How can we create and integrate virtual (digital) manipulatives into our teaching?

Even though when we hear the word "manipulatives", we may think of elementary school or math class, virtual manipulatives can play a role in just about any grade level and in a variety of content areas. Be sure to explore the examples to get an idea for how exactly these work in Google Drawings and how they can work in Google Slides.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for more examples in other content areas!

SAMR / 4 C's

Augmentation Level on SAMR

Critical Thinking / Communication / Collaboration*

You can submit for this badge TWICE!

Examples

Making Change - For this one below, be SURE to make a copy and open it! Then go to View and zoom OUT. The manipulatives are located off the actual canvas.

This MUST be a teacher-created ORIGINAL product. Please do not File - Make a Copy and turn in someone else's design. :-)

125 XP (Up to 250 XP)

This badge can be earned twice.

TO EARN THIS BADGE

1. Create an activity in Google Drawing or Google Slides that uses some type of virtual (digital) manipulatives.

2. EITHER get a shared link to the presentation (Anyone in the .ORG can view) OR you can submit the presentation directly from Google Drive.

3. Submit the link or upload the creation here or click the Request A Badge link in the menu.

4. Don't forget to tell how this aligns to the content you teach!

Resources

Adding Integers with Google Drawing

Creating Manipulatives for Kindergarten

Creating a Drag and Drop Assignment in Google Drawing

Creating Google Draw Activities for Younger Students

More Examples

Remember, open these in Google Drawing, don't just preview. Be SURE to zoom OUT when you open these to view the manipulatives that are often not on the canvas, but located off to the side.

Build a Snowman ver2

This take a bit of a different angle, using Google slides where students create a snowman using a variety of supplied images. Then students write about their creation.

Learn more about this here on Control Alt Achieve.

Collaborative Magnetic Poetry

Open in Google Drawing to view ruler and directions.

This is a full-fledged lesson, but this gives you an idea about how Google Slides can work with manipulatives.

First Grade Tens and Ones Hyperdoc

Kindergarten Fiction / Non-Fiction Book Sort

This is NOT a template, only a screenshot.

This activity integrates a Google Drawing INTO a Google Document. It's also a manipulative, but this one works a bit differently. When distributed to students as each student gets their own copy, they can each edit their own drawing and then complete the writing activity.

Build a Sundae

BCSS Teacher Exemplars

Open in Google Draw (not preview) and then go to View - 50% to see manipulatives in many cases.

Jade Yarbrough - RMS

T-Ordering Integers On a Number Line - Jade Yarbrough

Rebecca Crook - WES

Zoom out after opening to see manipulatives

Andrea Mason - CLES

Soft C/Hard C sound sort - Andrea Mason

Andrea Mason - CLES

Zoom out after opening to see manipulatives

Short Vowel Sort - Andrea Mason

Kiana Wheeler - WBHS

2017 - 18 Exemplars

Andrea Mason - CLES - 1st Grade

Anna Humble - BRES - 4th Grade

Becky Hasty - AHS -

Designed for 7th Grade Social Studies

Holley Ziemann - BCMS - 7th Grade

Sarah Camp - CLES - 5th Grade

Jessica Knight - YES - 5th Grade

Robyn Allen - BRES - 1st Grade

Ashley Bailey - BCMS - 6th Grade