– an app for exploring relationships between tasks
Calculating with your head is a math practice software for children from the end of grade 1 / beginning of grade 2 at the earliest. With this app, children can discover mathematical relationships and learn to develop calculation strategies.
This combination of work materials and thought-provoking exercise formats does not focus on the result of a calculation, but rather on how different tasks are related to each other and how this can be used to do clever calculations. How can I place a task on the field as cleverly as possible? What changes from task 5+3 to task 5+4? How can I undo it?
In various specially developed exercise formats, children learn and practice making connections between different tasks and changing tasks in a targeted manner. This understanding is fundamental to developing a deeper understanding of operations and helps to develop calculation strategies that go beyond counting. And in this way, the app helps to better understand mathematics and be more successful. The following exercise formats are offered in various levels of difficulty:
- Virtual work tool (tens field, twenties field, hundreds field) as a free experimental environment to try out and discover. This exercise essentially corresponds to the separately available app Rechenfeld.
- Guided Explanations with strategy tips for individual exercises and subject areas.
- Exercise format: What task is set?
In this exercise, the children are asked to establish a connection between the calculation field and the equation and are specifically asked to enter the hidden numbers using the calculation field. The calculation field changes again and again and the children have to consider how this affects the task. - Exercise format: Lay skillfully:
This exercise is about completing a given task as skillfully as possible, i.e. with as few actions as possible, for example by placing tiles in a bundle or turning them over on the field. This introduces strategies for skillful calculation. - Exercise format: Calculating machine:
A machine must be programmed in such a way that it turns one task into a specific task. The necessary actions must be mentally anticipated. This trains strategic thinking and calculation. The solutions can be checked based on the execution of the calculator and changed if necessary. - Exercise format: From task to task:
A list of given tasks must be completed as skillfully as possible by rearranging the tasks. This allows for further practice in the targeted modification and transformation of tasks.
The app is suitable for children from the end of first grade or the beginning of second grade, but is certainly also challenging and usable for third and fourth graders.
As parents or teachers, please familiarize yourself with the rather unusual but innovative task formats before using the app. The app has task formats that do not appear in workbooks and school books. All of the tasks are less about calculating the tasks and more about how tasks are related to each other. And that is why the tasks are rather unusual for children. Ideally, you should introduce the tasks yourself or at least accompany the children when they are given the first tasks and perhaps solve the first task puzzles together and discuss possible solutions and solution strategies. This will ensure that the children understand the tasks and can have a sense of achievement when solving them. You can also adjust the level of difficulty of the tasks (number range, plus, minus, colors, additional voice announcements) for the individual children. If you are unsure, then it is better to start with the number range up to 20 and plus tasks for older children and then increase the level of difficulty later.
I'm very happy to receive suggestions, reports of experiences, etc. in the comments or via the contact form. I'm happy to incorporate good ideas or improvements from practice into the app.
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