Math Magicians

By: Courtney Kern and Maci Schexnayder

What is Math Magicians?

Math Magicians is an app for students to practice their addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems. To make it child friendly, the numbers are cartoon characters. You are timed when completing the problems and the problems become harder the more you play.

Step by Step Guide:

1. Download the math magician app in the App store.

2. Once the app is downloaded and you have opened it, press the play button to begin the game.

3. When you start the game, a math problem will pop up and at the top of your screen a timer will begin, and you find the number that correctly answers the problem. Once you enter your answer, the timer will start over for each problem. You will have about 3 seconds to answer each problem.

4. When you get a problem wrong, the game starts over.

Benefits of Using Math Magicians in the Classroom

Math Magicians could be beneficial in the classroom during independent work time, or when a student finishes his/her work early. It could be used for extra help with math problems. It helps students master their math skills. Math Magicians helps track students progress and makes learning fun.

This app is free.

Additional Information

This app is filled with addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. Everything is timed. Students will try to answer as many questions as possible in the time frame. As the time goes on, the questions get harder.

Students can track their scores and compare them with their friends.

Classroom Activities

K.OA.2 Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.

Solve addition and subtraction word problems, and add and subtract within 10, e.g., by using objects or drawings to represent the problem.

I will begin the lesson by giving students a bowl of objects and a worksheet with addition and subtraction problems on it. Under the problem, there will be 3 boxes to represent the two numbers in the math problem. The student will use the objects to represent each number. The first box will represent the first number. The second box will represent the second number. The third box will be larger than the other two boxes to represent the whole. This uses the part-part-whole strategy. After the students complete the worksheet, they will get an iPad and play the Math Magician game. Which ever students get the most math problems right will get to pick a prize out of the treasure chest.

K.OA.4. Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.

For any number from 1 to 9, find the number that makes 10 when added to the given number, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record the answer with a drawing or equation.

I will give each student a certain number of m&ms. I will have a big bowl of m&ms in the front of the classroom. The students will count the number of m&ms they have, then go to the front of the classroom and take the amount of m&ms to make 10 from the m&ms they already have. When they finish, they will take out their iPads and play Math Magician. I will come around and check the m&ms. The first to get it right will get a candy.