Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Math Galaxy

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Math Galaxy is a computer-based math program for Grades 1-12. The program includes tutorials that teach each concept and games to reinforce  the concept and provide practice. The individual programs ($29.95 each) are:
Whole Numbers Fun (Grades 1-4)
Fractions Fun (Grade 5)
Decimals, Proportions, Percentage Fun (Grade 6)
Word Problems Fun
Pre-Algebra Fun
Algebra Fundamentals
Each of the preceding topics has a corresponding Worksheet Generator ($29.95) Several e-books ($14.95) are also available that contain many of the math riddles and worksheets from the Worksheet generator.
My experience:
-I like the way the problems are graphically depicted and break each problem into steps. For example, when adding unlike fractions, the program asks what the new denominator will be. When the student types in the correct answer, the fraction pies are divided by dotted lines into the correct number of pieces. Then the programs asks for the new numerator of each fraction. Finally, it asks for the sum of the two fractions.
-Students earn robots by answering problems. These robots can be used to play the labyrinth game.
-Four games are included. These are very simple games and remind me of the old DOS games from years ago. In most of them, the student is solving problems to fill in a letter (hang-man style) or to build a space on a bridge across a pond. Still, Emily did find them entertaining and got a lot of math practice in while she was playing. I never heard complaints from her about using this program.
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The Math Galaxy programs are simple—not a lot of “bells and whistles” and new technology, but they do provide good solid teaching and many hours of  math practice.  Emily has been using the fractions game and I believe that she will have a VERY thorough grasp of fractions and their operations after more time with Math Galaxy. The Math Galaxy website has an extensive and free sampling  of math instruction and games, so you can try it out to see if this is something that is a fit for your family!
I received a free set of Math Galaxy programs in exchange for my honest review.


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