When I begin a new unit in my classroom, I immediately start searching for an engaging app to integrate. To be honest, I was very disappointed in the engagement factor of most of the money apps I came across. That is, until I found this Money Bingo app. I love it for many reasons! Let's take a look.
App Name: Money Bingo
Price: $1.99 in the Apple store
What to Look for:
To begin, simply hit start! I turned the volume off, but there are options to click on coins to have them named and their values told. When you use this option, students just double tap the coin and it will say, "Quarter, 25 cents" and then the coin will flip over to reveal the opposite side - super helpful!
The first time a student plays, he/she will click "new player" and type a player name.
They will also select their gender (this is because they will create a character) and click next.
There are many character options - MANY. Students will first select their head from ones with various hairstyles and skin colors. Then, they will select their own clothes, from pirate wear to regular wear there is something for everyone!
Students have three buttons to choose from - Bingo, Practice, and Fish Tank. The ultimate goal in this game is to build your own fish tank.
Students can play Bingo to earn fish for their fish tanks! There are several different levels to help differentiate for your students. My students love challenging themselves here. :)
After selecting the level, you also have several different grid options. This helps to differentiate even more.
To play the Bingo game, students must count the coins in the white space. The pencil and eraser come in handy, especially for the harder levels, so students can write down their dollars before moving on to count the change. Once students know the amount, they click on the matching amount on the gameboard. Then, a new set of coins appear. Fish pop up to cover the correct answers until students have three in a row (on this game board....more on the higher grids).
Once BINGO is achieved, students earn a new fish for their tank. It also gives them a score based on the seconds it took them to get BINGO. This score will show on their leader board, motivating them to try to beat that score the next time.
The other option, is to play in Practice Mode. During this mode, students are given a money amount at the top of the white space (53 cents on this example) and are required to drag money from the left side onto the white board to make that amount. Then, they click "check" to see if they are correct.
The goal is for students to get 10 correct. Once they have 10 correct they WIN all of the money they counted.
Once students have won money, they are able to shop for items to go in their fish tanks. They can only purchase one item at a time, which I love....it makes sure they don't spend too long shopping! HOWEVER, students aren't guaranteed to receive the item they purchase. First, students must solve a word problem. If they get the word problem correct, they receive the item. If they do not solve it correctly....wait for it....they LOSE ALL OF THEIR MONEY! This is my students favorite part...and the teacher loves that word problems are integrated!!!!
Students use their fingers to write on the notebook paper to solve the problem. You don't have to worry about them using the calculator - there's not addition or subtraction sign on it. The calculator is simply for them to input their final answer and {hold breath} hit enter to see if they are correct.
If correct, students are taken to their fish tank so they can position their new item how they want. While there, they can double tap the screen to drop a piece of fish food in the tank and watch their pets swim to get it. Then, they click the back arrow and keep playing!
I hope that your students love this app as much as mine! Creating #appyclassrooms one app at a time!