Look what my kids showed me this morning!

Prodigy www.prodigygame.com is a totally free, super engaging web based math game. The kids create their own wizards who must complete challenges and earn rewards all while practicing math that is aligned with the Ontario Curriculum.

Here is what the founder of Prodigy had to say...

When my co-founder and I started Prodigy, our goal was to get students as excited about learning math as I was about playing Pokemon as a child.  As teachers, you’ve likely seen this excitement in your own classrooms, but one overriding question keeps coming up – does all of this excitement lead to quantifiable improvements on standardized test scores?

To figure this out, we dug deep into data from one of our first districts, Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB in Ontario, Canada.  The data shows that highly active schools on Prodigy had 11.6% more students meeting standards on EQAO testing (Ontario’s standardized test) compared to the previous year.  This represents an 11.5% difference over inactive schools, which only saw a 0.1% improvement.

Here is what my 9 year old had to say after playing for just a few days. "My friend showed me Prodigy the other day and i've been playing it ever since (when I'm allowed). I love it! I battle monsters while I earn rewards and level up. I choose the grade level and the questions are challenging but fun."

My 6 year old says "Good. you get to name your own guy and you get to have battles. Some of the questions were hard but i figured them out."

As a teacher I can set my whole class up and monitor their progress. The game promises to differentiate based on the child's progress.

I like that within the question screens kids have access to manipulatives (counters, ten frames, etc.), a chance to figure the question out by hand, lessons if they don't know how to do it and the chance to have the question read to them. Sometimes if the students get a question wrong it will give them a hint and/or another chance.

Seeing Dots

SpotTheDots

By Catherine Bruce

iTunes Description
Spot the Dots is a game for young children developed by Dr. Catherine D. Bruce of Trent University, with support from her research team including teachers in Ontario Canada.
Technical development: Devon Armstrong, University of Waterloo

For Ages: 3-7

Goal of the Game: Builds the ability to recognize quantity quickly at level 1. This ability to suddenly see a quantity is also known as subitizing.
At levels 2 and 3, the ability to add quickly makes the game more challenging and increases skills of adding quantities using visual clues such as rows of dots that can be added or sudden recognition of 5 on one square and adding-on from this 5 to the other squares.

Instructions for the Game: Figure out how many dots you see in total on the screen and tap that number as quickly as possible. Then press GO for the next set of dots.
For each correct answer, Spot the Dog gets a bone. When you have earned 20 bones for Spot, go to the next level.
At levels 2 and 3, you must add all the dots on the screen together. If one square has 5 dots and another has 4, then your answer is 9. Tap that number as quickly as possible. Then press GO for the next set of dots.
Once you have earned 20 bones for any level, you have completed that level.
You can see how many bones you have earned by clicking on the bone on the screen. Spot can eat the bones – just tap on a bone on the bones-earned screen!

From Card Game to App

This is one of my favourite card games. Its fast paced thinking on your feet. The app is great if you cant find a friend to play the card game with...sadly my husband refuses to play with me anymore. This app is $5.79 but there are free variations like Groops or cheaper ones like Tri which is $0.99.

 

 

SET Pro HD

By Set Enterprises, Inc.

To find a SET you must recognize three cards on the gameboard of 12 cards in which each of the features, examined independently, are either the same on the 3 cards OR different on the 3 cards. That’s it. One rule. It is deceptively simple. Thus, it’s easy to learn. A 6 year old can do it. But it’s a challenge for life, and mastering it challenges college students and their professors. The game has two levels Basic and Advanced. All players, regardless of age need to learn using the Basic level. Once you get the idea down, move to the Advanced level where you will experience the depth and richness of the mental challenge of SET. The Advanced level is the complete SET game. Of course, since SET is a game for all ages, younger players may take longer to be able to play the full game. Basic level has 3 features that anyone can master. Advanced level has four features, which is a challenge for all.

Sushi Anyone?

Here is the iTunes description for a new game I just found. Lots of fun with some great strategy and reasoning built in.

Sushi Monster

By Scholastic

Meet Sushi Monster! Scholastic’s new game to practice, reinforce, and extend math fact fluency is completely engaging and appropriately challenging.

Strengthen reasoning strategies for whole number addition and multiplication by helping monsters make a target sum or product. Earn points with each correct answer… but watch out for distractions! To be successful, plan ahead and strategically select numbers from the sushi counter.

Brainbending Apps by Instant .CJ

Exercise your brain and flex your learning muscles with this group of apps. Here are the iTunes descriptions. All of these apps are free!

Move 24:a brand new 24 point game

By INSTANT.CJ

As you know the 24 Game is an arithmetical card game in which the objective is to find a way to manipulate four integers so that the end result is 24.This is a brand new 24 point game for you.Are you ready for a serious challenge? Give it a try!
← : Addition
→ : Subtraction
↑ : Multiplication
↓ : Division

BlockTile:new concept find path game

By INSTANT.CJ

BlockTile is a new concept find path game.To solve the puzzle draw a path to fill out entire board and all numbers on board equal to zero. Don't be fooled by the simplicity, it's not as easy as it looks.Are you ready for a serious challenge? Give it a try!

number [1] on board: Line that can be passed only once.
number [2] on board: Line that must be passed twice.

Sedoku - Colored Sudoku Game

By INSTANT.CJ

Sedoku [Sè (色) color and Doku (独) single] is a game based on sudoku. In 6x6 mode,the goal of Sedoku consists in filling the board which contains 36 boxes with different colors.There are 6 sectors, 6 columns and 6 lines. You must fill the color of all boxes without it being repeated in a column, line or sector.

