Cuisenaire Rods & Activity Books

Description

Before a child can grasp the abstract ideas needed for computational skills, the concrete foundation must be laid. These colorful rods, based on a 1 cm. unit, accurately portray the volume of a number. They encourage tactile manipulation of numbers and model-building, patterning and spatial discovery. Rods are flexible - they can be used to model almost any mathematical concept and develop a wide variety of skills.

Cuisenaire Rods sparked our childrens interest in arithmetic through lively investigation and visual and tangible confirmation of math concepts. I first read about the rods in the 1980s. I liked them so much that I used them with all three of my children when they were young and in their early elementary years. They all started out by learning the Cuisenaire poem by heart to identify the numerical value of each rod. The rods were very handy to teach concepts and beginning operations of mathematics. I found them particularly helpful with multiplication and fractions. Oh, we did our share of making sets with dried beans, forks, sea shells, and buttons, but it has been the use of the colorful Cuisenaire Rods that has come to my rescue most conveniently and logically to demonstrate what is on paper in black and white!


For custom cuisenaire rod kits for schools, homeschool groups, or cuisenaire rod class packages please contact customer service.
Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Other
Other methodologies
Religious Content
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
Consumable
Consumable
Designed to be written in; not reusable.
Non-Consumable
Not designed to be written in; reusable.