FTCE Pre-K Prekindergarten PK-3 Practice Exam

Students studying fractions manipulate fraction blocks to learn about adding and subtracting fractions. Which level of development as described by Piaget does this activity demonstrate?

1. Formal operational stage

2. Preoperational stage

3. Concrete operational stage

4. Sensorimotor stage

The correct answer is: Concrete operational stage

The activity of manipulating fraction blocks to learn about adding and subtracting fractions aligns with the concrete operational stage of development as described by Piaget. This stage typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11 and is characterized by the ability to perform operations logically and understand concepts of conservation and reversibility. In this context, children are using tangible objects like fraction blocks to visualize and understand the process of addition and subtraction with fractions. The use of concrete materials allows them to grasp abstract mathematical concepts in a hands-on way, which is a hallmark of the concrete operational stage. At this level, children can think about relationships and operations involving physical items, facilitating their learning of more complex mathematical ideas in a concrete manner before they move on to more abstract thinking in the subsequent formal operational stage.