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How to Use Geoboards to Teach Algebra

Hands-on activities can enhance a student's learning experience. Manipulatives, or hands-on teaching tools, allow students to handle physical objects and can be useful for teaching complicated concepts, such as algebra. Geoboards are squares with raised pegs and are a type of manipulative that is often used, in conjunction with rubber bands, to teach basic geometry and algebra concepts. There are a few ways to teach the algebra concepts of perimeter, area, Cartesian coordinates and slope using a geoboard.

Things You'll Need

  • Geoboards
  • Rubber bands
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place rubber bands on geoboards to create shapes like polygons, triangles, rectangles and hexagons. Have students find the perimeters and areas of those shapes.

    • 2

      Ask students to form shapes with one corner at a certain pair of Cartesian coordinates.

    • 3

      Ask students to flip and move shapes using the geoboard. They can create a shape, such as a triangle, out of rubber bands and then flip that triangle across the X- or Y-axis, noting how the triangle's coordinates change.

    • 4

      Give the students values of slope to graph on their geoboards. The students will create rubber band lines matching the given slope.

    • 5

      Have the students create their own rubber band lines and determine the slopes of those lines.

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