In this feature, we bring together activities which make use of the geoboard or pegboard, which is a wonderful resource for developing children's understanding of properties of shape, area and angles. There are two articles to read. The first offers guidance about the use of manipulatives generally and the second explains why we have selected these particular activities.
In this article for teachers, Jenni Back offers research-based guidance about the use of manipulatives in the classroom.
This article for teachers explains why geoboards are such an invaluable resource and introduces several tasks which make use of them.
A virtual geoboard that allows you to create shapes by stretching rubber bands between pegs on the board. Allows a variable number of pegs and variable grid geometry and includes a point labeller.
Take it in turns to make a triangle on the pegboard. Can you block your opponent?
How many different triangles can you draw on the dotty grid which each have one dot in the middle?
Can you split each of the shapes below in half so that the two parts are exactly the same?
How would you move the bands on the pegboard to alter these shapes?
How many different triangles can you make on a circular pegboard that has nine pegs?
Choose the size of your pegboard and the shapes you can make. Can you work out the strategies needed to block your opponent?
Place four pebbles on the sand in the form of a square. Keep adding as few pebbles as necessary to double the area. How many extra pebbles are added each time?