Category Archives: apps for kids

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iTooch 6th Grade Language Arts

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itooch 6

FREE for a limited time iTooch 6th Grade Language Arts. This app normally sell for $4.99. It offer exercises for practicing/learning  grammar, vocabulary, writing, and reading comprehension. The app has over 1500 questions which are organized by chapter. First, kids choose an area to practice. The app is set on practice mode when the testing option is turned off. Once an answer is submitted, a solution button appears for most questions. When pressed, it explains why an answer is correct. There is also a lesson summary available for each chapter. If the testing mode is tuned on, kids are graded & timed on their answers. They earn points based on the number correct and their time. If they do not meet the criteria for that chapter (4 out of 6), they can choose to “go back to practice” or try the test again. Other useful features of this app include: speech synthesis for kids who may have difficulty reading the problems and the option to adjust the font size. These apps can be used by multiple students and track their individual achievement – great for tutors and classroom teachers. Check it out while it is free. 🙂

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/itooch-6th-grade-language/id521723371?mt=8&uo=4

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iTooch 5th Grade Math and iTooch 6th Grade Math

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itoochFREE for a limited time iTooch 5th Grade Math and iTooch 6th Grade Math. Both apps normally sell for $4.99. Both offer math exercises for practicing/learning different math strands of their respective grade levels. The 5th grade app covers: numbers & operations, fractions, measurement & estimating, graphing & stats, and geometry. The 6th grade app covers: numbers & operations, algebraic structures, data analysis, graphs, and geometry. Both apps have over 1500 questions which are organized by chapter. First, kids choose an area to practice. The app is set on practice mode when the testing option is turned off. Once an answer is submitted, a solution button appears for most questions. When pressed, it explains why an answer is correct. There is also a lesson summary available for each chapter. If the testing mode is tuned on, kids are graded & timed on their answers. They earn points based on the number correct and their time. If they do not meet the criteria for that chapter (4 out of 6), they can choose to “go back to practice” or try the test again. Other useful features of this app include: speech synthesis for kids who may have difficulty reading the problems, the option to adjust the font size, and an embedded calculator. These apps can be used by multiple students and track their individual achievement – great for tutors and classroom teachers. Check them out while they are free. 🙂

Download links:

5th Grade Math https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/itooch-5th-grade-math-maths/id423778530?mt=8&uo=4

6th Grade Math https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/itooch-6th-grade-math-math/id521720767?mt=8&uo=4

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Remind 101

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Used by over 700,000 teachers…

Remind 101 a FREE iPhone/iPad app that provides a safe way for teacher to text or email parents/students. To start, a teacher goes to the Remind 101 website to add his/her class list. A unique code is generated and the teacher shares that code with parents/students. The parent or student then sends a text message with the code to subscribe to the teacher’s class. From that point on, the parent/student will receive any message that the teacher sends from Remind 101. Teachers can text or email their entire class in minutes – homework assignments, field trip reminders, etc. All phone numbers remain private –  students never see the teacher’s phone # and the teachers never see the students’ numbers. This app has been written about by NBC, NPR, Huffington Post, Edutopia, and Edweek. Wow – what a great tool for improving communications but maintaining your privacy!

Remind101 - remind101

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ICDL (International Children’s Digital Library) – Free Books for Children

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FREE – ICDL (International Children’s Digital Library) – Free Books for Children. This app brings thousands of free children’s books from 60 different countries to the iPad – it’s truly a worldwide collection of books at your fingertips. Books can be searched in a variety of ways – by age appropriateness, length (short, medium, long), genre, ratings, awards, picture vs chapter, and more. You may register if you wish, but it is not necessary. Some advantages to registering include – saving favorite books on a personal bookshelf, returning to the last page that you were reading, and selecting the language you prefer to use.

The feature that I really like is the “Browse Exhibitions” section. The exhibitions are theme based collections of books from around the world. Examples of some current themes are: Celebrating Differences, Everyone Needs Water & Water Needs Everyone, and Forever Friendship. Within each exhibition is an overview of the theme, links to the books included, descriptions of why the books are included, and related activities (in pdf format). As the world becomes more mobile, school systems are facing language barriers. For example, Chicago Public Schools has over 70 languages spoken by their students. What an awesome resource to promote worldwide citizenship and understanding!

