In addition to linear counting, the bead cabinet provides a concrete representation of abstract mathematical concepts. While children at this age are not able to verbalize these concepts, they can represent them. Through the use of short and long bead chains, number squares and cubes, and numeral arrows, the bead cabinet concretely demonstrates:
– skip counting — 10, 20, 30, 40, . . . 1000
– multiples
– squared numbers: six 6s = 36 = 62
– cubed numbers: ten 100-squares = a thousand cube
This concrete learning paves the way for future learning in the lower elementary.