Play sample DreamBox 2nd-grade math games and lessons


The math taught in DreamBox aligns with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Focal Points on Number and Operations, and Algebra. a student moves through groups of lessons, the program adapts the hints, level of difficulty, and much more, to create learning opportunities that are appropriate for each learner.

DreamBox has created special online tools that help students solve problems in a hands-on way. Student understanding is enhanced when kids “build” an answer rather than just entering or choosing an answer.

DreamBox has several different math lesson types

  • Most lessons are played in the Adventure Park — some teaching new concepts and others building fluency.
  • Placement lessons can determine if a student already understands a math concept. They aren’t individualized in the same ways as Adventure Park lessons.
  • Tutorial lessons teach kids how to use the online virtual tools.
  • The Carnival has math puzzles and an Arcade that’s just for fun!

When you play the sample lessons and puzzles below, you’ll see that they cover different math topics. Be sure to answer some incorrectly — you’ll see the ways lessons adapt dynamically to support learning. If you aren’t sure what to do, click the HELP button!

 		Building Equal Expressions with Snap Blocks™. Snap Blocks lessons provide opportunities for students to build and evaluate expressions with multiple addends (like 3+4+6 = 1+6+6), to help build understanding of the equal sign. Building the expressions so the values are equal introduces the concept both sides of the equation can be “canceled”. We increase the difficulty by increasing the number of addends on each side of the equation, using larger addends, and more. This series ends with quick true/false, equal/not equal, and less than/equal to/more than lessons, which build fluency and efficiency. Play this lesson. (You can also view the Snap Blocks™ tutorial.)
Addition using “Compensation Buckets™”. One of the most efficient mental math strategies is to turn hard problems into “friendlier” problems by making one of the addends a multiple of 10. For example, turn 23+38 into 21+40 by removing 2 from 23 and adding it to the 38. Kids start with smaller 2-digit addends, and when they’re ready they use 3-digit addends. Check out how we made this fun by using a bucket metaphor! Play this lesson.
Adding and Subtracting using the Function Machine and T-charts. Our mad-scientist function machine and t-chart create a fun setting for lessons that get progressively more challenging. Students complete either the machine’s output or the rule. Students work on +/- 10, +/- values of 1-9, and more. Play this lesson. (You can also view the Function Machine tutorial.)
Addition Using the Open Number Line. The open number line is a powerful tool that helps students visualize making jumps forward and backward on a number line, and use a variety of strategies for both addition and subtraction. These strategies include “Making Jumps of 10” (e.g. 79+33 = 79+10+10+10+3) and “Using Landmark Numbers” (e.g. 79+33 = 79+1+20+10+2). These strategies helps kids learn flexible thinking and efficient, accurate problem solving. Play this lesson. (You can also view the open number line tutorial.)

Puzzles in the Carnival
Maze. Students learn early “programming” skills as they choose a sequence of “directions” and “distances” to successfully navigate through the maze. There are 9 increasingly challenging levels. By the end, students “program” 3 steps at a time, collect mushrooms, avoid trolls, and reach the end of the maze before their turns run out! Play this lesson.
Petting Zoo. This game was carefully designed to build spatial reasoning. Although the mouse requirements can be difficult for new computer users, research indicates that requiring the student to carefully place the animals in the pen, as opposed to letting technology “lock them into place”, has a greater impact on one’s ability to understand space. Play this lesson.
Frog Race. Initially, students build the race course by placing flags at every tenth interval. Then, students’ frogs race against the competition. The student must choose the starting point closest to the presented number (the fly finish line), and tell his or her frog the correct distance to hop in order to win! In earlier levels, the starting points are always on a multiple of ten and on the positive side of the number line. Later levels include negative numbers. Play this lesson.
Dunk Tank. Students manipulate the mathrack and develop strategies in this modern version of the classic 4-in-a-Row game. There are 9 different levels, varying the use of even and odd numbers and the number of buttons available to manipulate the mathrack. These variations challenge students to modify their strategies based on the existing constraints. Play this lesson.

Tutorials

DreamBox tutorials are very different from the Adventure Park lessons and Carnival Puzzles. Many of the virtual manipulatives are introduced with a tutorial to teach students how to use it.



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