MindTwister Math

Reviewers: Belle Wong, parent, Sean (8) and Daniel (8)
E.B. Phin Public School
Pickering, Ontario, Canada
EMail: belle.wong@home.com

MindTwister Math from Edmark
http://www.edmark.com
Win/Mac CD-Rom
$49.95: 2-User School Version with Teacher's Guide
System requirements:
Windows: Pentium processor, 12 MB RAM, Windows 95/98, 40 MB available hard disk space Macintosh: PowerPC, 12 MB RAM, System 7.1.2 or higher, 40 MB available hard disk space Date reviewed: February 14, 2000
WAYCOOL rating: 10 on a scale of 1 to 10, Way Cool!

MindTwister Math is designed for 3rd and 4th graders, and is based on the 3rd grade math curriculum. It covers the following math topics: addition and subtraction facts to 9, multiplication facts to 9, division facts to 6, 2-, 3- or 4-digit addition and subtraction, mental math (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division), place value to 1000s, time and money, measurement, rounding, estimation, number line, probability, 2-D and 3-D geometry, perimeter, decimals (10ths and 100ths), fractions and mixed numbers and story problems.

There are four difficulty levels in MindTwister Math, which correspond to different portions of the 3rd grade curriculum. One to three students can play at a time, and the program uses a very fun game-show type of format, in which students "ring in" with accurate answers to different math challenges. For teachers and parents, there is also a What Kids Learn section.

Each game incorporates the following math challenges, regardless of difficulty level:

UFOs: A rule is shown at the top of the screen, and different answer choices "fly" across the screen. Students ring-in when they see the correct answer.

Get a Clue: In this challenge, students are given a clue at a time - up to four clues - and students ring-in when they figure out, using an elimination process, which answer out of the answer choices provided is the correct one.

Cooperation Break: Students move from a competitive environment to a more cooperative one during the cooperation break. The object of the challenge is to get the Vacusaurus to vacuum all the Numbergs which fit a particular rule (for example, greater than 10 and less than 55). Because each student controls a particular direction of the Vacusaurus, they must communicate and cooperate in order to win the most points.

Totally Twisters: Students are presented a variety of challenges in this activity and different challenges require the use of different math strategies to reach the solution.

Number Line: This challenge provides students with a chance to practice their estimation skills and deductive reasoning. A number line is shown, and students must ring in and identify the number marked by the pointer.

Story Problems: Students are presented first with a story problem which is read aloud. Then a picture which illustrates the problem appears step by step, and students can ring-in and answer the problem at any point in the picture drawing process. Points are given based on how many steps have been shown before the correct answer was rung in.

Mental Math: In this challenge, students are given number computations and must employ mental math to find and ring-in with the correct answer.

My reviewers thought MindTwister Math was one of the best computer math programs they have ever tried. The game-show format was both unusual and exciting, and the graphics were lively and appealing. While the program highlights a number of different math strategies, it particularly promotes mental facility with numbers and problem solving. Because points are lost for incorrect answers in addition to being won for correct answers, students are also encouraged to ring in only when they believe they know the correct answer - which adds to the fun of the game.

We found that during any game session, students were both challenged with new and different types of problems as well as put through a review process of basic math calculations. The fast-paced atmosphere of the game-show format was particularly suitable for this age range. However, students should be encouraged to work at their appropriate skill level - the fast pace of the program switches the focus from the math challenges to the fun of ringing in with the correct answers, which makes the easier levels more appealing because it is much easier to ring in quickly when the questions are easier!

We gave MindTwister Math a WAYCOOL rating of 10.

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