The mission of the International Children’s Digital Library Foundation (ICDL Foundation) is to support the world’s children in becoming effective members of the global community – who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas — by making the best in children’s literature available online free of charge. The Foundation pursues its vision by building a digital library of outstanding children’s books from around the world and supporting communities of children and adults in exploring and using this literature through innovative technology designed in close partnership with children for children. 

Read more @ http://en.childrenslibrary.org/

ICDL - Free Books for Children - International Children's Digital Library - ICDL Foundation

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Leonard

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Leonard

FREE again for a limited time – Leonard, a fun interactive story about a young boy with an excellent imagination. When Leonard’s family moves from the city to the country, he is met with the challenge of finding new friends. He searches everywhere – a bug-filled forest, underwater, outer space, a safari, even his sister’s tea party. Kids join Leonard on his problem-solving adventure and encounter interactive surprises along the way. The story has 2 reading modes: read it myself or read it to me. Leonard is a beautifully illustrated, sweet story that your kids are sure to enjoy!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/leonard/id508815860?mt=8&uo=4

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Shadow Puppet

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Shadow Puppet

Recently updated and still FREE – Shadow Puppet, a photography app which has been featured by Apple as one of the “Best New Apps” for over 6 moths!  Using this app, it’s easy to create “puppets” – recorded explanations of your photos. First you choose your photos and put them in the order. Then you talk about your pictures. Everything is recorded. Finished “puppets” can be shared via email, SMS, Facebook and/or Twitter. There are so many ways for everyone to use Shadow Puppet: to teach something new, to share adventures with friends, to record children talking about their experiences, to tell the story behind old family photos, etc.

The update has many new features. Now you can include video clips, add music, search the web for images, overlay text/stickers, and more! The FREE version of the app permits you to include up to 10 photos/video clips. For $1.99 you can get Puppet Essentials which allows you to add up to 100 items to each video and have access to more drawing & decorating tools. The update made this great app even better!

The classroom uses for this app are only limited by your imagination: Take pictures of a child’s work and have him/her explain it to parents. Send pictures and voice recordings of the class field trip. Have kids give a step-by-step explanation of what happened in a science experiment. Draw & sequence pictures to retell a story. Make a “talking timeline” by sequencing photos of historical events. Have kids use it to present mini reports on any subject. Have virtual “pet day” – kids bring in pictures/recordings of their pets. Because you can use anything saved to your photo library, you can explain photos from the web, artwork created in other apps, and so much more. The possibilities for using this educational app are endless. For more suggestions go to http://get-puppet.com/education. What a fabulous resource!!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shadow-puppet/id700902833?mt=8&uo=4

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10 FREE Science Apps for Kids

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sunFREE science app – DIY Sun Science teaches kids about the science of the sun. Funded by the NASA and developed by Berkeley’s Lawrence Science Hall, this educational app is the second in a series of FREE science apps. It includes 12+ hands-on activities, live images of the sun from NASA’s satellite, videos of the sun, and more. Each activity starts with a summary which gives an overview of the activity, the time it will take to complete (prep – clean-up), and the suggested age group. Next, there is a materials list. All items are inexpensive and widely available. Then there is a series of step-by-step directions – with pictures. Finally, there is an explanation of “what’s going on” in the activity. Related videos are at the bottom of the page so that your child can learn more. This app is very well-organized, easy to use, and provides a wonderful introduction to sun science. The best part about the app is that it gives kids and adults the opportunity to learn something new together which is fabulous!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/diy-sun-science/id836712493?mt=8&uo=4

DIY Nano

Recently updated to include 3 new hands-on activities and 8 new nanotechnology videos is another FREE science app – DIY Nano.  This educational app teaches kids (and their adults) about the nanoscale. Funded by the National Science Foundation and developed by Berkeley’s Lawrence Science Hall, this educational app provides a series of activities and videos about nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. There are 12 hands-on activities in this app. Each one starts with a summary which gives an overview of the activity, the time it will take to complete (prep – clean-up), and the suggested age group. Next, there is a materials list. All items are inexpensive and widely available. Then there is a series of step-by-step directions – with pictures. Finally, there is an explanation of “what’s going on” in the activity. Related videos are at the bottom of the page so that your child can learn more. This app is very well-organized, easy to use, and provides a wonderful introduction to the world of nanoscale science. The best part about the app is that it gives kids and adults the opportunity to learn something new together. How exciting is that?!?

