Beginning Operations is appropriate for users of many levels and types. Students could use the games for independent practice, either for advanced students' extension or for remediation (with lower learners). It would be an excellent resource for ELD students or students with special needs. The games will also work on an interactive whiteboard and could therefore be used for whole-class review and practice. A printable pre-test and post-test are available also.
Continue readingBeginning Operations is a series of four games designed to give practice in addition and subtraction to kindergarten and first-grade learners. There are two addition games, "Apple Orchard Addition" and "Drive-Thru Diner Addition"; and two subtraction games, "Lemonade Stand Subtraction" and "Cookie Muncher Subtraction." Players choose the game they want to play and then select a difficulty level (facts to 6 or facts to 12). Instructions for each game are available. The graphics and characters are fun and engaging, and the food-based activities have great kid appeal.
Beginning Operations is a fun way to get young children practicing addition and subtraction skills. The addition activities support learning by having the player count the objects being added (apples or hot dogs and hamburgers). In each case, there is a box that shows the numerals as objects are counted. The subtraction games support learning by providing visuals of glasses of lemonade or cookies being removed from the original amount. In these cases, the numerals in the subtraction equation also appear at each step. Equations are shown for each game, providing an introduction of where each part of an addition or subtraction equation comes from. The skills are built in, requiring players to complete equations correctly before moving on. When players answer incorrectly, the characters direct the player to try again. There's no instruction for users on how the skills are done, so players should have some experience with the content before playing.