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The “Summer Slide” is a real thing. Students learn so much in the 10 months you’re teaching them, but tend to forget some of it in the 3 months you are not. That is not a discredit to the parents – it’s just the natural part of being a kid. School is out so their brains check out, too!
In this blog post, I am going to help you help parents combat the notorious slide. There will be a checklist explaining these apps that is parent friendly at the end of this post!
Apps
The following links are to the Apple Store, if you have an android phone click here for the Google Play store.
2048
The game 2048 can be used to pass time at an airport or to build math fluency with doubles! The player has to double their answer until they get to 2048!
TwelveADozen
This is such a fun game that I got sucked into as soon as I downloaded it! You are the number 12 and you have to add to yourself and subtract in order to move things. It is a great way to build fluency and problem solving!
Math Brain Booster
Math Brain Booster is an awesome app that allows students to choose what they want to practice. They can practice their math tables, learn math hacks, practice basic operations and learn from their mistakes! Try it for yourself, it is very versatile!
Quick Math
This app allows students to practice their fluency and number writing skills. The player chooses the operation they want to practice and they can quickly write the answer on the screen with their finger. Whats awesome about this app is that it is a game and students will want to keep trying to beat their previous score!
Bedtime Math
This is such a cute app because it has bedtime stories and math combined! What is awesome about Bedtime Math is parents (or students) can explore a bedtime story to read and then there are 4 different levels of math questions that go along side of it.
Math 24
This is a great order of operations game that will help build fluency with students! I have a card version of this game printed as a center and students beg to go to that center every day!
Websites
Prodigy Game
Okay, I have a lot to say about Prodigy Game (you can check that out here!). It is my favorite websites to use in my classroom because it includes two major parts of teaching in 2020 – student engagement and data! Students are a wizard and get to battle other wizards and collect gems!
Imagine Math
Imagine Math is similar to Prodigy Game in that it is gamified. Students go through various tasks and complete difference scenarios in each lesson. There is also SO. MUCH. DATA! Like, down to the amount of time your students spent on each lesson. Definitely worth checking out!
Education.com
This website is great for you to give parents. There are so many at home activities that parents can do with their kids over the summer to help combat that summer slide!
iReady
If your school has access to iReady, it is definitely an awesome website to send students home with at the end of the year! Whoever teaches your students next year will appreciate the data!
Code.org
And last, but certainly not least – code.org! I use this website as part of the STEM curriculum of the Saturday School I teach. My students would BEG to do code.org every Saturday for the full three hours (which obviously wasn’t possible 🤣). I loved giving my students the opportunity to show their creativity through code.
Most of these websites an apps are free, with the exception of a few in app purchases for pro mode, but students don’t need pro-mode to keep practicing! I hope you and your students find these apps educational and entertaining! Parents are going to love that you are helping them get ahead of the summer slide!
Enjoy!
alexandra
PS – Here is that free parent letter you wanted!
