Every Friday, I share a website (or app) that I’ve heard about, checked into, been excited to use. This one covers math. Since ‘math’ is by far the most popular search term of readers who seek out my blog, I know you’re going to enjoy this review.
Age:
3rd-5th
Topic:
Math
Address:
Review:
Brain Hurricane‘s Wowzers–recent winner of the CODiE award for the best classroom management system and K-12 solution from the trade group Software & Information Industry Association–is an online virtual universe designed to teach students basic math principles. It is built around the Common Core Standards and aligned to state standards for grades 3-5. Once students are logged in, they design an avatar and then go through a lesson selected by the teacher that is reinforced by a game. The ‘game’ is followed by a quest that requires an understanding of concepts learned in the lesson and honed in the games. That, in turn, is followed by a quiz. Correct answers are rewarded with Wowzer coins that can be used to purchase things like accoutrements for the student’s avatar.
Teachers can view a dashboard that summarizes each student’s progress.
The program costs $25 per student for 33 lessons or $7,000 per school.
Background: Wowzers was developed with the assistance of professors at Loyola University (Chicago), and a team of accredited educators. To date, it is only available in English.
Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.
