Product Review of Subtracting Sardines

With interactive 3-D graphics, a friendly penguin, and lots of sardines, Subtracting Sardines will help your learners develop a solid understanding of subtraction with both positive and negative single digit numbers. The app covers single digit subtraction from 1 to 9 and counting from -8 to 9. Parents and educators can review accuracy history as well as correct/incorrect answers. Using sardines as manipulatives, learners can visually see the subtraction occurring, which helps develop conceptual understanding and build confidence.
Website: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id468674475
What Users Love About the App
“The modular approach of this app series is perfect. Switching apps helps our daughter visualize that we are doing a different concept, which is so helpful when first learning.”
“It’s great that the sardine visual is so different than the apples, because it really helps my daughter understand that it’s a different process being performed. She thoroughly enjoys the graphics and giggles while learning math.”
“I love adding apples and when I started a subtraction unit I was excited to see Subtracting Sardines. It’s a very simple concept but kids will play for hours.”
“We have Subtracting Sardines and Adding Apples and the kids absolutely love them! They along with myself enjoy the positive reinforcements and funny characters that they don’t realize they are actually learning something!”
“LOVE IT! I can’t say enough about this wonderful app. This app is wonderful for easily, clearly and concisely teaching the math concept!”
What Users Dislike About the App
“My only problem is that it allows kids to take away a larger number than they started with. Red sardines appear and the answer is a negative number. For a visual approach this doesn’t work. It would be fine if we were hopping on a number line.”
“First of all, as some were saying, there is no option to block negative numbers. Second, unlike the multiplication, the user is not able to see the math problem above the answer. I think being able to see the math problem is important rather than just the answer.”
“The only thing negative I can say about Subtracting Sardines is that it allows you to take away a larger number than you started with. Not a great idea for younger students or students that struggle.”
“The game is engaging. However, I just wish there was a way to block out negative numbers. If there is a way, I haven’t figured it out!”