36 Domain-Specific Easy DIY Math and Science Manipulatives for Upper Elementary

Since the dawn of time, teachers have spent money on classrooms. But with the rising cost of food, energy, and much more, it’s been hard, and it’s not exactly as high on the priority list as feeding your family. Additionally, with teachers no longer spending their money on materials (which I support), it may become problematic if you don’t have certain materials. While some schools can share, some schools do not have enough to go around and have to have “sign-ups” for use.

Since your budget is the size of a peanut, I decided to round up 50 budget-friendly DIY math and science manipulatives for your upper elementary classroom that will save you money! In the long run, when you have laminated and stored your diy math and science materials, it will also save you time!

DIY Math Manipulatives

Sometimes, teachers will quickly grab a few items to represent something they are teaching. While this technique works, there are DIY math manipulatives that could easily be used in your classroom just as well. These DIY math manipulatives can be laminated and stored for repeated use in the future. I’ve listed the DIY math manipulatives below by domain.

Number Sense & Operations Hacks

• Playing Card Math: Who doesn’t have playing cards in their room? Playing cards can be used for many games related to place value, addition, multiplication, and probability. I even have some fraction cards that are free for you below.

FREE Fraction Cards

Just click on the image or click here to grab them today!

• Index cards: can be cut in half to create playing cards with shapes, fractions, and more. If you’re using index cards, turn them into “memory matches” by making two of the same cards in different forms. Throw them in a sandwich bag, and you’re good to go!
  
• Bottle Cap Math: Write numbers on bottle caps and use them for sorting, place value, and operations. Believe it or not, you can get them on Amazon here if you need them before saving every milk and Gatorade cap.
  
• Shower Curtain: Grab a dollar store (do they still exist?) shower curtain and turn it into a giant hundred or multiplication chart with a Sharpie, or play games such as bingo. Create life-size coordinate planes on shower curtains. Instantly, students are engaged and active.
  
• DIY Dice: Create your dice by finding templates online to fold and tape or purchase small square wooden blocks and a thin-point Sharpie. You can add any number you prefer – fractions, decimals, or even shapes!

Fractions, Decimals & Percents on a Budget

• Egg Carton Fractions: Take an egg carton, label sections with fractions, and use counters to represent parts of a whole. Egg cartons can also be used for division and/or multiplication. Of course, you’d have to find some eggs… and those are expensive. Nevermind.
  
• DIY Fraction Strips: Use colored cardstock paper, cardboard, or cereal boxes to make fraction bars. Then, have the students fold, cut, and compare. Ask if you can keep the best ones. This could easily be a DIY math and science idea!
  
• Decimal Number Line Wall: Tape a giant number line to your wall or floor using measuring tape for a more hands-on, active experience. Using cardstock laminated with a number line, have students use clothespins with decimals written on them for various activities, not just decimals. For example, if you cut circles, you could create wheel activities with the answers on the back of the clothespins for self-checking.

Geometry & Measurement That Won’t Break the Bank

• Tangram Puzzles: Cut tangram sets from cereal boxes for hands-on geometry lessons. There are many templates online. You can have your students do the heavy lifting: tracing, coloring, and cutting. You can also have them labeled with fractions if desired. Additionally, there are plenty of other templates online for math manipulatives.
  
• Painter’s Tape Angles: Other easy DIY math manipulatives involve using tape on desks or the floor to practice measuring angles, shapes, and perimeters. Make it even more fun using colored tape or glow-in-the-dark tape! You can also create angle measures from cardboard protractors.
  
• Toothpick & Marshmallow 3D Shapes: Have students use toothpicks and marshmallows to create basic geometry or build cubes, pyramids, and prisms.

Another quick idea is to use straws and twisty ties to make shapes for geometry or measurement, such as area and perimeter. I explain how to make them in this post. What’s great about these is that students will think they are just playing around!

• DIY Protractors: Print and laminate free protractor templates so every student has one, but you could go retro. I remember when I used to make them on overhead sheets so that every protractor was clear. If you have them lying around, use them! If you are tempted, here you go! Speaking of transparent sheets, don’t be afraid to reuse laminated grid papers or other templates with students.
  
• Geometry: Use string and chalk for outdoor geometry, fraction circles, or graphing activities. All kids love to go outside.
  
• Capacity: Every time I taught capacity, I brought in measuring containers from home. This always brought on great discourse about the importance of having the same whole and so much more. Develop capacity stations using these containers.

Data & Probability Without the Sticker Shock

• Cereal Box Graphing: Cut nutrition labels from cereal boxes or compare prices in ads online and have students graph data points.
  
