Math Apps and Applets

2048 in the Apple App Store
     This app helps students practice basic addition in doubling while also working with patterns and mathematical logic. You start with 2's. You swipe the screen up, down, left, or right to add the twos together. This continues in a pattern of 2, 4, 8, 16 and so on. You must think about which way you swipe the numbers in order to add them together and create bigger numbers without filling up your board. When you do the game is over. This app helps students with simple addition that gradually gets more difficult while working with patterns in doubling. Students must use their logic skills to avoid filling up their game board because they must think about how they will move their number tiles. This app is simple to use and to understand. I like that this app helps with patterns and addition while it is a game. The students are thinking without realizing it. I wouldn't use this game in my curriculum, but I would allow students to play this game during free time or recess in order to keep them thinking about math while they may not even realize it. It is good addition practice to keep their minds working.

Basic Division: http://www.adaptedmind.com/index.php
     The specific applet I choose to look at from this website focused on division. It included a combination of word problems and basic algorithms into the game. In the beginning you choose the lesson you wish to work on and then you get to choose a character/monster as your game piece as you move through the levels in the lesson. The game levels map reminds me of the way it is set up in Candy Crush Saga. I think that this is a positive to keep students intrigued and wanting to continue to see which level they can reach. There are many positives and negatives to this applet. It is set up so that a parent can type in their email and it will save their child's progress in the game. This is a great feature. However, after the one-month free trial is up you have to pay for the use of the website which could be problematic if using this in a classroom. It only lets you play the first level without signing up, but I am assuming that each level gets progressively more difficult. This is good because it helps with student progression. I also like that when a student answers the question their is an button that says "explain." If a student is struggling with the problem their is a video that explains the problem to help them better understand. I could see using this applet in a classroom setting during center time. I think that it would really benefit students. The website as a whole includes various different lessons over grades 1-8 so it can be used throughout as you teach new concepts as a valuable practice tool for students. I also like that it benefits students at all different levels whether it be struggling, at grade level, or students who are excelling. Students can move through the levels at their own pace.

Base Blocks Addition: http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/category_g_2_t_1.html
     This applet helps students practice their addition skills by using base-10 blocks. On the right hand side it gives them a problem and the representing base-10 blocks on the left. The students can move around the blocks and combine them together to create larger units. Students can also create their own problems which can help with practice on problems they struggle with. This could also be used as a beneficial study tool as well. I had to play around with this applet a little bit to figure it out, but once you do it is simple to use and I think it would be easy for students to use once they are showed as well. I think that the visual representation that this applet provides can benefit students and help them to better understand the concept behind an addition problem rather than simply how to find the answer. Overall I really like this applet and would use it in my classroom as another means for students to learn and practice their addition skills.