DIY Nano HD - The Lawrence Hall of Science

Science 360FREE from the National Science Foundation comes Science 360 for iPad – scientific images and videos from around the world. This educational app covers a range of topics and breaking news from NSF-funded institutions. New content is added weekly. Users can browse the app’s unique 360 display board to learn about something new or they can find specific content by searching keywords. It’s easy to save images and videos for later use right within the app – perfect for teachers who are gathering resources for a unit. The quality of the images is spectacular and they are available in HD for download to your iPad. Keep abreast of the latest scientific discoveries with this app – a great resource!!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/science360-for-ipad/id439928181?mt=8&uo=4

Bill Nye The Science GuyGreat FREE educational app – Bill Nye The Science Guy. 2013 was Bill Nye’s 20th Anniversary and Disney celebrated with the release of this educational app. Kids scan their thumbs to gain entrance to Nye Labs – a scientifically fascinating place. There they can play games, watch clips from their favorite shows, try some experiments, and more. When I was still teaching, I frequently used Bill Nye’s materials. My students loved his energetic, fun videos and often begged to watch them again! It’s no wonder he is the winner of 38 Emmys. This app takes kids to a place where science rules!!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bill-nye-the-science-guy/id652548755?mt=8&uo=4

Color UncoveredTwo FABULOUS & FREE educational apps from the Exploratorium!! Both interactive books contain illusions, articles, and videos. These apps make science fun by answering questions like – What color is a whisper? Are there secret messages in music played backward? Kids will love the illusions and you won’t believe these apps are FREE! Very interesting – for kids AND their parents/teachers.

Color Uncovered: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/color-uncovered/id470299591?mt=8&uo=4

Sound Uncovered: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sound-uncovered/id598835017?mt=8&uo=4

brain popBrainPOP has been around for more than a decade as an educational website. The site features short animated movies – 750+ lessons covering science, social studies, math, art & music, etc. The content is geared for grades 4 and above but I found that many movies were also suitable for third graders. When I was in the classroom, it was one of my favorite online resources.

Now you can download the BrainPOP Featured Movie, the educational app for FREE! Your child can learn something new every day. After watching the daily movie there is a short interactive quiz. And… if your child can’t get enough of this app, there are two subscription options: $1.99 per month/ 4 movies & quizzes a day OR $6.99 per month/full access.

Teachers could add the BrainPOP movie of the day to their daily routine. Watch it at a transition time – right before lunch, after lunch, while waiting for buses to called, etc. Interesting and educational!!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/brainpop-featured-movie/id364894352?mt=8&uo=4

brain pop jr

Also available for FREE is BrainPOP Jr. Movie of the Week, another educational app. Every week Annie and Moby (two lovable characters) help 5 to 9 year olds learn about a different subject. There is also a quiz and activities to accompany each animated movie. BrainPOP Jr. has been on the web since 2006 delivering content for younger students in science, social studies, reading, writing, math, and more.

Again, teachers could add the BrainPOP Jr. Movie of the Week to their routine. Start your Monday off with the “Movie of the Week” or use it on Friday. BrainPOP gives teachers another way spark kids interest in learning!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/brainpop-jr.-movie-of-the-week/id536371867?mt=8&uo=4

Zachy the RobotFREE again for limited time – Zachy the Robot: The Leaning Tower of Robocity, episode 1 of an interactive cartoon series for kids ages 3-7. The series was developed and tested in cooperation with Carnegie Mellon University Children’s School. It introduces basic STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) concepts to kids. In this first episode, kids are introduces to basic engineering concepts when Zachy and his friends, the Repairbots, are called in to fix a skyscraper that is leaning. Kids will love watching this animated adventure and helping the Repairbots solve the problem. This educational app was a winner of a Parents’ Choice Recommended Award in 2011 – a well-deserved honor! It exposes kids to STEM concepts in a fun & engaging way!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zachy-robot-leaning-tower/id441107189?mt=8&uo=4

Robots for iPadWho doesn’t love robots? Robots for iPad is FREE for a limited time. This educational app was listed as “New & Noteworthy” by Apple. It was also reviewed or mentioned in the NY Times, Mashable, Wired, CNET and more! Kids (and adults) can explore real-world robots with this fun app which is chock full of interactivity, animations, photos, videos, & articles. The app introduces over 150 robots from 19 countries. Kids can swipe each robot for a 360° view then tap the robot to interact with it. There are also hundreds of videos and 500+ pictures. The app has information about all kinds of robots (drones, androids, etc.) as well as information about some famous robots – Honda’s humanoid Asimo, a NASA Mars rover, and Google’s self-driving car. VERY cool and very informative!

