Place Value MAB 1.04

Place Value serves as a valuable digital resource complementing hands-on experiences in modeling numbers with Multibase Arithmetic Blocks (MAB). This application is particularly beneficial in situations where the use of physical blocks may not be feasible.

MAB consists of wooden blocks designed to help children grasp the base ten properties of the numerical system. Through physical manipulation of these blocks, students can create, build, model, and articulate the concept of place value. Terminology may vary across different educational systems, with MAB blocks commonly referred to as base ten blocks. The components include:

• 1 short block (unit, U) = one (1)
• 1 long block (stick, T) = ten (10)
• 1 flat block (H) = one hundred (100)

MAB can also be effectively used alongside a place value chart to assist in visualizing and accurately aligning the digits of a number.

While MAB is an effective tool for teaching place value, it should not serve as the sole material for this instruction. For early counters, real-world materials such as toys, stuffed animals, marbles, and beans are recommended. This approach should be followed by a transition to more abstract representations like counters and unifix cubes to model real-world problems.

Prior to the introduction of MAB, students should engage with everyday items such as ice pop sticks, straws, or pencils to create bundles of ten. Using a variety of materials allows learners to establish foundational concepts such as recognizing that ten bundles constitute one hundred. MAB, being a more abstract tool, should be introduced only when students are adequately prepared.

Little Monkey Apps has structured its MAB offering into a teaching module accompanied by three activities aimed at helping children build, model, and interpret numbers across three levels of complexity. The app is designed for use in collaboration with educators or tutors in both individual and small group settings, ultimately leading to independent student work.

The teaching module comprises various tools including MAB blocks, a removable place value chart, a number display, and a random number generator for engaging games. This module is intended for teacher-guided interaction that encourages discussion and exploration of real-world mathematical problems.

• Make the Number: Students read a numerical value displayed and utilize the MAB at the bottom of the screen to model the given number, confirming their answer through an interactive button. Levels range from Level 1 (up to 30) to Level 3 (up to 999).
• What is That Number? Students must unscramble the displayed MAB and position it correctly on the place value chart before entering their answer on the keypad, thereby enhancing their calculator skills across increasing levels of difficulty.
• Listen and Make: This activity addresses common place-value errors like digit reversals or mishearings. Students listen to a number and drag the appropriate MAB onto the place value chart before submitting their answer. Complexity increases with each level.

An essential aspect of teaching place value is the language employed. For instance, when discussing the number 56, it is important to clarify that it contains five tens (or fifty ones), whereas for 590, it has fifty-nine tens rather than just nine. When modeling these values, educators can engage students by asking about specific places in the number.

MAB offers multiple representation options for numbers; for example, 23 can be understood as two long blocks and three unit blocks or as one long block plus thirteen unit blocks. Each representation plays a crucial role in reinforcing understanding prior to introducing addition with regrouping or subtraction with trading methodologies.

While Little Monkey Apps Place Value enriches the learning experience through digital means, it does not aim to replace traditional physical manipulation methods involving actual MAB blocks or other tangible materials such as unifix cubes or small objects like beans or pencils.