Addition: Monster School Bus



Curator: Jamie Bailey



This game reinforces addition facts by building on foundational numbers sense skills and addition strategies learned in Kindergarten and early first grade.  Your task is to pick up full bus loads (10 riders) to take them school.  You get points for each full load and none for incomplete buses. 

Grade Level: grades k to 5
PSSM Content Standard: Addition
CCSSM Content Standard: CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.B.9 Explain why addition and subtraction strategies work, using place value and the properties of operations
Math Content: Addition and problem solving



Evaluation

What is being learned? What mathematics is the focus of the activity/technology? Is relational or instrumental understanding emphasized?

The relational learning of addition principles and problem solving because the student needs to pick up groups of 10 in the quickest time possible; this allows for the students to practice the principles learned in class.

How does learning take place? What are the underlying assumptions (explicit or implicit) about the nature of learning?

The learning takes place with the underlying assumption that there is a basic understanding of subtraction principles.

What role does technology play? What advantages or disadvantages does the technology hold for this role? What unique contribution does the technology make in facilitating learning?

The technology plays a vital role in the application of the game.  This is because it is an actual game that supplements the learning that has already taken place.

How does it fit within existing school curriculum? (e.g., is it intended to supplement or supplant existing curriculum? Is it intended to enhance the learning of something already central to the curriculum or some new set of understandings or competencies?)

The curriculum is supplemented by this activity and it can be used to enhance the learning that has taken place in the previous class.  This enhances the lesson because once the students learn the concept of addition; they can put that into practice while playing a fun, interactive game.

How does the technology fit or interact with the social context of learning? (e.g., Are computers used by individuals or groups? Does the technology/activity support collaboration or individual work? What sorts of interaction does the technology facilitate or hinder?)

The technology fits into the social context of learning with the students working individually.  They are applying what they learned in class individually at a solitary computer.  The collaboration that could potentially take place is when students ask their peers for aid.

How are important differences among learners taken into account?

Learner differences really do not play a factor in this because the students are applying what they learned in class.  While the learning has already taken place, the students are working towards mastery of the concept.

What do teachers and learners need to know? What demands are placed on teachers and other "users"? What knowledge is needed? What knowledge supports does the innovation provide (e.g., skills in using particular kinds of technology)?

The learner needs to know the basic principles of addition, once these principles are understood they can be mastered with the aid of this activity.  The demands placed on the teacher is very minimal once the material is taught, the teacher now becomes a facilitator as the students work towards mastery.

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