Technology Anthology- Emily Giarratana

The Math Blaster Hyperblast app is intended to be used by elementary-aged children. It incorporates learning math into a fun race game similar to video games like Mario Kart. The game allows kids to choose their own lesson, based on what they want to learn or need the most help with. Lessons include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions and standard form. In order to play this game well, a child would need to have some prior knowledge on the lesson he is completing because it is a race against the clock for the player to get the most math facts they can. It is also important for the child to be able to read because the directions are a little complicated at first as they have to shoot away obstacles and collect power ups to advance to each set of math facts and complete the levels. This resource is definitely appropriate for elementary-aged children as it would supplement the math concepts that they are learning in school and challenge them while still being a fun space-themed game. 

The Sums Stacker app offers a great way for elementary-aged students to sharpen their addition skills in a much more engaging way than flashcards. It is a math puzzle that give players different representations of numbers such as dice, fingers, tally marks, coins, Spanish words and asks them to stack them according to the desired sum at the bottom of each stack. The different representations of numbers allow the game to be made harder or easier depending on the skill level of the player. It is important that each player can recognized numbers and their values as well as perform basic addition problems. More advanced players might be asked to read (in English or Spanish) and recognize Roman numerals, Arabic numbers, or Braille. I would absolutely recommend this app to families because it promotes problem solving and critical thinking, while exercising kids' understanding of basic math facts. I also think that this game should be extended to include subtraction, multiplication, and division to serve more kids' needs.

The Marble Math app is based on the Common Core Curriculum so it is very relevant and helpful for elementary school students. It focuses on mental math, so it is geared towards students at the upper-elementary level (grades 4-6). However, there are three separate difficulty levels, so students can work their way up to the top while still having fun and solving puzzles. One of the best parts about this app is that parents and teachers are able to customize game play for each individual student based on the areas where they need the most help. There is also a wide variety of math facts in each section which keeps the game challenging and keeps kids focused. Players can also replay questions or reveal the correct answer if they were incorrect at first. The concepts tested in this game include addition/subtraction, multiplication/division, fractions with varying denominators, Roman numerals, factoring, decimals, negative integers, counting money, and simplifying equations. It would be helpful for players to have a background in these areas in order for them to feel comfortable playing Marble Math.

Mathmateer is an app that has kids answer math questions in order to earn money to build a rocket ship and complete objectives in space. The math missions that they will encounter include numbers, telling time, U.S. money, 3D shapes, and arithmetic. These math missions are different every time and can range from even and odd numbers to square roots, making this game a great learning tool for all elementary school students. This game also has three levels that will accommodate students of all skill sets. I would definitely recommend this app because of the variety in lessons and the importance it places on managing money and sharpening skills to improve the high score.