open to all elementary school teachers, administrators, instructional coaches, tutors, and homeschool parents.

We accept payment by credit card or purchase order.

For more information on any of our workshops contact us at [email protected]

If your school or district is interested in group pricing and custom professional development packages, schedule a free consultation with one of our education experts.

For more on teaching with scale models, read our article, How Visual Models Level the Playing Field for All Math Students.

About the Presenter

Jeff Lisciandrello is an expert in math curriculum and student- centered instructional practices, with over 15 years experience as a classroom teacher, curriculum designer, and instructional coach. In Jeff’s workshops, educators, don’t just hear about differentiation and inquiry-based learning, they experience them first-hand. You can connect with him via Twitter @EdTechJeff