I hadn’t planned on researching more math resources this week, but a fantastic fifth grade teacher asked me to find something for her accelerated math students. And here is a little secret that most wouldn’t know about me…I’m a closet math geek. I actually considered getting my master’s in math (that was pretty short-lived since as an el ed undergrad I hadn’t had complex math classes since my senior year in high school). So, I am happily exploring more math games this morning.
I hit on a winner right away. MathLands is designed for ages 7 on up. It has six logic and number games for developing math reasoning and problem solving abilities. There is even features designed especially for parents to help them guide their children in solving each puzzle. Some of the puzzles I solved within a few seconds (you go to the next level each time), but a couple I couldn’t solve without first reading the instructions and the hints. They should be good for students in grades 3-8 depending on the skill level.
The next math app I found was IXL Math. It is for grades PreK-6. The best part is that each grade level is broken down by topic (i.e. Geometry), and then by concept or skill (i.e. Identify planar and solid figures). It is set up similar to a multiple choice quiz. The player is timed, and receives a score for each problem. The nice part is the step-by-step explanation when you get an incorrect answer. This app would be great as a pre-test review, homework replacement, or for fast finishers who have extra time at the end of a class period.
Those are my two math gems for the week. I have a couple other things I wanted to include in this blog that are unrelated to math, but totally related to technology (great seque, right?).
Quick Key is an app designed by a classroom teacher to quickly scan and grade your assignments. Watch a short explanatory video here. He grades a stack of papers while talking and filming this video in a minute and a half. The great news is that it’s free (and coordinates with PowerSchool!!!). The bad news is that it’s just on iPhones right now, and not iPads. It’s still in the development stage, so I’m assuming it will be available on iPads soon.
Last bit of tech info: October is Connected Educator Month. I will host Manchester’s first after school Tech Time on Wed., Oct. 2 from 3:30-4:30. All Manchester educators are invited to attend and BYOD. We will be exploring Twitter and how to use it to connect to other educators. Hope to see you then!
Twitter is amazing! I hope a lot of people come to this meeting!