FREE iPad Apps

The Math Learning Center

FREE Virtual Manipulatives

This post links you to two sites that have listings, descriptions and standards for several math apps to use on the iPad.  Most of the apps mentioned on this page provide a quick video (follow the link) on how to use the app once it has been downloaded.

The first link takes you to a list of twelve free iPad apps to use with students covering math standards such as number lines, number frames and geoboards.  The second link takes you to a blog all about educational apps for students and adults.  The three apps listed are for math and they are Geoboard by The Math Learning Center, Virtual Manipulatives and Equivalent Fractions by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.  The standards address for Virtual Manipulatives and Equivalent Fractions are listed beneath the app's description.  The apps would be a great tool for students to use in the classroom during centers time (if you work in a school where students have access to iPads) or as a whole group activity to be done simultaneously on the white board with the teacher (if there is access to a classroom set of iPads).

The standards addressed for Virtual Manipulatives and Equivalent Fractions are listed below respectively:

• 3.NF.3 – Explain equivalence of fractions in special cases, and compare fractions by reasoning about their size. Understand two fractions as equivalent (equal) if they are the same size, or the same point on a number line.
• 4.NF.1 – Explain why a fraction a/b is equivalent to a fraction (n × a)/(n × b) by using visual fraction models, with attention to how the number and size of the parts differ even though the two fractions themselves are the same size. Use this principle to recognize and generate equivalent fractions
• 3.NF.3 – Explain equivalence of fractions and compare fractions by reasoning about their size. Understand two fractions as equivalent (equal) if they are the same size, or the same point on a number line. Recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions, e.g., 1/2 = 2/4, 4/6 = 2/3). Explain why the fractions are equivalent, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.

The rest of the apps address the following mathematical domain standards: operations and algebraic thinking, number and operations in base ten, number and operations - fractions, and geometry.

Math Playground

Math Playground

This site hosts math games for grades 1-6 that align with the common core standards.  When you open the page, you will see several choices to sort the games (Math games 1 through "Common Core").  If you choose the "Common Core" tab, you will be able to choose your grade level and games that address those CCSS will be listed.  From the home page, you could also choose a game/learning activity from the section that is sorted by topic ("Addition and Subtraction" in the top left corner and the list continues to "Algebraic Thinking" in the bottom right corner).  Scrolling further down the page will bring you to two more fantastic resources: Thinking Blocks and Math Manipulatives.  The thinking blocks are used in conjunction with word problems to help students solve.  They first identify the parts and information given in the sentence.  Then they label the parts with numbers.  Then, they find the missing part and input the number.  They are available for word problems with addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, ratio and proportions.  There are several manipulatives at your disposal as well; everything from pattern blocks to spinners for probability to scales for fraction-decimal-percent comparisons are present.

Standards:
The games/manipulatives/thinking blocks are meant to be used with students in grades 1-6.  The games in particular are aligned to the CCSS and address the following mathematical domains for grades 1-6: operations and algebraic thinking, number and operations in base ten, number and operations - fractions, the number system, ratios and proportional relationships, expressions and equations, measurement and data, geometry, statistics and probability.

Fuel the Brain

Fuel the Brain

Fuel the Brain is a website catering to elementary school mathematics objectives, particularly grades K-3, by providing games, printables and interactives for students to learn and practice math concepts.  When you open the page, you will see a bar at the top where you can choose form different activities and resources.  If you scroll down the page, you will see the "featured game", the "most popular" games list and the "most recent" games list.  Scroll down a bit further to find a list of games broken up into the mathematics domains covered in grades K-3 (you can choose your desired grade level by clicking the bubble above the list of learning domains).  When you click on your selected game, the game will load.  Below the game window, there will be directions for and descriptions of the game.  the same organizational structure is present for both the printables and the interactives pages as well.
In the classroom, the printables are great resources for independent practice, homework and/or centers work.  The games and interactives are great to use on the white board for whole group or small group, providing interactive and engaging ways for students to work on the mathematics skills.

Standards:
The games and interactives address the following mathematical domains in grades K-3: counting and cardinality, number and operations in base ten, operations and algebraic thinking, measurement, data and geometry.

LearnZillion

LearnZillion

To access the resources in this site, you must make a free account.  Once that is done, you have access to video lessons and lesson plans for grades 2-12.  You choose your grade level, and when the page opens you have access to several lesson plans that address certain domains (listed at the top of the page [they're active links that will help you skip down the page to those lesson plans]).  The lesson plans have math practice and content standards identified for you.  Once you open your chosen lesson plans, you will see a "PowerPoint" with teacher notes in a bar on the right hand side.  As you scroll down the page, you will see the big ideas identified for the lesson plan, a summary for the lesson plan and content vocabulary identified for that lesson.  The video library is a little different in that you need to choose your grade level on the left hand side in order to sort the videos; you can also sort by Common Core Standard.  These lesson plans and video lessons are huge assets for teachers to use as whole group instruction and for students to see multiple representations of a mathematical concept.

Standards:

For each lesson plan and video lesson, the content standards and math practice standards addressed are identified.  Because the lessons are developed for grades 2-12, the mathematical domains addressed are as follows: operations and algebraic thinking, numbers and operations in base ten, numbers and operations -- fractions, the number system, ratios and proportional relationships, expressions and equations, functions, measurement and data, geometry, statistics and probability.  

Khan Academy

Khan Academy

When you open the web page to Kahn Academy, there's a drop down menu at the top of the page where you pick the subject to work on.  When you hover over "math", you are then able to choose your grade level (K-12).  When you choose a grade, there are several categories that come up for the grade level; for high school, you choose the concept that you want to address.  When you choose your desired skill, the activities are listed in order of difficulty/learning order.  For example, third grade area activities starts with "Introduction to Area" before moving on to measuring the same shape with different units and finding area by multiplying.  Once you click on the skill you'd like to address, students will be asked to do practice questions.  Students must get five questions in a row correct before they can move on to practice a new skill.  In the classroom, these would be great for whole group lessons and for whole class review before a test.  They could even be used as a center if the teacher pre-determined which skills to work on.

Standards:
These questions are meant for students in grades K-12 and cover the following mathematical domains: counting and cardinality, operations and algebraic thinking, number and operations in base ten, number and operations -- fractions, the number system, ratios and proportional relationships, expressions and equations, functions, measurement and data, geometry, statistics and probability.