Category Archives: language arts – writing apps

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Collins Big Cat Story Creator Apps

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8 of Collins Big Cat Story Creator apps are currently FREE (for a limited time) for the iPad. Collins Big Cat is a reading series used by over 9000 schools in The United Kingdom. Titles included are: Playing Story Creator/Around the World/ Farmer’s Lunch/ In the Garden/ It Was a Cold,Dark Night/ My Bike Ride/ The Steam Train/At the Dump. These apps normally sell for $3.99 each so take advantage of this great offer if you have young readers/writers in your life.

These apps, geared towards children ages 4+, include an animated story (with hidden surprises on every page) and a story creator. The story creator allows the child to transfer what they just read into writing. Children can create their own story using the scenes, characters, etc. from the book. There is also the option to record the child’s newly created story. Nicely done for young readers/writers!!

Highly recommended!

Playing Story Creator

Playing Story CreatorCollins Big Cat: Playing Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Around the World       Collins Big Cat: Around the World Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

The Farmer’s Lunch       Collins Big Cat: The Farmer’s Lunch Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

In the Garden       Collins Big Cat In The Garden Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

It Was a Cold, Dark Night       Collins Big Cat: It Was a Cold, Dark Night Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

My Bike Ride        Collins Big Cat: My Bike Ride Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

The Steam Train       Collins Big Cat: The Steam Train Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

At the Dump

At the Dump   Collins Big Cat: At the Dump Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

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Tellagami

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Telegami

Currently FREE, Tellagami (rhymes with origami) is a unique storytelling app. Short stories called gamis are easy to create. First you select and customize a character by choosing his/her skin tone, eye color, hair, and clothing. Then you add emotion – happy, sad, surprised, angry, scared, silly. Next you choose a background from the app, from your photo library, or by using your camera. You are now ready to create your gami. You can record your gami in you own voice or choose the text button to type in what your character will say  – the limit is 450 characters. Gamis can be shared via email, messaging, Facebook, or Twitter.

The app is fabulous!! Its uses are only limited by your imagination!! Kids can customize their characters to look like themselves and be reporters, scientists, teachers, etc. They  create the character and setting from a book they are reading. They could message or email a parent to explain what they are learning in class. Teachers could use gamis as interactive exit slips. The list is endless. Kids will LOVE creating gamis!

Tellagami ™ - Tellagami Inc.

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Jumbled Sentences 3

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Jumbled Sentences 3

Recently released and currently FREE, Jumbled Sentences 3 for the iPad helps kids learn sentence word order in a fun way. Kids put words in order to form a correct sentence while earning coins for each correct answer. If they get stumped, they can use a coin to buy a hint. There are three levels. In level 1 kids rearrange words to form a sentence – picture clues are given. In level 2 there are more words than needed. Kids must choose and arrange the proper words to construct a sentence that goes with the picture. In level 3, kids have to make sentences without picture clues. If the sentence submitted is wrong, the app keeps the correctly placed words and removes the others so kids can try again. The app is simple to use with a cute alien/space theme. Worth downloading 🙂

Jumbled Sentences 3 - Innovative Net Learning Limited

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Trading Cards

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trading cards

Fabulous app!!! ReadWriteThink’s Trading Cards is powerful FREE app developed by the International Reading Association. This app provides a unique way for kids to share their understanding of topics, generate their own study aids, create a fictional world to use in their writing, make their own trading cards, and more. There are 7 categories of cards available within the app: fictional person, real person, fictional place, real place, object, event, and vocabulary. Kids start by choosing a category and typing in the title of the card. Each category has specific questions which help kids create information-rich trading cards. Images can be added by using the device’s camera or by accessing pictures in the photo library. Kids can also sort their cards into collections such as characters from a book, heroes or villains, landmarks, the 50 states, vocabulary by subject, etc. The possibilities are endless! Cards can be shared via email, saved to the photo library, or printed on a wireless printer. And… the kid appeal is tremendous. Kids will LOVE trading their cards with their classmates 🙂

Highly recommended!!

Trading Cards - International Reading Association

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Scribble My Story – A Fingerprint Network App

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scribble my story

Exciting News  – the creators of Scribble Press (in my opinion – one of THE best writing apps for kids) have just released Scribble My Story. It is a junior version of Scribble Press which was named by Time as one of the top 25 apps of 2012. Designed for the youngest authors and artists (ages 3 – 8), Scribble My Story provides a friendly, easy-to-use platform for kids to imagine, create, and share. Included are 6 story packs (with audio for non-readers) that can be customized by the child and a recordable blank book for open-ended creations. Created books are saved in the app. Kids can go back and reread their books, edit them, or share them on the Scribble Press website. All great features except for the share button. I wish there was an option to disable it for children. In my opinion, parents/teachers need to decide & control what kids share on the internet. Using the Fingerprint email platform, parents/teachers can view created books through a browser, pdf, or iBooks. Additional story packs are available as in-app purchases. What a wonderful way to encourage kids to become writers from an early age! Highly recommended!

Also, check out my review of Scribble Press – one of my favorites 🙂  When I originally reviewed it, it was FREE. It now costs $2.99 but it is well worth its cost.

