Software suggestions needed

[Dan P.]

Hello:

I'm new to MACUL, and I am looking for software recommendations. I am a new Media Tech at an elementary school. When I arrived here, the software on site was incredibly outdated. I have since gotten a site license for Study Island for grades 2-5. This program is working very nicely, but I really need ideas for Math for grades K-3. Many of our children are not at grade level and the Study Island is simply too advanced for our second graders.

Could I have some ideas for Math programs for lower elementary? I have looked into Accelerated Math, but some of the staff are unimpressed. Also, I'm not a big fan of Math Blasters and Reader Rabbit, but I'm willing to be influenced if you have positive experiences with these programs.

Thanks for any help you are able to give.

Dan

[Ron Houtman]

Dan:

I found one that is pretty cool about 3 months ago for a colleague... it's called Timez Attack from Big Brainz software. I think it's a bit too high of a level for your K-3's - but I don't know what math is being taught in those grades.

Also - take a look at Super Smart Games where you can drill down to age appropriate games for the group your speaking of.

I hope this is a good starting point!

Ron

[Ben Rimes]

Timez Attack is definitely worth looking at. It's free, and elementary kids LOVE it because they get to play a game that looks, feels, and works just like a game on their playstation, and yet they still work on math facts.

I would also highly recommend checking out the National Library of Virtual Math Manipulatives from Utah State University. I gaurantee you show these and play around with a few of them in front of a few elementary teachers, and they'll love it. Virtual geoboards, place value, probability, and more can all be found on the site (and it's all for free!). There's also a free trial download for you computer, but the web based stuff is always free.

[Dan P.]

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I'll check them out.

[Sherry McVay]

One that we are looking at (although the price is slowing our decision) is Aha Math from Learning,com. Like Study Island, the program is web delivered so it can be used by students at home. But unlike Study Island, it isn't all read the lesson take a multiple choice test, it uses flash animations to really lead the kids through the process. We have the Learning.com product for technology instruction at our lower elementary and the teachers love it. Aha Math is $12 per child per year and Easy Tech is $11 per child per year.

[Kelley Irish]

I am a public school teacher witha small budget and i service the nonpublic schools so there is never any $$$. I use almost all Open Source software . You can find my list Here The brower based web 2.o list I use is Here.

Favorites by grade level
K-2 Kid Pix, Tux Paint, Tux Typing, Logo, Kinetic lab,Symbol Sandbox,Gcompris,Flux time,Math Carnival, and Virtual Puppets

3-5, Movl, Google Earth, Google Street Maps,Tess, Westpoint Bridge Design,Graph it, timeline maker, puzzlemaker,Office, Photostorysqueak and squeak toys, Lego digital designer, and Comic Life

6-8- Gimp, Win moviemaker, toolfactory slide show, flicker, bubblus blogmeister, PBWiki, Slide.com Alice, Flash, html, Scratch ,Alice, Storytelling Alice,Camtasia, Celestia,Qlipboard, Picase2, Inspiration , Ldraw, Morpheus, and Game maker 7.

[Gina Loveless]

Think carefully and consider what is out there free. The only paid software I had in my lab was Microsoft Office. Everything else was free. With the availability of free web stuff and Web 2.0 tools at your fingertips, spend wisely if you spend at all. The BBC has many good programs. Check out the latest that Gail Lovely has posted on her site. She's always heavy K-3 stuff. I don't know if Grey Olwit (sp?) has more stuff or not. FunBrain always had some fun math games too.
I know there are K-3 teachers that have all kinds of good things bookmarked already. Laura Cummings has a Pageflakes page for Resources that are broken down by curriculum area. That's just one example of a MACUL member that has it together and is sharing. Do some looking.............

[Nicholas A. Hay]

We are looking at software for our K-2 grades for the upcoming year. Last year, we purchased a program called KeySkills and this software is something you may like to look into. It won't help with K and first grade much, but second through fourth has been working out pretty good for us.

[Sherry McVay]

This isn't for math, but it is free and very cool...did you see that Adobe is offering a lite version of their popular Photoshop program via the web for free? The site offers 2 gig of online photo space as well. Check it out!

https://www.photoshop.com/express/index.html

[Patti Harju]

What Math series does your school use? Some will have an online component.
I have also just begun visiting Schooltubegames.com with my second graders. They don't have much yet, but the Add it Up game is a nice addition game, and the US Geography one is also fun and educational.
Also check out the National Library of VIrtual Manipulatives.

[Kelley Irish]

Have you used the virtual Math manipulatives http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/grade_g_2.html

Also try illuminations http://illuminations.nctm.org/WebResourceList.aspx?Ref=2&Std=1&...

This makes a widget put of any website so you can host it http://snippage.gabocorp.com/

On line virtual pattern black http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_169_g_1_t_2.html

This is a free download GeoGebra http://www.geogebra.org/cms/

Computation practice with free download of Math Flight http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Games/Educational_Games/Math_Fli...

My kids love Timz Attack for multiplication practice avilable free at http://www.multiplication.com/ los of on-line computation practice there as well.

[Dan P.]

Thank you all for your advice. I have found some wonderful free online resources, but I'm always looking for more. The nicest free site I've found on my own is Starfall for young readers. We also have many ELL students, and Starfall is great for them, also.

Thanks again taking time to help me out with your wonderful suggestions.

Dan

[Margo]

If you have kidspiration or kid pix there are a lot of math activities that can be incorporated, without having to get additional plunk and play type software programs that are pricey. You can get a lot of ideas from the inspiration website as well as online stuff. In the archives of my blog there are some things here and there, http://hayhur.typepad.com/fryling.

good luck!
-margo