Thinking Blocks Math Apps

Thinking Blocks

Interactive Website- http://www.mathplayground.com/thinkingblocks.html 

iPad Apps- https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/math-playground/id498617244 

Many of you have probably used the Thinking Blocks online interactives from Math Playground but did you know they are now free apps too?  They are an awesome resource for helping students understand how to solve word problems by using online manipulatives in a step by step manner to create concrete models of their solutions.  

Both versions (online and apps) offer word problems in 4 categories:  addition/subtraction, multiplication/division, fractions, and ratio/proportion.  

Each app is set up the same way:

1.  Students are presented with a word problem.

2.  First they use the blocks to label the known and unknown parts the problem.

3.  Then they fill in the known and unknown numbers.

4.  Finally, they solve the problem.

Check out this great resource today online at http://www.mathplayground.com/thinkingblocks.html (computers only) or download all the Math Playground apps at https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/math-playground/id498617244.