Kinesthetic+Activity

Type
DIRECT INSTRUCTION

Description
Kinesthetic teaching/learning experiences have movement at the center of their design. The movement can be simple physical activity alone, for example, role-playing or forming a human number line; it can involve experiments and demonstrations with real-world objects; it can involve the use of special manipulatives, for example, construction sets and math manipulatives.

Purpose
To enage kinesthetic learning pathways. To learn concepts and procedures through exploration of their physical models.

Range
Grades K+

Fruitility
Most students really like to move and work with their hands, so most **kinesthetic activities** are met with enthusiasm. These strategies can provide motor breaks as well as alternative means of comprehension and expression.

Features
I have taught early algebra concepts with the use of algebra tiles. They are powerful tools for modeling abstract mathematical ideas and I've seen many students profit from using them. Algebra tiles in particular have appealing tactile and auditory features and they are delightfully reminiscent of childhood's building blocks. For many students, experiences with these tiles help form an essential foundation on which they will be asked to build increasingly abstract structures. There comes a point where students are eager to work without them; they no longer require the scaffolding that **kinesthetic activities** have been providing. Note: Algebra tiles are a great tool, but they are not a universal touchstone for every individual. Some students, it seems, will always hate using them, claiming that "they just make everything even more complicated." That is what initial opposition to the tiles will sound like.