HiFive Math is an app comprised of several sport-themed games designed to help young learners develop a conceptual understanding of addition and subtraction facts. The app provides visual images that encourage number sense and flexible strategies as children compose and decompose quantities. Mathematical models, including finger patterns, dice patterns and numerical representations, provide purposeful support as children conceptualize the relationship between two parts and the total.
The activities focus on a range of structures through 5. These benchmark numbers can also be practiced in isolation if educators or parents want to emphasize specific totals. Additive and subtractive tasks are presented in a variety of formats so that children are developing flexible thinking methods for solving problems instead of drilling a singular problem type as with repetitive flashcard drill.
As children engage across a selection of games, they will continually interact and construct their understanding with an assortment of models, varying placement of the unknown, and novel modes of response including touch component to create solutions. Eventually, this interactive play will lead the way to efficient strategies and the desired automaticity associated with conceptual fluency.