Image Map

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Lima Bean Addition

Way back when I first started teaching (over 10 years ago already!!) I entered a classroom with very few supplies and of course I had no money of my own to buy expensive teaching supplies with.  One of my most-used math manipulatives that year were lima beans that I bought at the store and spray painted one side of.   Ten years later and I am still using them with my students!  

We just finished our math chapter on addition, so I pulled out the lima beans for some independent addition practice.   
 I have a whole set of these lima bean recording sheets, all hand-made.  They definitely could be polished up.  It's on my to-do list, and I'll be sure to share them when I finish.
 But, maybe in the meantime you can find manipulatives in your own classroom to use for addition practice.
 Or, you could head to the store for some dry lima beans and spray paint. :)

1 comment:

  1. Hand-made lima bean sheets. Um, that makes me happy! I can just picture you free handing each little bean with care. We are farm girls- what type of crop can we use for math next year? Corn kernels?

    ReplyDelete