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 Format. Problems appear one
at a time. Your goal is to answer them as fast as you can. Each time
you enter the answer correctly, your dragster or horse will go faster.
You race against your five previous best races which are replayed on
screen-six lanes with six dragsters or six riderless horses in all. The
sooner you reach the finish line, the better your score will be. (You
can switch between riderless horses and dragsters between races.)
Scores. Your score is your
"elapsed time" for the race. It's based on how quickly you answer the
problems AND how many you answer. The more you race, the faster you'll
be able to answer the problems. We've found that players can ALWAYS
improve! And as you do, your elapsed time will become shorter. (Races
last between thirty seconds and 2 1/2 minutes depending on the
difficulty of the topic.)
Comparing
and saving scores. The program displays your "top five average"
elapsed time. This is the number to watch! You can compare your current
"top five average" with your previous top five averages from previous
racing sessions (and print that list out). If you wish, you can compare
yourself with others playing in that topic. (That's why this program is
tailor-made for tournaments!
There are
additional saving options and many more features.
The programs meet the
needs of the broadest range of students.
And that, in turn,
meets the needs of teachers and districts alike.
Benefits
Students'
computer time is highly productive with this program; they will do a
lot of math in a short period of time in very focused topics! The students' only
job is to accelerate their car or horse by answering math problems as
fast as they can. They are not required to do anything that would
divert their attention such as steering the dragster or horse.
Students learn at
their maximum rate with this highly motivating format. No other program
enables students to do as much math per minute for such extended
periods of time. After each race, the student checks his or her score.
The student is in control as to when the next race starts. (Students
normally start the next race as soon as possible.) This balance of
answering problems and resting between races keeps them refreshed,
enabling them to play, often for hours at a time. Uniquely effective
for the broadest range of students: special ed.; gifted; on grade
level; Title 1; etc. (even adults!).
- General population.
The Quarter Mile is in wide use by students of ALL levels -- from the
math lovers to "I hate math" kids.
- Remediation for
elementary school, middle school, high school and adult students.
As mentioned before, the format is appropriate for all ages.
- Special Ed., Title
1, At Risk, etc. See the features page for a complete description
of how the format is appropriate for these students.
- GATE. When the
student answers a problem correctly, the next one appears instantly.
Students never get bored waiting for the computer to catch up to them.
In some cases, our programs provide the first opportunity for
accelerated students to be truly "challenged."
Builds confidence
quickly. This is so important in doing math. This confidence and
knowledge of math -- from the simplest facts on up -- is a necessary
preparation for higher-order thinking skills. Just as music students
must practice their scales before they can play compositions, likewise,
students must have a basic knowledge of math facts and concepts and a
level of confidence to help them develop strong higher-order thinking
skills. Unlike doing scales, however, kids "beg" to use the Quarter
Mile programs!
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Five Hearts
