How is Challenge Mode different to Story Mode?
Story Mode develops conceptual understanding. Therefore the levels are highly visual and incorporate a variety of representations (e.g. bar models, coins, number lines).
Challenge Mode improves recall of key number facts (e.g. number bonds to 10, adding single-digit numbers). Aside from the subitising Challenges, the questions generally don't involve images.
The players' experience
Each Challenge focuses on one set of number facts – inspired by the work of Number Sense Maths. Players have one minute to correctly answer as many questions as they can.
Challenge Mode unlocks once you pass Iron Level 26 in Story Mode. That's because we want learners to develop some of the supporting skills and understanding in the Story levels before attempting a 60-second skill round in Challenge Mode.
There are 30 Challenges in total, each belonging to one of these four topics:
Subitising
Number Bonds
Adding
Subtracting
Unlike in Story Mode - where players are required to pass each level in order to unlock the next - all 30 Challenges are available to play as soon as Challenge Mode is unlocked.
Trophies (Bronze, Silver and Gold)
Players are encouraged to replay the Challenges in order to beat their high scores, climb the leaderboards* and earn trophies and certificates (improving their recall of important number facts in the process).
View list of all challenges and trophy thresholds.
View list of all challenges and trophy thresholds.
Trophies are awarded based on the challenge difficulty level:
Tier 1 (Easier) challenges:
Bronze: 10+ correct (<6s/q)
Silver: 20+ correct (<3s/q)
Gold: 30+ correct (<2s/q)
Tier 2 (Harder) challenges:
Bronze: 6+ correct (<10s/q)
Silver: 12+ correct (<5s/q)
Gold: 20+ correct (<3s/q)
Subitising | 6 to 9 (Group) | Tier 1 - easier | Adding 10 to single-digit numbers |
Subitising | 0 to 5 (Five Frame) | Tier 1 - easier | Adding 8 and 9 to single-digit numbers |
Subitising | 6 to 9 (Ten Frame) | Tier 1 - easier | Adding teen-numbers to single-digit numbers (within 20) |
Subitising | 1 to 5 (Group) | Tier 1 - easier | Subtracting 0,1 and 2 (within 20) |
Subitising | 1 to 10 (Ten Boards) | Tier 1 - easier | Subtracting single-digit numbers within 20 (bridging 10) |
Number Bonds | To 100 (Tens) | Tier 1 - easier | Number Bonds to 10 |
Number Bonds | To 5 | Tier 1 - easier | Adding single-digit numbers (within 10) |
Number Bonds | To 20 | Tier 1 - easier | Doubles (within 20) |
Number Bonds | To 10 | Tier 1 - easier | Near doubles (within 20) |
Number Bonds | To 100 (All) | Tier 2 - harder | Adding single-digit numbers (bridging 10) |
Adding | 0, 1 and 2 | Tier 1 - easier | Adding multiples of 10 to multiples of 10 |
Adding | Tens to Tens | Tier 1 - easier | 6 to 9 (group) |
Adding | Within 10 | Tier 1 - easier | 0 to 5 (five frame) |
Adding | Doubles | Tier 1 - easier | 6 to 9 (ten frame) |
Adding | Near Doubles | Tier 1 - easier | 1 to 5 (group) |
Adding | Across 10 | Tier 1 - easier | Number Bonds to 100 (multiples of 10) |
Adding | Adding 10 | Tier 1 - easier | 1 to 10 (ten boards) |
Adding | 8 and 9 | Tier 1 - easier | Subtracting single-digit numbers within 10 |
Adding | Within 20 | Tier 1 - easier | Subtracting single-digit numbers within 20 (not bridging 10) |
Adding | Within 100 | Tier 2 - harder | Subtracting multiples of 10 from multiples of 10 |
Adding | Ones within 100 | Tier 2 - harder | Number Bonds to 5 |
Adding | Tens within 100 | Tier 2 - harder | Number Bonds to 20 |
Subtracting | Within 10 | Tier 1 - easier | Adding two-digit numbers (within 100) |
Subtracting | Ones within 20 (Not across 10) | Tier 1 - easier | Number Bonds to 100 (all) |
Subtracting | Tens from Tens | Tier 1 - easier | Subtracting single-digit numbers from two-digit numbers |
Subtracting | 0, 1 and 2 | Tier 1 - easier | Subtracting multiples of 10 from two-digit numbers |
Subtracting | Ones within 20 (Across 10) | Tier 2 - harder | Subtracting two-digit numbers from two-digit numbers |
Subtracting | Ones within 100 | Tier 2 - harder | Adding two-digit numbers to single-digit numbers |
Subtracting | Tens within 100 | Tier 2 - harder | Adding two-digit numbers to multiples of 10 |
Subtracting | Within 100 | Tier 2 - harder |
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Tip: If a pupil finds the 1-minute timer counting down in the top left of the screen distracting or intimidating, they can tap/click on it to hide it. Tap in the same spot again to reveal it, or go to 'Settings' where they can set their preference.
Making the most of Challenge Mode in the classroom
Warm-ups: Preceding a lesson on number bonds to 5, for example, get your pupils to warm up on the Subitising to 5 Challenge; or before a lesson on addition that requires bridging a ten, your pupils could get ready with a few rounds on Number Bonds to 10.
Consolidation: Following a lesson on small number subtraction, your pupils could practise the key skill of Subtracting Within 10.
Tip: Challenge Mode is great for recall development at home too, so feel free to set your pupils some light homework to boost their skills on a Challenge of your choice.
Using Challenge Mode to monitor pupils' performance
Challenge Mode is a fantastic tool to immediately identify learners who are thriving or struggling on key skills. To see how your pupils are performing on each Challenge, click Stats & progress > Challenge Results and select the name of your class.
Use the filters above the table to customise the data shown within it. Hover over the "i" icon, in a column header, for information about the data in that column.
"Passed" filter: The "Passed" filter enables you to immediately see whether a pupil has grasped each key skill or not, by a simple tick or cross icon. Pupils must answer in less than 4 s/q (give at least 15 correct answers in a minute) in order to "pass". (Note: The "Passed" filter is only for "Speed" - it isn't available when you select "Accuracy".)
Heatmaps: Our addition and subtraction heatmaps - a data representation unique to NumBots - show your pupils' median answer speeds for each addition fact up to 10 + 10, and their subtraction inverses. To view a pupil's heatmap, click on the colourful heatmap icon by their name, in the Challenge Results table.
Please note: Subitising, number bonds greater than 10 + addition/subtraction greater than 10 challenges do not contribute to the heatmaps.
Tip: Encourage your pupils to replay and practise a particular Challenge by rewarding certificates to the fastest pupils, or to those who make the most improvement.
Focus on 60-second skill rounds
After an update, Challenge Mode is now :
Easier to access particular skills by categorising and listing them.
Quicker to practise any skill as they no longer need to be unlocked one by one.
Simpler for pupils to see how they're performing by displaying their high score.
More efficient for teachers to see how each pupil is performing on key skills.
The result is that teachers can use Challenge Mode as an effective practice tool to support the lessons you're teaching AND monitor your pupils' data.
* Player leaderboards are only visible to pupils and staff in your organisation (they’re not public) and they display players’ robot names, not their real names. While NumBots leaderboards normally encourage healthy, motivational competition, some teachers prefer not to allow children to see each other’s high scores. In this case they can hide the leaderboards from pupils by logging into their teacher account here, then going to Digital wellbeing> Privacy (in the left hand menu).