First Grade Learning App

What is the app "First Grade Learning Games"?

First Grade Learning Games is an app that is created to help first graders work on their curriculum in a fun and exciting way.  First Grade Learning Games has twelve mini games that teach them reading, spelling, math, fractions, compound works, contractions and so much more.  This app can help students review work they have been working on, or help introduce them to new concepts.  This app can help students, ages 6-8, master their knowledge in first grade curriculum.  This app helps students by engaging them in fun games, all of which helps students problem solve and work on their math, and literacy skills.  This app is easy to use, and fun for younger elementary students.  There are three games that are provided for free, but to unlock all twelve games you have to make an in-app purchase.  There are many games that the student can play, all of which are ways that teachers test their students in class.  The types of games that this app offers include:

• Patterns
• Ordering
• Word Bingo
• Compound Words
• Advanced Counting
• Add and Subtract
• Contractions
• Spelling
• Fractions
• Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives
• Sight Words
• Compare Numbers

Of the three free games that the app offers, students can play math games with patterns and ordering, they can also play a word bingo game for the free language game.  The games are simple enough to understand.  In the patterns game for math, a student must find the missing piece in a given pattern.  The game gives you four different options to complete the pattern.  By continuing to choose the correct shape or image to finish the pattern, you add to your streak.  If the student does not choose the correct shape or image, there is no penalty, but the streak goes back to zero.  If the student does choose the wrong image, it will disappear, and only three images will remain.  This continues until the correct one is left for the student to choose.  No matter how many times the student gets the answer wrong, the game will still cheer when the correct answer is chosen.  The patterns that the students complete have everything from basic shapes and colors, to animals and objects.  The patterns will get a little harder as your streak ascends.  

The other math game, ordering, is a little different than the pattern game.  In the ordering game, student have to listen to instruction to know what to do.  The game tells the student to pick balloons that have numbers on them and go either highest to lowest, and vice versa, or balloons that are largest to smallest and vice versa.  These are the basic options the students have on the default difficulty level.  If you decide to increase the difficulty level, the balloons will have letters on them, and if you want to decrease the difficulty level, the balloons will have simpler numbers and will stop moving around on the screen.

The language game, word bingo, requires the student to listen to the app for instructions.  When playing word bingo there are two different options for the size of the board to play on.  There is a four by four option, and a five by five option.  The four by four option has simpler sight words, while the five by five option has a little bit of harder sight words.  This game test the student's ability to pay attention and listen for the word given.  The words for bingo can be any number of sight words, and common words that first graders can make out.  This game requires the students to read either 16 or 25 different words to find the correct one.  There is no time limit, and no streak for this game.  

First Grade Learning Games Features

There are many good things about this app for first grade students.  This app helps first grade students practice their math and literacy skills outside of the classroom.  The app uses many ways to engage students, and have them have fun when learning.  There are many good things that this app does for students.  These games are all educational, even thought the student does not know that they are learning while playing the games.  This game is perfect for students who are trying to learn math, reading, writing and words.  The fun colors, images, and sounds help the students stay engaged.  Keeping your students engaged is very important in helping them learn the curriculum.  The worst thing about this app is that only three out of the twelve games are free.  If you want your child or student to learn for this game, then it would be best to pay for the additional nine games.  It is easy to use, and students have a good time learning how the app works.  Many parents, as well as teachers, enjoy having their children and students use this app.  Many people have reviewed the app, and said that this is an educational app that they enjoy using.  

You can use First Grade Learning Games in your classroom

This app can be used for many things in your classroom.  Although this app can only really be used in first grade, it can help with many different subjects that you teach for your curriculum.  The students can use this app to review content that you have already covered in class.  It is a great way for them to do their work, and think that they are just playing a game.  The first grade learning app is a great way to give teachers extra time to meet with students that need extra help.  This app will allow other students to practice at their own level, and own pace.  Since the students can chose their difficulty, they can determine how hard they need to be tested.

