Slice Fractions: Schools Edition
The prehistoric Fractions Challenge
APP DETAILS
Developer - Ululab
Age – 7 to 11 year olds
Subject – Mathematics
Score – 88/100
Price – £4.49 / $5.99
App Store Link - http://geni.us/Y2k
Play Store Link - Not Available
Amazon Store Link - Not Available
Windows Store Link - Not Available
App Review
Fractions are just one of those topics within mathematics that children seem to have difficulty grasping, so any app that can enhance understanding in this area has to be welcomed.
There are actually quite a lot of fractions apps on the market but none of them are quite like Slice Fractions. It is really more like a game than a traditional learning app but do not let that fool you into thinking that the educational content is limited. On the contrary, there are ample opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of fractions and the game play is such that they will stay motivated and engaged throughout.
The app is set in prehistoric times and users take on the role of a friendly woolly mammoth who is trying to make his way through the icy landscape. Unfortunately for him his progress is continually being blocked by a series of obstacles. Users have to apply their knowledge of fractions to enable him to progress through each scene.
Slice Fractions is nicely animated with sharp, colourful artwork. The challenges are also well graded, taking children from basic fractions through to more complex forms. In particular, Slice Fractions explores the tricky area of equivalent fractions. Indeed, users will soon find themselves lifting out a piece of scrap paper and studying the on screen fractions to find common denominators.
Slice Fractions is produced by Ululab and when developing it they cleverly sought advice from math learning experts at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). This collaboration has clearly paid off because the end result has been an app that achieves the twin goals of being both educational and fun to play. Add in to that a high degree of challenge and you have a winning formula. Slice Fractions would be a perfect app to set as a group challenge in a classroom context.
In addition to the fractions element, this app also requires an understanding of basic physics. It is not enough for students to work out the fractions, they also need to move the blocks in a set order to successfully clear the path for their woolly mammoth.
Slice Fractions Schools contains the same levels as Slice Fractions but also includes a set of tools for teachers. There are no ads or in-app purchases.
Peter
Educational App Advice
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