What key skill are students likely developing by using geoboards in math?

Using geoboards in math primarily helps students develop visual and spatial reasoning skills. When students manipulate shapes and create geometric figures on a geoboard, they engage in activities that enhance their understanding of spatial relationships and properties of geometric shapes. This hands-on experience allows them to visualize concepts such as area, perimeter, symmetry, and transformations, which are essential components of geometry.

As they position rubber bands to form shapes, students are not only creating visuals but also exploring how different shapes relate to one another, understanding angles, and gaining a better grasp of two-dimensional and three-dimensional space. This tactile approach reinforces their ability to think spatially, which is crucial in many areas of math and real-world applications, such as architecture and engineering.