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REVIEW OF MATH MYSTERIES – ADVANCED FRACTIONS Publisher: Richard Abrams www.tomsynder.com
1-800-342-0236 Target
Population: 4th-8th
grade Subject
Area: Mathematics Reviewer’s
Name: Pat Whitman (Middle School
Mathematics)
Math Mysteries
provides students an opportunity to solve word problems involving fractions. The program’s menu directs the
student through a problem-solving progression of understanding the problem,
collecting important information, solving the problem, and checking the
answer. This software
package includes two programs: one for the teacher to use for demonstration
and the other for the students to use to practice what they learned. Using
one computer, the teacher uses the Whole Class CD to model how the program
works. Students break into
collaborative groups of four as the teacher navigates the program for the
class. There are animated
characters in the program that present a unique word problem that all the
groups work to solve. The teacher
selects a different individual each time to present the solution to the
class. Using the Random Group
Picker function included with the program can be a fair way to select a
student. There are seven
problems in the Whole Class CD, each taking about ½ hour to go
through, and are of increasing difficulty. The
Whole Class CD prepares students to use the Mystery CD on their own or in
pairs. With the Mystery CD,
the students trek through Students
use the worksheets provided to record information and solve the problem. They can then use the MathPad included
in the program to record important information and to check their answers. The MathPad acts as an on-screen
calculator.
The
content is appropriate for the target population of 4th to 8th
graders. The word problems
are of varying difficulty, and most require several steps the students must
reason through. The content is
accurate and the programs are easy to navigate through for the teacher and
student. The characters in the
program are diverse in terms of gender, age, and race. Math
Mysteries will meet state math standards for many middle school curriculums. Students work with fractions in
learning the fundamental aspects of problem-solving. They quickly learn that word
problems don’t always come in the form of a question. They also have opportunities to use
various communication skills.
Students’ use of proper mathematical language is
reinforced. TECHNICAL QUALITY: The
process to install and run the software is straightforward. It is easy to navigate through the
menus within the program. While
running the Whole Class CD, it is recommended to use a large TV monitor for
ease of viewing and external speakers for good sound quality. While using the Mystery CD, students
will need earphones. The
program requires quick time and the CD-ROM will install a recent version of it, if
necessary. Visually, the
game is appealing to play.
It looks and sounds like a video game. The sounds are clear and the voices do
not get annoying as with some programs.
The characters are well-developed and varied, and students will find
some of them humorous. Arrows
on the screen indicate direction of movement through the program. Students can choose which problems to
solve first, can move on and return later. The student’s file can be saved
to resume playing later. There
are some bugs in the software that compromise the program. I discovered two occasions where the
MathPad was unable to calculate.
This prohibited me from finishing the game. The software could be improved with an
ability to go back a screen and with an undo button. USE OF TECHNOLOGY: The
software makes good use of technology and provides a way to supplement
classroom learning. Visual
learners will enjoy Math Mysteries and benefit from using the programs. Its use is more for reinforcing prior
learning than for learning something new. The worksheets included in the
manual are an integral part of using this program. Students use them to structure the
problem-solving process. Math
Mysteries includes a tracking sheet so the students can mark how far through
the program they have gone and it can be printed for review by students and
the teacher. ROLE
OF STUDENTS: Completing
the Whole Class CD with the teacher allows the students an excellent
opportunity to work in groups of 4-6 students. Small group work provides a
great learning experience, particularly for middle school students. As individual students present the
solutions to the class, they are able to practice communication skills and
use proper mathematical language.
The
Mystery CD allows students to think and work at their own pace. As students proceed through each
problem, their problem-solving skills are reinforced. They learn to identify what is being
asked in the problem and how differentiate between important and unimportant
information. They need to explain
each step and show their work.
The tracking sheets can be used by the teacher for student
assessment. If desired,
students can work in pairs to allow for collaborative group work. ROLE OF TEACHER: Initially,
the teacher will demonstrate the product with the Whole Class CD and be able
to offer ideas on how to proceed in solving the problems. Once the students are
working individually or in pairs with the Mystery CD, the teacher’s
role is minimal except to monitor student progress by circling the room,
helping only when necessary. A
teacher manual is included with
instructions and solutions for all the problems included on both
CD’s. It is easy to read
and presented in a well-organized manner. The worksheets provided here can be
used to monitor student progress.
They include questions such as, “Was the problem correctly
identified?”, “Was the problem solved?”, “How many
tries did it take the student?”, and “Did the student use the
built-in hints function?”
Since there
are two CD’s included with the software package, there are several ways
Math Mysteries can be used in the classroom. Choices could be made based on
grade and ability. Very young
students may benefit the best with the Whole Class CD, used with the teacher
and groups of 4-6 students on teams.
Older students will quickly be able to jump to the individual CD to
progress at their own rate. The
Mystery CD can be used individually or with pairs of students. CRITICAL
SUMMARY: Math
Mysteries is a high quality program that supplements prior learning. The visual aspect will appeal to
all students and help those in particular who are visual learners. With Math Mysteries, the students
develop a process-oriented approach to solving word problems. There is a limited number of
problems to be solved so once the students have completed the program they
are done. Still, the program
reinforces basic problem-solving skills and worthwhile to use in the
classroom. The
presence of bugs in the program was frustrating because it prevented me from
completing the mystery.
Presumably, this problem is confined to the disc I used, and would not
be a problem with corrected software.
The software could be improved by adding an undo function and by
allowing the user to back up a screen.
OVERALL
RATING (ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10) 9 out of
10
Math
Mysteries received a high rating because of it’s ease of use and high
technical quality. It’s easy
to navigate and students will find it fun to use. The teacher has options in selecting
either CD and how to best use the software depending on grade and
ability. Students can use this
program to reinforce prior learning as they work individually or in small
groups. It is interactive and
allows students opportunities to use proper mathematical language. It provides a medium for
students to develop their problem solving abilities and practice basic
mathematical operations. Programs
that resemble computer games sometimes have limited value. Inherent in them is a “finishing
of the game” which puts an end to it’s usage once the student has
run through the program. Math Mysteries would
be more versatile with the ability to go back one screen instead of having to
loop around again, and if there was an undo button. |
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@ Patricia D. Whitman | Last revised 4-19-05 |
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