Attribute Blocks Whats Your Attribute What Are Attribute

Attribute Blocks: What’s Your Attribute?

What Are Attribute Blocks? 5 shapes: square, rectangle, triangle, circle, hexagon 2 thicknesses of each shape 2 sizes of each shape 3 colours (primary colours)

Sorting Attribute Blocks Kids Sorting

Curriculum Links and Activities Activity 1 - PLAY (GRADE 1) Specific expectation: Geometry and Spatial Sense; relating shapes to other shapes, to designs, and to figures. Activity: PLAY Create a figure or picture using attribute shapes Students will do a gallery walk

Activity 2 - Attribute Train (grade 2) Specific Expectation: Geometry and Spatial Sense; classifying two-dimensional shapes by geometric properties. Activity: Design some attribute trains. Rules: Each attribute block must have at least one attribute in common with the shape before. (More difficult option: subsequent blocks must have two attributes in common with the block before it, or even three. )

Activity 3 - Algebraic Thinking Table

Other Activities How many differences? First column has one block, the second column has blocks with one difference, the second column has blocks with two differences. Sorting: find two blocks that are the same in some way/different in some way (specify number of points of difference or sameness) Missing pieces (students must look for the missing piece in a group of blocks without touching them) 20 questions to guess what block it is Venn diagrams (2 loops, 3 loops) Guess my rule (rule may include two or three attributes) Continuing a pattern What’s the missing block? Algebraic thinking: giving shapes a value. Give an “equation” with the answer and the values of the other shapes, then ask the value of the final shape. i. e. =5 + = 12 What’s the value of the circle? Perimeter and area in “units” Probability (reaching into a bag; what will be pulled out) Mapping, opposite mapping (display some blocks, copy the display using shapes that are the same, or opposite) Alternative Algorithms!

Virtual Manipulatives National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (need Java, or download the app): http: //nlvm. usu. edu/en/nav/topic_t_3. html NCTM Illuminations (activities): https: //illuminations. nctm. org/Default. aspx Attribute Blocks Workspace: http: //www. mhhe. com/math/ltbmath/bennett_nelson 8 e/VMK. html? init. Manip=pattern. Blocks There also apps that use attribute blocks and other manipulatives.

Why use Attribute Blocks in your classroom? ★ Good introduction to logical thinking for young learners. ★ Fun way of learning colours and shapes. ★ Children learn new vocabulary; words like large, thick, thin and the names of the shapes. ★ Students can learn classification(sorting)skills, congruent vs. similar, fractions, proportions, patterns, comparison/contrast, patterning, and many other mathematical concepts and thinking skills.

Connection to Research: “So you have to Teach Math? ” Sound advice for K-6 Teachers. 1 -manipulative materials give students a way to make abstract ideas concrete 2 - manipulative materials lift math off textbook pages, and give students a way to get their hands on ideas 3 - manipulative materials build students mathematical confidence by giving them a way to test and confirm their reasoning 4 -manipulative materials are useful tools for solving problems 5 - manipulative materials make learning math interesting and enjoyable

Connections to TExt The Attribute blocks, as seen by the sheer number of applicable curriculum connections, go hand in hand with our preaching of Alternate Algorithms. Here is a highlight of the obvious curriculum connections!

Other Curriculum LInks: Measurement Patterning and Algebra Data Management and Probability Grades 1 - 3 are most applicable, but can be used in later grades as well. (Activity 3)