Teachers, there are lots of possibilities for using this app in your classroom. After exploring, use it for writing activities – descriptive paragraphs, write about a robot you would invent, pick a robot and write a story, etc. The app’s ratings section could be used for graphing activities. There is also a great timeline included as well as a section on how to get started in robotics. I can see how kids will love this app. 🙂

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/robots-for-ipad/id566581906?mt=8&uo=4

 

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PEEP and the Big Wide World apps

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FREE for a limited time – 6 PEEP and the Big Wide World apps from WGBH, the producers of the animated series of the same name. Major funding for these educational apps is provided by the National Science Foundation. These apps are designed to teach science to preschoolers (3 – 5 years) in a cute, fun way! The games begin simply but become more challenging as kids are successful. Each app also includes a “Try This Anywhere Activity” for you and your children to do together based on the lesson in the app. Your child will LOVE learning with Peep and friends. And you will too!

PEEP - House Hunt

PEEP and the Big Wide World House Hunt: Kids turn over leaves to pair animals with their homes in a match game that demonstrates that some habitats are home to many different animals.

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/peep-big-wide-world-house/id536554271?mt=8&uo=4

PEEP - Hide & peep

PEEP and the Big Wide World Hide and Peep: Peep and friends are hiding in the tool shed. This app helps kids practice their observation and memory skills.

Download link:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/peep-big-wide-world-hide-peep/id536312346?mt=8&uo=4

Peep - Paint Splat

PEEP and the Big Wide World Paint Splat: Kids join two quirky characters named Quack & Chirp to experiment with mixing colors in a fun, silly way!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/peep-big-wide-world-paint/id536621786?mt=8&uo=4

Peep - Sounds

PEEP and the Big Wide World Sounds Like Fun!: Kids explore music and sounds as they mix and match sounds with this app. The characters represent different musical rhythms.

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/peep-big-wide-world-sounds/id536623915?mt=8&uo=4

Peep - trash

PEEP and the Big Wide World Trash Stash: Kids practice their categorization skills by sorting objects using increasingly sophisticated criteria.

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/peep-big-wide-world-trash/id536624731?mt=8&uo=4

Peep - Quack's Apples

PEEP and the Big Wide World Quack’s Apples: Kids roll Quack’s apples into a pond – testing and tweaking the design of their route as often as needed. As they play, they are practicing the engineering design process!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/peep-big-wide-world-quacks/id536623428?mt=8&uo=4

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Subtracting Sardines

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FREE again – Subtracting Sardines, an educational app that helps young kids (preschoolers/kindergarten) understand the concept of subtraction. With the help of a cute little penguin, kids subtract (up to 9) using sardines. This app meets the Common Core Standards for kindergarten. First grade standards are a bit more rigorous and expect students to add & subtract up to 20. There are a lot of good things about this app. The sardines are displayed on a keyboard with domino like keys (number on the left/picture on the right). The child chooses a subtraction problem and the sardines appear at the top of the screen. Here’s how it works: If a child chooses 7 – 2: 7 sardines appear then 2 sardines are taken away. As the child counts the remaining fish, they are encased in ice. Only the bones left behind of the subtracted fish and they disintegrate if touched. The app even allows for subtraction problems with negative answers (red fish joins the left over bones). Children earn gold coins as they work. This nicely done app helps kids with the beginning concepts of subtraction.

Common Core Standards met:

  • K.OA.2  – Add and subtract within 10, e.g., by using objects or drawings to represent the problem.

Highly Recommended!

Subtracting Sardines HD - Operatio

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Quick Math+

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FREE for a limited time – Quick Math+, an educational app that encourages the development of mental math skills. Kids race against the clock to improve their scores. Handwriting recognition allows the players to write the answers directly on the screen – a very slick feature. There are 4 game modes: solve, memorize, compare, and swap. Each game has 4 levels: beginner, intermediate, advance, and extreme. At a beginning level, this app helps to develop math fluency. Once kids have mastered the basics, the app introduces order of operations & parenthesis, negatives numbers, and indices. LOTS of great practice for multiple levels of math students in this app. It can be shared among students and it tracks each student’s progress – perfect for the classroom. The math gets progressively harder as students improve their skills. I love how the app encourages self-improvement and legible writing! Teachers could assign 10 minutes of practice each day for their students. I am sure the results would be significant. What a fabulous tool for the classroom!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quick-math+/id703287370?mt=8&uo=4