| Event | Location | Date | Size | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math Camps | Lawton, OK | Summer, 2004 | 49 | 3 to 11 |
| Elgin Middle School | Elgin, OK | Spring, 2005 | 18 | 5 to 6 |
| Red Cross School: Rita & Katrina Kids | River Center Baton Rouge, LA | Sept., 2005 | 50 | 1 to 6 |
| Renaissance Village School for Katrina Kids | Baton Rouge, LA | 2005-2007 | 75 | K to 6 |
| Baton Rouge International School | Baton Rouge, LA | Fall, 2005 | 20 | K to 3 |
| Lawton Gifted and Talented Program | Lawton, OK | Spring, 2006 | 68 | 4 to 6 |
| Hammond East Side Primary | Hammond, LA | Spring, 2007 | 103 | 3 |
| Lawton Parks & Recreation Summer Camps | Lawton, OK | Summer, 2007 | 62 | 1 to 9 |
| Creative Scholars Camp | Nichols State U., Thibodaux, LA | Summer, 2007 | 16 | 5 to 8 |
| Baker School System | Baker, LA | 2008 - 2009 | 2-5 |
Math Camps: Five, week-long, half-day summer camps for 4th -11th grade students. Direct response Pretests and Posttests were given.
Elgin Middle School: A three week, one hour per day after school study of 5th & 6th graders funded by the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement and Technology. Direct response Pretests and Posttests were given. The pre-test data did not indicate a normal population so small sample statistics could not be used. Nonetheless simple non-parametric analyses still show amazing improvement.
| Subtest | First Quartile | Median | Third Quartile | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pretest | Posttest | Pretest | Posttest | Pretest | Posttest | |
| Signed Numbers | 31% | 39% | 46% | 62% | 56% | 85% |
| Exponents | 0% | 29% | 0% | 58% | 38% | 83% |
| Evaluation of Expressions | 22% | 44% | 33% | 44% | 58% | 67% |
| Problem Solving | 25% | 44% | 50% | 75% | 75% | 75% |
| Total Test | 28% | 41% | 34% | 61% | 51% | 72% |
We set up an after school "math club" program at BRIS. We solicited parent volunteers who would dedicate 2 hours a week (Thursday afternoon 3-5 pm) to come and play Math Gym-1D with the students. 20 students signed up and we usually had 4 to 5 parent volunteers helping the kids play the game. By the second session the kids were all playing the game. The kids loved it and their parents were amazed. The students progressed rapidly through White Belt problem level and most of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders were playing at Yellow Belt level within a month. We started the eight kindergarten students and first graders off on a floor mat prototype where the kids themselves became the playing pieces. They liked it, but became bored with it after 5 or 6 times playing and moved on up to the board game with the rest of the kids. The program continued until the end of the semester.
2005/2006 Day School: When the Baton Rouge River Center shelter closed after Katrina many of the folks were moved to Renaissance Village. Thirteen kids were taught daily for the remainder of the school year, first in the dining tent, then in a portable "internet library" set up in a mobile home on site. The students always wanted to play Math Gym-1D and were accommodated as often as was feasible (usually 2 or 3 times a week). The students caught up in math and some even accelerated to higher grade levels. The third, fourth, and fifth graders learned to use negative numbers, variables and powers, and they learned to solve the workout problems associated with their grade level. The first and second graders also loved playing the game but many struggled with low reading levels and required greater supervision and adult interaction. However one young 1st grade student was working 5th&6th grade level problems and using exponent tiles with negative bases by year's end.
Result: All students enrolled in public school at grade level and did well even though they had missed a year of school. Some of these students even moved on to "gifted" programs.
2006/2007 Summer & After School Program: Many (~60) children in the trailer park came and played the game and received instruction:
Result: All children involved in either of the last two years programs passed their 2007 NCLB exams and advanced to the next grade.
The third graders played the game three days a week for six weeks just before they took their ILEAP tests. They and their teachers loved the game. Four ADHD 3rd graders working at the 1st and 2nd grade level progressed to the Yellow Belt 3rd and 4th grade problem deck after 3 days playing the game at the White Deck level.
Result: These third graders scored significantly higher on the test than those the year before, while the Parish scores were one point lower.
This is an annual camp for dyslexic students. We wanted to discover if dyslexic students had any difficulty playing Math Gym 1D since some scholars purport that almost 80% of those with dyslexia also have dyscalculia. The students who were living on campus during the camp played the game each evening for a couple of hours. None of the students exhibited any difficulty in playing the game, leading us to question the 80% estimate. On the last evening of the camp we played a group tournament with all of the students and were impressed with the excitement and collaborative effort of the students.
Second grade through fifth grade students were taught to play Math Gym 1D game during regular class time and computer lab time. They had no difficulty playing and most needed no encouragement to compete with their peers. At the end of the year the fourth and fifth grades held a double elimination tournament to determine the best math class at each grade level.
Students and Teachers love the game.