Cuisenaire Rods
This document from the NCETM gives a good introduction to Cuisenaire rods with lots of examples. https://www.ncetm.org.uk/files/110720776/ncetm_ks3_cuisenaire_rods.pdf
Below are a few more ideas you can try. I recommend that you try these for yourself with a set of rods or using interactive rods online.https://mathsbot.com/manipulatives/rods
Fractions
This is a nice task to try with years 7 to draw out prior knowledge and misconceptions. You can link this to equivalent fractions, improper fractions, decimals and percentages.
If light green represents 1 what do the other rods represent?
If yellow represents 1 what do the other rods represent?
If green represents 1 what do the other rods represent?
If orange represents 1 what do the other rods represent?
If red represents 1/5 what do the other rods represent?
If red represents 1, show me 2 of ½ and ½ of 2.
If light green represents 1, show me 2 of 1/3 and 1/3 of 2.
Adding Fractions
20211115_222044.mp4Paul Nwaolise - Enigma Secondary Teaching for Mastery Specialist
Create your own fraction walls.
Dividing Fractions
Using rods allows students to see division of fractions as grouping (lots of).
Have a google search for Cuisenaire rods and you will find lots more on fractions.
Averages
Mean with Cuisenaire rods
Averages from frequency tables
estimated-mean-grouped-frequency-with cuisenaire rods.pptx
Sequences with Cuisenaire rods
The rods on the left form the sequence 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ...
The first term is always made from white rods. Each white rod is one in length.
The third term is always made from light green rods.
Light green rods are equivalent to 3 ones.
The tenth rod is equivalent to 10 ones.
How many ones will the 100th rod be equivalent to?
How many ones will the nth rod be equivalent to?
The rod size varies or changes depending on its position in the sequence.
We call this a variable
Rules for building sequence
The first term you can use ones
The second term you can use red rods and ones
The third term you can use light green rods and ones
The fourth term you can use pink rods and ones etc
