Lightning...and math facts

Well, today is the last day of Spring Break and I am sitting on my couch with no power and severe thunderstorms booming all around me.  I know I probably shouldn't be on the computer in a lightning  storm, so... if this post just ends randomly, you know what happened! =)

I promised I would tell you about another awesome resource for memorizing math facts.  I wish there was a way I could tell everyone in the world about this program because I love it and believe in it that much!  Have you heard of xtramath.org?  OMG!  It is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I found it this summer when I was randomly typing into Google, "Dear God, please let my students memorize their math facts."  Ok, I really was just looking for interactive math games and this popped up!

So what is this amazingness you ask?  To get full details go to the website because they even made videos for teachers, parents, and kids to watch that tells about all the goodies. 

In a nutshell, it is a FREE, FREE, FREE online program that preassesses kiddos to find out their memorization level.  Then it designs a personalized program for that child.  My kiddos log on once a day (either at home or at school) and it usually takes 5-8mins.  They are given a math fact on the screen and are only given a few seconds to type in their answer.  If they are too slow or get it wrong,  the program tells them the answer and requires them to type it in.  It will ask that fact again until it is mastered.  It only focuses on a few facts at a time.  Kiddos then play a speed game called, Beat the Teacher.  (P.S. If your kiddos aren't good at typing, they can change the game to use a screen key pad and use the mouse to click it).

What I love most about this is how easy it is and how much information the teacher gets from the program.  You have a page for each kiddo that will tell you which facts they mastered, were too slow at, or totally missed.  It will give you a percentage for each session.  When kiddos master a fact program, for example: addition, it will email you and you can print off a premade certificate for them that has their name and it even has your name on it!

I shamelessly brag on my kiddos to my principal and my colleagues any chance I get.  Almost ALL of my kiddos were on the division program in 3rd quarter of third grade.  That means they mastered all of their addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts. It does not let them move on until every single fact is mastered!  I LOVE it!

So have you ever heard of this? 

P.S.  I did not get struck by lightning! Yay!