Features:
- 6 modes (3x3 Easy, 4x4Medium, 6x6 Medium, 6x6 Hard, 6x6 Crazy, 6x6 Evil)
- Hundreds of challenging puzzles for you.
- Simple, elegance, and challenge.

Segon:Simple Number Match Game

By INSTANT.CJ

Sugon is a bain puzzle game based on Segon(https://itunes.apple.com/app/id953141152)
How to Play:
The gameplay is simple,rotate and match the number edges to solve the puzzle.

Superheroes and Math!

Numbers League

By Bent Castle Software

 

Villains lurk in the streets of Infinity City. Our only hope is the Numbers League. Assemble a team of superheroes and use the sum of their incredible powers and ingenious devices to capture as many villains as you can.

In Numbers League, clever use of basic math skills will save the day. The more you play the sharper these skills will become until no villain is safe from your numerical onslaught.

Ages 5 and up. The Minion-level game can be mastered by a five year old, the Superhero-level game will challenge even math-savvy parents and teachers, and Custom levels allow for a learning experience anywhere in between.

Play with your family, your friends, or by yourself-- up to four players can play on a single iPad.
Also, three robots of different skill levels are ready to join in any game.

Tally ho! Use your fingers, use your toes. Use a pencil and a piece of paper if you like. Use the hint feature to show you what’s possible and a timer if you want to make the game even more challenging.

McGraw Hill Math Apps

Below are the itunes descriptions of these apps. In each case we have added our reflection as well.

Everyday Mathematics® Monster Squeeze™

By McGraw-Hill School Education Group

McGraw-Hill’s Monster Squeeze game reinforces number recognition and offers a quick and easy way to practice number line concepts and number comparisons. This two-player game runs on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

Players take turns finding the secret number on a number line. In each round, the monster designates a secret number on a number line. Players try to guess this number by clicking one of the numbers. If the number chosen is larger than the secret number, that number and all larger numbers on the number line are covered by the monster. If the number chosen is smaller than the secret number, that number and all smaller numbers on the number line are covered by the monster. Players take turns clicking numbers until one of them identifies the secret number and wins the round. There are a total of 5 rounds in a game.

What We Thought
Great for students working on comparing and ordering numbers to 10. A fun game to play with a friend.

Everyday Mathematics® Tric-Trac™

By McGraw-Hill School Education Group

Players take turns rolling two dice, finding their sum, and then matching the sum to one or more numbers in their hand. Every match eliminates that number or numbers from a player’s hand and reduces their score. Players try to eliminate all the numbers in their hand. Play continues until no more sums from the dice can be matched to a number or numbers in a player’s hand. The player with the lowest score wins the game! Visual and audio reinforcement of correct and incorrect answers help players master addition facts and comparison skills.

What We Thought
Its the app version of Shut The Box which is a big favourite of ours. Lots of problem solving as the game progresses and students need to find ways to represent their numbers.

Everyday Mathematics® Divisibility Dash™

By McGraw-Hill School Education Group

Players are presented with a target divisor and number globes in the playing area. They click the number globes to create a two-digit multiple of the divisor and eliminate the number globes. Players earn points for each correct multiple. When players can find no more two-digit multiples for the given target divisor, they click the target divisor button to get a new divisor and release more number globes into the playing area. If the player clicks for a new divisor when the number globes already reach the top of the playing area, the game ends. The objective is for players to earn as many points as possible as they clear and eliminate all number globes from the playing area. Players win by eliminating all 60 globes!

What We Thought
Gets students thinking about multiples and factors in a fun way.

Everyday Mathematics® Name That Number™

By McGraw-Hill School Education Group

Players use five number tiles to build number sentences that equal a target number. Players can name the target number by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and/or dividing the numbers using as many tiles as possible. The more tiles the player uses, the more points he or she earns. There are a total of 5 rounds in a game. Visual and audio reinforcement of correct and incorrect answers helps players master math facts and order of operations.

What We Thought
Lots of thought has to go into this one. It really pushes students to apply their computational knowledge in a creative manner.

A Great App for Younger Students

Numbers and Counting
by Eggroll Games
Free

This app is great for young children who are learning to subitize.

iTunes Description

Number recognition and learning to count has never been more fun and intuitive!

With "Show Me" and "Peek" features, play comes easy even for young learners.

This app adheres to Common Core Standards for kindergarten math and was designed by parents and teachers.

NUMBERS IDENTIFICATION:
• Match numbers to numbers
• Match numbers to the group with the same number of items
• Hear the numbers as you touch them
• Discover new numbers, designs and layouts as you play

COUNTING:
• Count items and match them to their number
• Match picture cards with the same number of items
• Pop balloons and hear them count
• "Show Me" option keeps cards face up for easier play

There's an App for That

There are literally thousands of math apps for kids available. Most of these focus on helping kids get better at adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing or concepts like shapes, time or measurement. While these apps can be helpful many of them do not give kids a chance to practice the higher order thinking that is part of today's math programs.
We have done our research and have a number of apps that we would recommend. These apps allow for more problem solving, creative thinking and application of math concepts.
The first app we would like to highlight is Math Lands.

Mathlands

iTunes Description
Kids are too often faced with math exercises that are mechanical and dull. They learn to solve problems without any real understanding of the underlying mathematics. MathLands was designed by game lovers and teachers to remedy this problem. In this interactive app, kids will be asked to exercise logical and critical thinking but in the context of gameplay and puzzle-solving. The concept is called "learning through play" and it will change children's attitudes towards math.



Teachers and parents who are looking for more engaging problem solving resources will love this app. Especially our puzzles and games and our unique *interactive* word problems written in the form of funny comic strips.