Numbots
When they initially log in, pupils choose their own Bot before launching into 'Story' and 'Challenge' modes:
- Story Mode is designed to develop pupils’ understanding of the relationship between different numbers and concepts, such as partitioning and the part-whole model. NumBots’ deliberate teaching-for-mastery approach has led to carefully sequenced and varied levels that ensure pupils fully grasp each essential new skill.
- Challenge mode contains quick-fire questions and low-stakes quizzing to support pupils’ retrieval of number bonds and addition and subtraction facts. It also improves the efficiency of their mental strategies.
Start on story mode -
Story mode is set out in a series of Stage (Rust, Tin, Iron etc) containing levels - a bit like Angry Birds. Rust is the first Stage and Level 1 is unlocked. To unlock the next level, players need to earn 2 stars. The levels in Story Mode follow a natural maths progression and move you through the game automatically. The sequenced, unlockable levels prevent pupils from moving ahead until they have fully understood the current concept and grasped the skills they need to confidently tackle the next challenge.
The Challenge Mode is unlocked for new users and challenge 1 is unlocked once players reach level 80 on Story Mode. There are 20 challenges in total. To unlock the next challenge, players must correctly answer 12 questions in a minute.
Pupils can access a leader board to show coins and stars earned in their class or school but there are no multi-player games. The emphasis in Numbots is on self-improvement and understanding the mathematical concept (rather than the speed of responses).
For most effective practice, we suggest playing for at least 3 minutes a day, 4 or 5 times a week - at home or at school.