First grade learning games can be played on any sort of tablet or mobile devise.  Since this app can be played almost anywhere, the students can practice at their desk, in groups, or individually.  Students can play this game while the teacher, you, work with other students or on extra work.  This app is also a great tool to help test your students.  Students can play the games and try to beat their overall streak, to prove that they are consistent in their math and literacy skills.  You can either have the students test themselves, or have them all do a specific game and test them as a group.

What do I think?

The first grade learning games app is a good app for students to use in their classroom.  Although it is not the best app, because you have to pay for the majority of them, it is good for students to use to test their knowledge in a fun and exciting way.  This app might be best for parents, and have their children use it at home.  Although this app could be used in the classroom, it is best used as a review after your student has learned the curriculum that a game covers.

Reference

"Apps for First Graders." Best First Grade Apps. Retrieved October 1, 2016 from
http://www.theimoms.com/apps-for-1st-graders.html

"First Grade Learning Grades." Itunes Preview. Retrieved October 1, 2016 from
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/first-grade-learning-games/id530703273?mt=8

Learning Games [online image]. Retrieved October 1, 2016 from
http://www.theimoms.com/apps-for-1st-graders.html

Word Bingo [online image]. Retrieved October 1, 2016 from
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kevinbradford.games.firstgrade

Math Games in the Classroom

What is Math Bingo?

Math Bingo is an app that can help students to improve their math skills.  Math Bingo is an app that can keep track of multiple players scores.  Each player gets to write their name, and pick a character for their profile.  Once a student creates their profile they get to play bingo by answering math questions.  The students get to choice between working on: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or a mix of all of them.  After a student picks what they would like to work on, they get to choose what level they need work on.  There are three different levels, all of which get harder and more complicated problems.  When playing the game the students get timed, so they can see how fast they can get the correct answers and get bingo.  For every correct answer a student gets, they get a Bingo Bug.  If a student does not guess the correct number a Bingo Bug does not show up.  Students get a few incorrect scores until the game is over, or they get bingo.  Students earn more Bingo Bugs the more they play the game.

After a student gets Bingo, they have the chance to play three other different games: Bingo Bug Bungee, Math Stack or Math Fling.  Bingo Bug Bungee is a game where student have to collect as many coins as they can.  The students have to pull the cord down and launch a Bingo Bug to collect the coins.  The students only get to launch as many Bingo Bugs as they have earned by playing bingo.  Math Stack is another options that students get to play.  For Math Stack the students' objective is to stop the blocks from stacking up to the top of the screen.  They have to choose the solution to the math problem to get rid of the block.  Students can tilt the device to change where the blocks will land.  If a student chooses the incorrect block, then the number disappears and more blocks will continue to stack on the block.  This game ends when the blocks reach the top, and no more blocks can fall.  The last little game that the students can play once they complete bingo is Math Fling.

Math Bingo Features

This app can be extremely helpful for math students in elementary school.  Since the app has three different levels for all types of math problems.  The math and subtraction is good for the younger students.  The other students can work on their multiplication, as well as on their divisions skills.  The option for students to work on all of skills together keeps the students thinking.  Math Bingo would be very helpful for students to learn and master their math skills in elementary school.  The elementary school students can use this app to learn, review, and test their math skills in, and out, of the classroom.  This app can be useful to middle school students as well.  For middle school students, this app would be useful to review previously learned content.  This app would not be as useful in high school.  This app caters more towards the lower grades because of the types of bugs that can be earned, as well as the presentation of the app. This app gives students many different ways to play games that involve them solving math problems.  The different activities on the app allow students to use their skills in a multitude of ways.  Many families have reviewed this app and discussed how it is beneficial to their children.

One of the downfalls to this game is that it does not explain why students get answers wrong.  The game tells the students when they pick the wrong answer, but it does not show or explain why the answer they choose was wrong, or how to get the right answer.  The game gives the students a small amount of incorrect answers until they are done with the game.  The game does not discourage the students, just simply tells them that they got too many wrong.

