At last count, there were over 80,000 educational apps available to teachers. There are apps for everything: literacy, STEM, productivity, audiovisual, etc. There are apps which improve accessibility for students with different learning challenges, i.e. text to voice, voice to text, etc.

While many of these may be a dream come true for educators, the dizzying array of choices is also a nightmare. Teachers just don’t have time to filter through thousands of apps to find the one that works best for the needs of their students. To help, we started to create curated lists of the best apps in a variety of education related categories. In this installment, we will present the best math apps for middle school students. 

1. Motion Math

This award-winning app “puts the action in fraction”! Parents’ reviews praise it for its success in making fractions fun. Created by Stanford School of Education for children from pre-k to grade 8, Motion Math has a 5-star rating on EdSurge. The app has multiple versions that provide an interactive learning experience in which users don’t feel like they’re learning.

2. Prodigy Math Game

This app is accompanied by a platform which its creators claim is “The most engaging math platform in the world”. The app covers 1200+ essential math skills for grades 1-8. The app places children in the correct grade according to diagnostic testing so that kids can learn at their own pace. Real time reports are sent so you can monitor the progress of the user.

3. DragonBox Algebra

The DragonBox toolkit introduces children as young as 5 to math and algebra “without even realizing that they are learning”. It’s based on experimentation and discovery and features a colorful, easy-to-use interface. This app has been dubbed “the Revolutionary Algebra App” by TeachersWithApps and is listed on topbestappsforkids.com.

4. Pattern Shapes

Understanding the properties of shapes, fractions and creating precise figures is easy with Pattern Shapes. Students can use the virtual protractor to measure angles, change the dimensions and color of forms and annotate answers. It is ideal for elementary and middle school students, and the bright colored shapes can inspire creative design

5. Geometry Pad

This virtual graph paper allows students to draw shapes, charts, and other geometric features.  Students can change the properties of shapes, zoom in, save their work and add written notes on the side. Geometry Pad is a great application that can be used with students of any age and across mathematical disciplines.

6. Mathboard

Designed like a chalkboard, Mathboard focuses on encouraging students to figure out math problems themselves, rather than trying to guess the answer. It comes with numerous modes, such as multiple choice and a mode where students can work out the problems by hand.

7. Free Graphing Calculator PocketCAS lite

A perfect app for any grade, this app saves students and teachers the money of having to buy individual graphing calculators. Not only does it have the same functions as a graphing calculator, but it also has a 3-D plot option.

Did we miss any? If so, list them in the comments section below.