Tools Galore!

This week's tech challenge was to explore the website ClassTools.net which is a collection of tools that run the gamut from fake tweets and sms text generators to historical tools and puzzle makers.

I've gotta be honest, at first glance, the site isn't much to look at. It's kind of vintage web and a bit cluttered. 

BUT. 

It's also a ton of fun! One of those sites where you're on it for only five minutes, and yet somehow, an hour passes.

Fling the teacher is a customizable quiz game where yes, you can upload any picture and fling away. The Tarsia Puzzle Generator adds a new layer to those triangular puzzles with whatever custom questions a teacher enters. Below are two of the tools that I played with - both super simple and with so many uses in the classroom! 

The sample in the badge maker is to use it with historical figures. It can be used for anything you can imagine - from vocabulary to science concepts and anything in between!  The SMS Text Generator would be great for character conversations, foreign language practice... anything the mind can dream of!

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Math Is EVERYwhere!

Earlier this week, a first grader asked why we seem to be playing so many math apps during tech time. I told her that it's because everything, everything, EVERYthing is math! The answer satisfied her curious mind, and so I proceeded to introduce the new math app for the week.

The truth is, math is one of the simplest subjects in which to integrate technology. There is a plethora of math apps solely for fact practice (some rock, some sink) and there are even more apps that work in the problem solving realm. In my head, knowing problem solving is a critical skill, I strive to find engaging ways in which kids can practice.

Some of my favorite math apps are (in no particular order!)

Mystery Math Museum

Mystery Math Town

King of Math and King of Math Jr

Tiggly Addventure and Tiggly Chef Subtraction

Fetch Lunch Rush

Math Ninja AR

Math Brix

Math Doodles

The majority of these are problem solving games that reinforce basic math facts, all with a little twist. Math Ninja AR and Fetch Lunch Rush use physical movement to engage the kids. Mystery Math Museum and Mystery Math Town incorporate a story and (obviously) mystery element. King of Math and King of Math Jr are great for logic exploration at all levels. Math Brix brings in the good ole' fashioned lego blocks to supplement. Math Doodles is a personal favorite, because it takes me back to the fun of a game we used to have in the computer lab back in the day, Math Arena, and because it's doodle style imagery and animation make it memorable for kids exploring concepts like symmetry, angles, and more.

In addition (notice the math pun!), if you have access to an Osmo kit, their math games are unsurpassed - Numbers, Tangrams, and the newer, Math Wizard sets, make screen-time tangible!

As an aside, the game we played in first grade this week was called Math X Creature. To help make direct connections to their math lessons, the kids first completed a practice activity in Seesaw. I created it using screenshots from the game, and then we walked through the slides together to practice. It made the game waaayyyy smoother for the kids to play! I love the game because it is self-correcting, and it challenges the kids to think differently as the work through their math facts.

Yes, most of these are iPad and tablet apps, but some have versions that work on the web, so definitely consider spending some play-time exploring!

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