How Math Bingo can be used in a classroom

This app can be used for many activities and lessons in an elementary school classroom.  Teachers can use this app to teach their students fluency in math problems.  The students can practice on this app in between lessons, and during free time.  Math Bingo can be used to test the students on their fluency, problem solving skills, time management, as well as a whole list of other things.  Math Bingo can get students enthused about math problems, as well as improve their math skills.  Once students learn the basic math skills they can practice Math Bingo on their own.  The app will tell the students when they are wrong, and reward them with a Bingo Bug when they answer correctly.  This reward system will give the students a boost and make them want to learn math.  Students get excited to learn when they realize that they get to play games while doing it.

Math Bingo can be played on an app on a tablet, or online.  Since the app can be used on computers, teachers can project the game and have students answer the questions.  The app can be used as an individual activity, or as a classroom activity.  Since Math Bingo can be accessed on a mobile tablet, or on a computer, then students can practice their math skills almost anywhere they are.

What do I think?

I think that Math Bingo is an excellent tool for students, and teachers alike.  This app is helpful for students because it gives them the opportunity to practice.  The app allows students to work without instruction from their teachers, allowing the teacher to focus on the students that need the most help.  This app is good for teachers because the students that don't need much instruction or help understanding math problems can work on their own, at their own pace, while the students that need help can work with the teacher.  Math Bingo is an excellent way to practice math skills.  The app will not teach the students, but it helps get them involved, and excited in learning math.

References

"Math Bingo - App Review." Math Bingo App Review. Retrieved September 9, 2016 from
ABCya.com, n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2016.https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/math-bingo#

Math Bingo [online image]. Retrieved September 9, 2016 from http://www.popsugar.com/moms/photo-gallery/30962755/image/30962765/Math-Bingo

Math Bingo Home Page [online image]. Retrieved September 9, 2016 from
 http://www.bestkidsapps.com/ages-0-4/math-bingo/

Social Media in the Classroom

Many people have mixed feelings about using social media in the classroom.  Teachers everywhere are incorporating sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger to educate their students.  Some people worry that there are to many risks in using social media in the classroom.  Guildford County Schools in North Carolina has some rules for their teachers regarding social media in the classroom.  Some of their rules include:

• Do not have personal relationships with students or their parents
• Do not write about, use video or a picture, of a student or colleague without their permission
• Make sure you keep your personal and professional social media accounts separate
• Do not post anything that is considered inappropriate on your page
• Keep in mind that you are always representing your school district

Teachers are held to very high standards when using social media in the classroom.  They must be extremely careful in what they post, and where they post it.  Teachers must take the school district, and their representation into consideration when they post a picture or a comment on social media.  If a teacher post something inappropriate about the school district, their students, or a colleague the school can use disciplinary measures against the teacher.  All of these guidelines created by the school district are put in place to help the students.

In years past students have been taught the social media of their time.  Students were taught how to write proper thank you notes, use proper telephone etiquette, and how to properly construct an email.  These things were taught to students at a young age to introduce the idea, not to use it as a main teaching technique.  Teachers across the country, and the world, have started to introduce social media into the classroom.

Ms. Wideen's grade 1/2 students have been using social media in their classroom to interact with other classrooms across the country.  Students use twitter and other social media sites to discuss classroom content and ask questions.

An example of using social media in the classroom would be Ms. Cassidy's classroom.

References
Holland, B. (2013, Jun 18). Introducing Social Media to Elementary Students. Edutopia.com. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/introducing-social-media-lower-elementary-beth-holland

tvoparents. (2013, May 21). Using Social Media in the Classroom [video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riZStaz8Rno

[Untitled image from laptop]. (n.d.) Retrieved from: http://www.mediavisioninteractive.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/shutterstock_193510199.jpg