TOP PICKS | 25 TOOLS

Top Tech for Math-Advanced Learners

Students come to the classroom with a diverse range of skills and competencies. But creating individualized instruction for each one can be a time-consuming task. Some students need programs to adjust to their particular needs, some crave the opportunity to solve real-world problems, and others just want informational resources to immerse themselves in. These math tools help you feed kids’ hunger for knowledge and fend off boredom by creating adaptive, personalized learning experiences.

Top Picks

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Adaptive Learning

DreamBox Learning Math

Individualized, game-based math adapts to kids' needs

Bottom line: This is a pretty nice all-in-one solution for extra math support and practice with solid adaptive tech, but students might need help with the interface.

Grades: K–8 Price: Paid See http://www.dreambox.com/educator-licenses to request a quote.

LearnBop

Adaptive tutorial site helps kids tackle tough math concepts

Bottom line: It's a great tool for filling in learning gaps and for individualizing learning; kids get practice that really helps them grasp concepts.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free to Try, Paid Or, $5,000 for whole school. Home use: $150/year LearnBop can be purchased by itself, or as part of Fuel Education's PEAK platform.

TenMarks Math

Responsive and adaptive math practice for every grade level

Bottom line: Adaptive K–12 math practice that hones in on students' areas for growth with lots of potential to empower.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free to Try, Paid There's a 30-day free trial. The Essentials plan is $5 per student per year. Comprehensive ($10 per student) and Premium ($15 per student) plans include additional features, such as tools for differentiation and assessment, as well as school- and district-level reporting.

Mangahigh

Phenomenal adaptive math games with a killer teacher dashboard

Bottom line: Fantastic tool for flipped or blended classrooms, formative assessment, or extra practice in any setting. It's gamification that really works.

Grades: 2–12 Price: Free, Free to Try, Paid Free 30-day trial gives 100% access. Following the trial, users can select a basic or subscription account. The free, basic version limits access to 25% of the content. The subscription models vary based on the number of students enrolled, and range from $195/yr (up to 5 students) to $2995/yr (up to 1,000 students). Request a quote for more than 1,000 students.

Imagine Math

Great adaptive learning comes with live teacher support, unique rewards

Bottom line: A fantastic, comprehensive program where teachers can track progress and motivate using meaningful rewards.

Grades: 3–10 Price: Paid Average cost is $16 per student per school (plus professional development services). Licenses are active for 12 months.

ALEKS

Strong adaptive learning makes traditional math curriculum more useful

Bottom line: For kids who crave a traditional mastery-style math learning experience and have good self-regulation skills, this is a great option.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free to Try, Paid $5 to $105 per product, per student depending on product type

Knowre

Boost math skills with personalized learning, targeted lesson support

Bottom line: With adaptive features and solid support, it's a fantastic tool to support your instruction.

Grades: 7–12 Price: $20.99 per student per year

Problem Solving

Magnus Kingdom of Chess

Gentle chess puzzle game ideal for young newbies

Bottom line: For kids who are new to chess but want to learn how to play, this fun intro to the game provides a well-done tutorial combined with a light overarching storyline.

Grades: 1–8 Price: Paid $7.99

Polyup

Super-cute gamified calculator may confuse more than calculate

Bottom line: Possibly a great tool for advanced students, but can be very confusing for teaching new concepts.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free

Twelve a Dozen

Engrossing math platformer puts problem-solving skills to the test

Bottom line: This absorbing game challenges kids' math and thinking skills as much as it entertains.

Grades: 4–8 Price: $4.99

CueThink

Social approach to problem-solving promotes deep math learning

Bottom line: CueThink is an innovative, community-based platform that helps students plan, strategize, and collaborate.

Grades: 4–12 Price: Free to Try, Paid The CueThink Problem Bank includes free Problem of the Week (PoW) scenarios as well as access to full PoW content bundles for an additional fee.

Action Math Baseball

A mathematical home run for baseball fans; less engaging for rookies

Bottom line: Students use their math skills to solve challenging real-world sports problems.

Grades: 6–8 Price: Paid $7.95 per student for 20–39 licenses. One license is required for each student.

GeoGebra

Create, share, and modify math models and simulations

Bottom line: Free open-source software that lets teachers build or adapt learning experiences to meet their kids' needs.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free

Get the Math

Solve real-life algebra problems with diverse crew, delightful video

Bottom line: Fantastic proof that algebra is used to solve real problems in kid-approved professions -- basketball, music, and fashion.

Grades: 7–10 Price: Free

Brilliant

Challenge top students with adaptive math and physics problems

Bottom line: This leveled physics and math problem site can be an exciting challenge for passionate students, but may be too much for struggling students.

Grades: 7–12 Price: Free to Try, Paid Limited intro courses are free. Premium subscriptions are $9.99 per month (if billed annually), $24.99 per month (if billed monthly), and $599.99 for a lifetime membership. Pro subscriptions are $29.99 per month and add Q&A features.

Supplemental Resources & Practice

Matific

Engaging supplemental resource encourages conceptual understanding

Bottom line: A fun and engaging conceptual supplement for math lessons with easy-to-find standards-aligned activities.

Grades: K–6 Price: Free, Free to Try, Paid Teachers can sign up for free. Parents interested in using Matific at home can sign up for a free trial, and then pay $30 per year.

Freckle

Target standards-based skills with dynamic practice and assessments

Bottom line: Rich with content-aligned assessments, activities, printable worksheets, and progress analytics, this valuable resource promotes skills mastery through practice.

Grades: K–8 Price: Free, Paid Free with limited features. School Edition contains more content and data/analytic tools.

Khan Academy

Missions boost learning with balance of focus, freedom to explore

Bottom line: A solid resource for Common Core math instruction as well as foundational knowledge in a number of other subjects.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free

Math Science Music

Thoughtful tools teach STEM skills through music and creativity

Bottom line: Limited but quality content gives STEM teachers a new toolset for fostering engagement and understanding.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free

YummyMath

Make math matter with problems kids can relate to

Bottom line: Yummy Math brings us 3rd-12th grade Common Core-aligned math activities on topics kids care about.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free, Paid 2 to 4 memberships $22.00 each; 5 to 9 memberships $20.00 each; 10 to 20 memberships $19.00 each

Tuva Labs

Access to curated data sets has tons of potential, needs more teacher support

Bottom line: Partner with another teacher (preferably a data whiz) and work together to develop activities that will support learning in your classes.

Grades: 4–12 Price: Free, Paid Free: Tuva Basic: access to 25 Tuva data sets and five data set uploads Paid: Tuva Premium: $400/teacher/year; $4,000/school/year; other custom rates available. Tuva Premium includes access to all 300+ Tuva data sets, unlimited data set uploads, and further features.