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Fog Stone Isle
Pros: Carefully crafted games ensure long-term retention and conceptual understanding of fractions.
Cons: Each time students begin the game, plan on several minutes for it to load.
Bottom Line: A 3D world that uses adaptive computer manipulatives and multiple representations to help students retain important fractions concepts.
Teachers can use Fog Stone Isle to track both individual and class progress on key fractions ideas. This includes concepts that have been mastered, problems that have been solved, and procedural fluency for each child. Fog Stone Isle is best used as a routine spread out over the year; regular, spaced practice will ensure that students retain these ideas long term. Consider using Fog Stone Isle as part of your assigned summer learning program to prevent learning loss. Remind students to keep up their regular, spaced-out practice routine in the summer instead of simply cramming in a bunch of sessions at the end.
Fog Stone Isle is a site -- and app -- that uses brain-based research to help kids build crucial fractions concepts. With the guidance of a character named Cyril, students engage in playing video games. In an effort to keep the Gruffins safe from monsters, kids simultaneously build structures in their virtual world and encounter important fraction concepts. By properly adding fractions with like denominators, they can add bricks to the walls of their buildings. Kids learn about multiplying and comparing fractions as they build farms to feed their villagers.
Choice is key in the Fog Stone Isle world, as students decide where to build their fence for their Wild Rollerdillos or if they'd rather spend time building more farms. With each activity, kids learn different concepts, from fraction equivalence to lowest common denominator. The game is adaptive, adjusting to the student's math skills along with the student's memory and executive functioning ability.
Fog Stone Isle has found a way to help kids retain crucial fractions concepts. Because it's a fun video game, kids will come back regularly. Similar to Fruity Fractions, it uses multiple representations to get at the heart of a concept instead of simply having kids memorize rules. Fog Stone Isle adds the virtual world component that kids find addictive. At first glance, one 10-year-old exclaimed, "Ooh, this is just like Minecraft," and immediately wanted to play.
Farming is surprisingly the most compelling component to Fog Stone Isle. Kids multiply fractions to determine which section of the plot gets watered. With an exciting sense of urgency, kids compare fractions to decimals to determine if they have enough water left to take out the weeds. The ever-changing grid on the farm plot lights up to give an additional visual representation. This is incredibly powerful in helping kids truly understand what it means to multiply fractions.
Learning Rating
All Abilities Love this Math Game
I think that teachers should play each game before assigning this to see how it works conceptually and how it can fit into your math curriculum. I used it to extend the learning, as well as, practice adding, multiplying and dividing fractions. I don't think you can ever have too much practice in these areas. But, I will attest that I had a hard time playing the game. My students were way better than me because they play these kinds of virtual games all the time. It was a great lesson in humility. Keep up the good work Cignition and I can't wait until more games are added.
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