Mid-Year Update: Math

In math, Gemma is almost done with Life of Fred: Fractions. There are 32 chapters and the final “Bridge,” and Gemma’s on Chapter 30. After she finishes LOF: Fractions, we’ll start LOF: Decimals.

We’re also both loving the game Prodigy. The online game is free and so much fun. For homeschooling parents, I recommend creating a Teacher Account by going to https://infl.tv/eCpl

You can set up a classroom with one or more students. If you have multiple children, I would set up a classroom for each of them, because the game asks for your class’s grade level. So, if you have a 4th grader and a 2nd grader, you can set up a 4th grade classroom and a 2nd grade classroom. (I also recommend creating your own account because playing in the same “world” and helping each other on quests and in battles is a fun way to bond. A really fun way.)

The game starts with the player customizing his or her avatar. You choose a hair style, hair color, eye color, and skin color. Then you choose a first name for your math wizard. As you battle creatures, you’re actually completing the game’s diagnostic test, which determines what grade level you’re working at. While this is going on, you get to choose math wizard last name - something high fantasy and multisyllabic (Gemma’s last name is Rivermaster, and mine is Windlemon), and a pet (I got a baby dragon named Dragic, and Gemma got a Peeko).

After you finish the Placement Test, the game will assign you math skills at your grade level. So, if you’re a 6th grader who placed in 4th grade, the game assigns you 4th grade skills, but if you’re a 2nd grader who placed in 5th grade, the game assigns you 5th grade skills. And the wonderful thing about having a teacher account is that you can see where your child placed and what skills he or she is working on. Even better, you can assign specific skill by creating a quiz. For example, tonight, I wanted Gemma to work on multiplying fractions to reinforce what she learned in LOF, so I assigned that skill. The student doesn’t get a message telling them that the teacher assigned them a quiz; they just keep having battles and going on quests, and as they play the game, they complete the assigned problems. It’s brilliant.

If you have any questions about homeschooling math with Prodigy, let me know. 😊