• Paper Clip Spinners: I’m betting that nearly every teacher already does this DIY hack, but I had to include it! Draw a spinner on a laminated sheet, use a paperclip and pencil to spin, and record the results.
  
• Board Graphing: Use sticky notes for movable graphing activities. This is always a favorite among children!
  
• Surveys for Graphing: Implement student-created surveys using Google Forms (free). This is also. a great way to assess students informally. This post provides many other ideas for informal assessment.
  
• Reusable Materials: Design reusable graph templates with clear pockets for changing labels. Another use for these DIY math manipulatives are to laminate grid paper (many places online for free!) for reusable graph practice with dry-erase markers.

Budget-Friendly DIY Science Activities That Get Kids Hooked

Physical Science on a Dime

• Balloon Rockets: Attach a balloon to a straw on a string. Blow it up, let go, and watch Newton’s Laws in action.
  
• Homemade Magnets: Cut up fridge magnets and use them for force and attraction experiments. Another idea is to design magnetic exploration stations that use the refrigerator magnets.
  
• Water Bottle Density Towers: Layer oil, water, and syrup in a clear bottle to show density differences.
  
• When balance scales are needed as a diy science manipulative when teaching the scientific method or matter, for example, use rulers, string, and disposable cups.
  
• Electricity Testers: Explore conductors and insulators using plastic spoons, balloons, and tissue paper. Build simple circuits using aluminum foil, batteries, and LED lights from a local dollar store.
  

In the example below, we used paper bags to create electric vests as a stem project. Read about it here.

• Force and Motion: Use cardboard tubes and masking tape to create ramps and pathways. I’ve even stacked books with cardboard pieces or wood I have found lying around when we worked on our force and motion unit.

Earth & Space Science with What You Already Have

• Cloud in a Jar: Warm water + a jar + an ice-filled lid = instant condensation demo.
  
• DIY Rock Collection: Have students bring rocks to create a class sorting station. Explore the rock cycle using crayons and a heat source.
  
• Paper Plate Sundial: Stick a straw in a plate and watch how shadows move throughout the day.
  
• Edible Soil Layers: Use pudding, crushed cookies, and gummy worms to model soil layers (and have the best science lesson ever). Seriously, who doesn’t love food. I use food for many of my resources and lessons. If you’re concerned about nutrition or too much sugar, don’t let the students eat any (give a few) or all of it. There are other options, too.
  
• Build solar ovens from pizza boxes.
  
• Create erosion models using aluminum roasting pans or a paint pan liner. In the past, I would set up multiple stations with different scenarios for my students. A sandy soil, mixed soil, and other types of factors can be altered to discuss much like a stem project.
  

Explore Weathering and Erosion STEM FREE!

Just click on the image to grab it today!

Life Science That Doesn’t Cost a Fortune

• Plastic Bag Greenhouses: Place a damp paper towel and seeds in a Ziplock bag, then tape it to a sunny window to watch germination in action. These bags work great for creating the water cycle also.
  
• DIY Model Lungs: Use balloons, straws, and a plastic bottle to create a lung model demonstrating inhalation and exhalation.
  
• Pipe Cleaner Pollination: Pipe cleaners collect and transfer “pollen” (aka flour or chalk dust) between paper flowers. In this free pollination activity, I have my students transfer Kool-Aid sitting on cotton balls in a cupcake liner by a Q-tip. (Yes, food again, right?)

• Eggshell Gardening: Grow small plants in egg carton containers, empty milk cartons, old shoes, or styrofoam cups to teach about plant life cycles. Bird seeds grow the fastest. These can also be used for sorting stations.
  
• Habitats: When working on ecosystems and habitats, create multiple habitats using various materials from home. For instance, you can use a 2-liter bottle for a worm, fish, or cricket habitat. You can create an ant’s habitat in a mason jar. Below is an image of various habitats created from my Create Your Habitat activity.
  

The Bottom Line

Most of these materials in your home or classroom should help keep students engaged and interested. It will help you save money in the long run. Even if you aren’t sure what grade you will be in in the future, many of these can be transferable or used for remediation or enrichment. Lastly, while these are budget-friendly, they aren’t your classroom’s most valuable resources. That is your creativity and enthusiasm. That creates a more meaningful, authentic learning experience than commercial products can provide.

Finally, I will continue to return to this list as time carries on. Feel free to provide ideas in the comments to help your fellow teachers. Let’s save money and normalize teachers not spending their money on needed resources.