Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated by the editors of Common Sense Education [1], which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. Click here [2]to read the full app review.
Divide By Sheep [2]
What’s It Like?
In Divide by Sheep, a cute but dark math game, the Grim Reaper has gotten lonely and is looking for companions — sheep, primarily, but later he also takes wolves and even the ghosts of sheep. After Grim unleashes a great flood to drag the sheep under, the become stranded on small islands and need your help to get to safety. Life rafts can only accept certain numbers of sheep, and you have to jump them from island to island until they’re grouped in the correct amounts. This math puzzle game has you adding, subtracting, and dividing sheep by any means available, whether it’s by putting them together or dumping some off.
Price: $2.99
Grades: 6-12
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Genuinely fun, kids won’t even realize how much critical thinking they’re doing.
Cons: Even though it’s cartoonish, gore may be off-putting for some children.
Bottom line: A great game for math problem-solving, but be careful choosing your audience.