Hey there! I’m Cesar Luna from Common Sense, and I’m super excited to talk about geometry. Today, we’re diving into two amazing geometry apps: Land of Venn and DragonBox Elements. These apps are perfect for anyone who wants to explore the world of shapes and angles in a fun way. Let’s see what makes each of these apps special!
Both Land of Venn and DragonBox Elements are designed to make learning geometry exciting. Land of Venn is fast-paced and action-packed, while DragonBox Elements feels more like solving puzzles. The best part? You learn while playing, so it never feels like a chore!
In Land of Venn, you use basic geometry to protect magical juice from monsters. As you play, you’ll learn how to create shapes by connecting points. A friendly snail guides you through new skills, and you can practice before jumping back into the action. Occasionally, the snail will quiz you to make sure you’re ready for the next challenge.
DragonBox Elements is all about rescuing your army from shapes and fighting off invaders. This app encourages you to explore and experiment with geometric concepts. It’s a great way to learn about shapes before diving into more detailed lessons. Unlike Land of Venn, DragonBox Elements lets you explore at your own pace, without any time limits.
Both apps are fantastic for getting into geometry. Land of Venn is available on iOS and Android, while DragonBox Elements can be found on iOS, Android, and Kindle Fire. Remember, a bigger screen is better for seeing all the shapes clearly.
Land of Venn is great for practicing skills and is easy to use, even without a teacher’s guide. It’s quick to learn, and you’ll have a blast playing it. On the other hand, DragonBox Elements offers over 100 levels and helps build a strong understanding of geometry. It might need a bit more guidance, but there are helpful resources online for teachers and parents.
Whichever app you choose, make sure to take time to show what you’ve learned outside the game. Both apps are excellent tools for learning geometry, so try them out and see which one you like best. Let us know your thoughts, and check out more reviews of awesome educational tools at Common Sense Education!
Imagine you’re a game designer! Use what you’ve learned from Land of Venn and DragonBox Elements to create your own geometry-based game. Think about how you can use shapes and angles to make it fun and educational. Share your game idea with your classmates and get their feedback.
Go on a scavenger hunt around your school or home to find real-life examples of the shapes and angles you’ve learned about. Take pictures or draw what you find, and then create a presentation to show how geometry is all around us.
Use your creativity to make an art project using different geometric shapes and angles. You can draw, paint, or even create a digital artwork. Explain how you used geometry in your art and what shapes and angles are present.
Design a puzzle for your classmates using geometric shapes. You can create a jigsaw puzzle, a tangram, or any other type of puzzle that involves fitting shapes together. Challenge your friends to solve it and see who can do it the fastest!
Write a short story or comic strip where the characters use geometry to solve a problem or go on an adventure. Use the concepts you’ve learned from the apps to make your story engaging and educational. Share your story with the class!
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
—
Hi, I’m Cesar Luna with Common Sense, and I love geometry. I’m here to talk about how your students can uncover the power of geometry. This is our fifth EdTech Quick Take: Land of Venn vs. DragonBox Elements. Let’s take a look at these awesome and very different geometry apps. If you’re looking to deepen your students’ conceptual understanding of geometry, then this episode is a must-watch.
One great thing about Land of Venn and DragonBox Elements is that they’re both really engaging. The fast-paced Land of Venn, as well as the more puzzle-like DragonBox Elements, both motivate through engaging gameplay. In both apps, the learning is embedded throughout, not used as a requirement just to get to the fun.
Land of Venn applies some basic geometry concepts as students defeat juice-seeking monsters. Players get a chance to visualize how shapes are created between points. In the game, players protect magical juice by tapping on monsters, and there are plenty of monsters coming from all directions. As kids fight off monsters, they get better at drawing and understanding shapes. A quirky snail introduces each new skill, and students can practice before returning to battle. At certain points, the snail checks students’ work in a brief quiz. Students have to pass before they can get to the next level.
Now, let’s talk about DragonBox Elements. Here’s a quick description: rescuing your army from the shapes they’re locked inside of so you can fight off monster invaders. DragonBox Elements is designed to help young students discover geometric concepts. The app teaches through experimentation and exploration. It can be a great introduction to a concept before you offer any direct instruction. While Land of Venn tells you upfront about the shapes you’re working with, DragonBox Elements introduces new powers that help students discover the properties of shapes.
DragonBox Elements focuses on exploration without time limits, making it accessible to students at many different levels. For younger users, the game might benefit from some audio reinforcement, but otherwise, this kind of discovery-based pedagogy is pretty robust throughout the game.
As you can see, both Land of Venn and DragonBox Elements are great apps to get your students hooked on geometry. In terms of devices, Land of Venn is currently available on iOS and Android, while you’ll find DragonBox Elements on iOS, Android, and Kindle Fire. Also, keep in mind that playing either app on a phone won’t be ideal. You’ll want a bigger screen to see the shapes clearly.
Overall, Land of Venn is great for practice and offers solid student support, though at times, the shapes can be a little hard to make out. There isn’t a teacher’s guide, but it’s pretty straightforward. You’ll get through it fast, and your students will love every minute. They might even want to bring it home. But if you’re looking to help students build a strong conceptual understanding, go with DragonBox Elements. With over 100 levels, it’s bound to keep you going. It could require more teacher support, but there are parents’ and teachers’ guides on the developer’s website, as well as great video walkthroughs on the YouTube channel.
Of course, with either app, be sure to give your students opportunities to show what they’ve learned outside the game. So which geometry app is best for your classroom? Let us know what you think, and check out more reviews of all the best edtech tools at Common Sense Education.
—
This version removes informal expressions and maintains a professional tone while preserving the original message.
Geometry – The branch of mathematics that deals with points, lines, shapes, and space. – In geometry class, we learned how to calculate the area of different shapes.
Shapes – Figures such as circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles that have specific forms and boundaries. – We used different shapes to create a colorful mosaic in art class.
Angles – The space between two intersecting lines or surfaces at or close to the point where they meet. – We measured the angles of the triangle to make sure they added up to 180 degrees.
Learn – To gain knowledge or understanding of a subject through study or experience. – Our teacher helped us learn how to identify different types of angles.
Explore – To investigate or study something in order to discover more about it. – We used a protractor to explore the different angles in our classroom.
Skills – The ability to do something well, often as a result of practice and knowledge. – Practicing geometry problems helped us improve our math skills.
App – A software application, especially one designed for a mobile device, that can be used for learning. – We used a geometry app on our tablets to practice identifying shapes.
Puzzles – Problems or games that test one’s ingenuity or knowledge, often involving shapes and patterns. – Solving geometry puzzles can be a fun way to understand shapes and angles better.
Concepts – Ideas or principles that are part of a larger theory or system, such as those in mathematics. – Our teacher explained the concepts of symmetry and congruence in geometry.
Practice – The repeated exercise of an activity or skill to improve proficiency. – We need to practice drawing angles accurately to become better at geometry.
