**Abstract**

The conversion of teaching to distance learning was a major challenge for all those involved in education. For elementary school-aged students, in particular, the transition was enormous, especially in mathematics. A research project in Austria investigated which features of activity-based, tools-supported mathematics instruction were helpful for mastering mathematical tasks during distance learning. The results of the research project show that action-oriented, tools-supported teaching, in which Maria Montessori's didactic mathematics tools were used, was helpful for mastering mathematical tasks during the time of distance learning. By working with tools, the students were able to build up inner images of mathematical content and contexts. These inner images favored the process of abstraction, and they could fall back on these ideas during the time of distance learning.

**Keywords:** elementary school, hands-on-activities, research project, inner images, Montessori education
