In a seemingly infinite realm of math apps, I decided to narrow my search for the one I would review by using a few test subjects I had at my disposal. I downloaded several math apps that I have played with and handed my iPad to the kids I baby-sit for. They opted to experience the Math Ninja HD Free app because "Ninjas are epic." Math Ninja HD Free is a defense game with basic math skills entwined throughout as defense strategy. The app begins in story mode; a ninja (protaganist) has irritated an evil tomato (villian) who apparently dislikes math and people who are good at math, and wants to defeat the ninja by sending evil animal robots to destroy the ninja's tree house. Side-note: this game and its storyline seemed to make a lot more sense to the kids than to me.
Hyperlink: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/math-ninja-hd-free!/id373814902?mt=8
Cost: Free
Pros: The name and the theme of this app immediately caught the attention of the second and fifth grade boys I sit for. App users have the option of choosing which and how many math categories they will be tested in. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are all available with the option of choosing just one or all to study. Money is also used throughout the game; users earn dollars by successful math problem completion and game play and may spend the money to upgrade weapons and more efficiently fight the evil robots that hate math. The game has a story that accompanies it, encouraging reading and comprehension, and there are small portions of game play where there is no math used, providing a break, sustaining interest, and providing added incentive to app users.
Cons: The math skills are very basic and too simple for the reading level of the story; primary grades would be the math audience but may have a difficult time reading/understanding the story. There is some simulated violence, which not all parents or schools will condone, even if the violence is against robots and evil vegetables.
Classroom Use: I would designate this app as a free-time activity to be done in pairs. The different levels of reading comprehension and math skills would make the app a great activity for multi-grade "buddies" or pairs within the classroom. The students could trade off between trials; one student solves the math problems while the other plays the manual dexterity portion of the game and vice-versa.
I found this to be a very fun and entertaining game while still learning my math skills at the same time. This might be a fun activity to do with the whole class if you get done early one day. If you have a document camera you can place the iPad under it and call a different student each time to beat a section of a level. Students would be excited to volunteer and take ownership for kmowing their math facts. It would be important to stress that even if mistakesare made there will be no bad talk to the others. Keeping track of who has had a chance to go will help to make the playing time fair. The class will work together to beat the different levels. Students would have a positive time with math and maybe play it at home if they like it enough!
ReplyDeleteThis was a very addicting, fun game right away. I agree on the pros in that it's a great exercise that will catch a child's attention right away. It's nice that you can choose which type of category you want to be quizzed on, that you work with money, and work on reading skills.
ReplyDeleteThe violence factor may indeed keep some children from playing this game but if the child is encouraged to play with their parent, the adult may see how innocent the game is and how beneficial it is to their child's math knowledge.
Your idea in having the class participate in a game is a great idea and would encourage them to tactics their math skills and master them. If flashcard exercises are done each day, maybe this game could replace them. They would be reviewing a variety of math problems and forced to remember what they learned in order to do well.
Another great app that is free that is similar to this app is math dragon. In order to advance to the next level, mathematical equations need to be done by the dragon (the player). (I personally like math ninja better.) Both these games would be a great way to encourage students to practice math in their free time and to show them that math doesn't have to be boring.
I was attracted to this game right away, because let's face it, who doesn't love ninjas? The mind-numbing music, the boomy sound effects, and the fast-paced cartoons are sure to captivate students. However, the math in this app felt disjointed from the rest of the game, as if it were added to the app as an after-thought. Whether this is a pro or con, I do not know; perhaps it sugarcoats the fact that it is in fact educational. Katie, I thought you had a great idea of letting two students use it in a station. As long as one student does not get bored, it could really encourage teamwork and peer teaching. Other than that, I do not think that this game would be the best fit for a whole-class lesson. If students owned their own ipads, it would be a fun game for them to have after they go home after school.
ReplyDeleteI found this game to be entertaining and educational at the same time. It reminds me of the old math blaster game that my aunt would let me play at her house to improve my math skills. I would definitely use this in my classroom for my students to practice their math skills along with just having fun playing this addicting game.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of using this app under a document-camera. I think that may solve my "math/reading level dilemma" - as a teacher I could help the students understand it or even have them elaborate on it as a fun activity. Anna, thanks for the props, and I agree the ninja music is hypnotic.
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