This free site from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics provides 80 challenging real-life problems for students and families to solve. The site includes parent and teacher resources for engaging students in math, but the primary feature are the word problems. Users can select from intriguing names such as Double or Not, Battling Averages and Grape Juice Jungle. Alternatively, adults can select for them by math categories: algebra, geometry, measurement, numbers, and probability. A problem is only one or two sentences, but requires students to think and apply their knowledge in ways they might not be asked to do in traditional text book problems. Each problem includes a hint, which is really a suggestion of how the problem is applicable in real world situations so they can think about the problem in a new way. Next the student can click to see the answer and explanation and then click to solve similar problems and additional real world applications. This site offers a variety of interesting math problems that will be great for students willing to challenge themselves to apply math to real world situations.

• Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
• Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
• Presents educational concepts accurately
• Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
• Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
• Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
• Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

• Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
• Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
• Visually appealing to children in the target age range
• Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
• Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
• Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
• Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

• Has a free or trial version
• Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
• Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
• Student should be able to use independently after first use
• Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
• Multiple users can save a profile
• Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
• Can play without sound and not distract others
• Students can save work between sessions
• Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
• Requires registration before using the first time
• Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
• Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
• Overall - Easy to use

• Abstract Reasoning
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Word problems assume additional knowledge (conversion factors, formulas, symbols, etc.)
• Anxiety
• Age inappropriate amount of work which could overwhelm or discourage students
• Attention
• Age inappropriate amount of work which could overwhelm or discourage students
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Requires recall of text information without audio or visual reinforcement
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Flexible Thinking
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• General Information
• Word problems assume additional knowledge (conversion factors, formulas, symbols, etc.)
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
• Numerical Fluency
• Student will need to copy or write multi-digit math problems
• Word problems assume additional knowledge (conversion factors, formulas, symbols, etc.)
• Reading Basics
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Reading Comprehension
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Reading Fluency
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Verbal Reasoning
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Working Memory
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Requires recall of text information without audio or visual reinforcement
• Student will need to copy or write multi-digit math problems
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own