Scribble My Story – A Fingerprint Network App - Fingerprint

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Collins Big Cat Story Creator Apps

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6 of Collins Big Cat Story Creator apps are currently FREE (for a limited time) for the iPad. Collins Big Cat is a reading series used by over 9000 schools in The United Kingdom. Titles included are: Around the World/ Farmer’s Lunch/ In the Garden/ It Was a Cold,Dark Night/ My Bike Ride/ The Steam Train. These apps normally sell for $3.99 each so take advantage of this great offer if you have young readers/writers in your life.

These apps, geared towards children ages 4+, include an animated story (with hidden surprises on every page) and a story creator. The story creator allows the child to transfer what they just read into writing. Children can create their own story using the scenes, characters, etc. from the book. There is also the option to record the child’s newly created story. Nicely done for young readers/writers!!

Highly recommended!

Around the World       Collins Big Cat: Around the World Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

The Farmer’s Lunch       Collins Big Cat: The Farmer’s Lunch Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

In the Garden       Collins Big Cat In The Garden Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

It Was a Cold, Dark Night       Collins Big Cat: It Was a Cold, Dark Night Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

My Bike Ride        Collins Big Cat: My Bike Ride Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

The Steam Train       Collins Big Cat: The Steam Train Story Creator - HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

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My Editing Buddy

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This iPad app is a FREE simple to use word processor designed for use in elementary classrooms. But…there is so much more to this app. Kids can share their work with classmates and learn to edit using this app. To create an account, you need to provide an email address. The app can be used without an account but it will not save documents. After the account is created, just log in and create your document. Then it’s time to share your work with someone who will edit it. You can choose: “pass & edit” or “add to sharing network.” If you choose “pass & edit” you literally hand your work to someone for editing. Symbols and sticky notes are along the bottom of the screen when the app is in the editing mode. The “editor”  just drags the appropriate symbol in place to edit the document. A glossary of symbols is available by tapping the question mark. Sticky notes are available for more detailed feedback. When finished, your “editor” saves then returns your work. You can now swipe from your word processing version to the edited version and make revisions. If you choose “add to sharing network” your work will posted to your class for anyone to edit. Teachers need to set up a class for their students and provide students with the class password. Be aware that anyone who has an account can set up “a class” so teachers may have to monitor this option. What an awesome way to get kids involved in and excited about peer editing!!

Common Core Standards met:

  • K.W.5 /1.W.5/2.W.5/ – With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
  • 3.W.5/4.W.5/5.W.5 – With guidance and support from peers and 5. adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

Highly Recommended!

My Editing Buddy - Interactive Elementary

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My Story – Book Maker for Kids

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Recently updated (June 26, 2012), My Story, is another great writing app for the iPad. The cost of this app is $1.99 but I was able to get it on a day that it was FREE 🙂

Kids can easily create an unlimited number of their own books. They can illustrate, take photos from the app, or use pictures from the photo library in their stories. Each page has an area for kids to type in words. They can also record themselves reading their books. Finalized stories can read directly from the app, be published to iBooks, and/or shared via email with anyone who owns an iPhone or iPad.

Watch the video and learn more about this app here: My Story – Book Maker for Kids.

What a great way for your child to share their life experiences with grandparents and other loved ones – take photos of your day (at the zoo, in the park, etc.) and let your child narrate the experience! Voice recording remain intact when the book is shared. You can type in the text later so your child can hear himself narrating/reading the book. Kids will make the connection that the words in books are really just “talk written down.”

In the classroom kids can share their stories with friends through iBooks, write and present digital reports, keep ongoing vocabulary books and/or journals etc.

Highly recommended!!

My Story - Book Maker for Kids - HiDef Web Solutions

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Scribble Press

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This FREE app seems to be the Cadillac of kids’ writing apps for the iPad. It helps kids to “imagine, create and publish” their stories. Kids can begin with one of the 50 story templates available within the app or they can write an original story.  You can create your own drawings using the 100+ markers, stamps, and stickers in this app. You can also take your own photos or upload existing photos/art for your story.  With all of that flexibility the sky is the limit as far as what kids can create – story books, travel journals, cookbooks, nature guides, etc.

After creating the story, kids can customize the cover and add information about the author. Books can be shared in a variety of ways – via email, via Facebook, to the Scribble Press public gallery, or to iBooks to be read and reread later.

Scribble Press was created by two moms 5 years ago. They started by opening retail studios where kids could publish their own books in New York and Los Angeles. The app came out when they decided to go digital after their success in the retail market.  Anyone who creates a book using Scribble Press can order a hardback copy as well as other cool things. Imagine what wonderful gifts your child’s creations would make for birthday and holidays!

Highly recommended!

Scribble Press - Scribble Press

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Toontastic

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Fabulously creative FREE app for kids to create their own cartoons. This app allows kids to draw, animate and share their cartoons while actually teaching them the elements of a story. Kids are able to use backgrounds and characters from the app or create their own with the drawing tools that are provided.  Final creations can be shared online via ToonTube, Toontastic’s global storytelling network.

Here is a link to more information: Toontastic: Play, Create, Learn on the iPad!.

Not only are the possibilities for using this app are endless but a child’s work can be shared with parents, grandparents, other classes, etc.

Highly recommended!

Toontastic - Launchpad Toys