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PlaySquare

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FREE for a limited time – PlaySquare is billed as Touchable Television. Children (ages 3 – 6) play and learn words and letters as the play in Word World. In the first episode, “Happy Birthday Dog”, Dog thinks that everyone has forgotten his birthday. Kids are engaged in the story as they help gather things for a birthday party to surprise Dog.

There are so many wonderful things about this app. It is colorful and engaging. Early literacy skills (letter recognition, letter sound, word building, word recognition) are developed throughout the story. The characters are funny and lovable. But the best part is of the app is how the developers (media experts from Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, LeapFrog, and MIT) have used the letters of the word to form the object being spelled – very clever! I LOVE this app!!

Watch the video from the developers @ http://playsquare.tv/

Highly recommended

PlaySquare presents WordWorld's Happy Birthday Dog - PlaySquare, LLC

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Record of Reading

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Record of Reading

Record of Reading by Clemson University is a FREE app that was just updated on April 2, 2013. The app provides an electronic form for taking running records (an assessment of oral reading developed by Marie M. Clay). The teacher still needs to do the coding and the analysis of the child’s reading. But… the app has formulas for accuracy and self-corrections embedded in it so that there is no need for a calculator!! The app also records the student’s voice as the teacher is taking the record. After the running record is completed, it can be saved and/or emailed! If you are an elementary school teacher who regularly uses running records, you are going to want to check this app out. 🙂

A fabulous tool for elementary teachers – thank you Clemson!!

Record of Reading - Clemson University

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Find the Synonym

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FREE again – Find the Synonym is an app designed for the iPhone/iPad. It is listed as a game app rather than an educational app but it would be great for kids in upper elementary school/junior high. A word is shown with its part of speech and definition. You are directed to create a 4 – 7 letter synonym of that word using the letters provided. Points are awarded based on the length of the word, the time involved, whether clues are used, and/or if any mistakes are made. Badges are earned as the game is played. It’s simply designed  – not a lot of bell & whistles but it is heavy on content. There are a total of 1600 synonyms in the app. After you find 250 of them, the antonyms are unlocked. There are 700 antonyms in the app.

I realize that this app was not designed for kids per se but it is educational. More flexibility in the settings would make it more suitable for classroom use. I could not find a way to restart the game. The game picks up where it left off & points are cumulative, so only one person can play. Also, having access to both synonyms and antonyms would be a plus. I am sure that teachers will come up with creative ways to use this resource 🙂

Recommended!

Find The Synonym - FreshLogo

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Grammar Wonderland (Primary) & Grammar Wonderland (Elementary)

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grammar primary

grammar

FREE again – the full versions of Grammar Wonderland (Primary) & Grammar Wonderland (Elementary). In both games kids lead their characters through different adventures as they practice  nouns, verbs, adjectives, and more. The primary version is for younger children – the words are read and some levels include pictures. The app does not teach the parts of speech but it provides lots of practice for kids in a fun game-like environment. After teaching a lesson about parts of speech, teachers can have kids show what they know with this app. Practice is provided for the following: common nouns, proper, nouns, concrete nouns, abstract nouns, singular nouns, plural nouns, possessive nouns, pronouns, action verbs, present-tense verbs, past-tense verbs, future-tense verbs, linking verbs, adjectives, articles, comparative/superlative adjectives, and more! Many parts of speech are taught in both apps – perfect for differentiating your instruction for a variety of reading levels. Both also apps permit multiple player – great for the classroom!

Recommended!!  – Download them today 🙂

Grammar Wonderland Primary       Grammar Wonderland (Primary) - McGraw-Hill School Education Group

Grammar Wonderland Elementary       Grammar Wonderland (Elementary) - McGraw-Hill School Education Group

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The Rocket Book

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Rocket Book

FREE for a limited time – The Rocket Book is an interactive version of a book by Peter Newell. The book was originally published in 1912 and it is written in rhyme. It tells the tale of Fritz (the janitor’s son) who lights a rocket in the basement of an apartment building. The book follows the rocket’s path as it travels upward through 20 flats causing some havoc along the way.  The 3D technology used in the scenes makes the old-fashioned pictures come alive. Ragtime piano music and a great narrator add to the charm of this app. Lots of great opportunities for comparing and contrasting with this story – 1912 vs now. This book is also rich in language and would also be great for a lesson on context clues. Very cool app to use in a one iPad classroom!

Rocket Book - Third Bird Party!

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Animal Game Show – Whose Toes are Those? – Matching Fun for Kids and Family – Ultimate Edition

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toes

FREE again – the full version of Whose Toes are Those, a very cute app for preschoolers. The app has a game show host, music, and an audience. Kids (contestants) have to identify which animal/person is behind the curtain by their toes. If the child chooses correctly, the animal/person does a silly dance – really cute and sure to bring some giggles! Little ones will have fun building their matching skills with this app!!

Animal Game Show - Whose Toes are Those? - Matching Fun for Kids and Family - Ultimate Edition - Eggroll Games LLC

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SparkleFish

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SparkleFish is a FREE app for iPhone/iPad that works like a digital version of Mad Libs. Five stories are included in the app with others available as in-app purchases. Kids are asked to provide words from a specific category (animal, body part, etc.) or a specific part of speech (adjectives, nouns, adverbs, past tense verbs, etc.). If the child cannot think of a good word, he/she can get suggestions from SparkleFish by touching the word. Instead of writing the words, kids record their choices in their own voice. Their words are played back in the reading of the story. Kids can save their recordings and listen to them later. This app allows kids to practice parts of speech in a fun way. Kids love Mad Libs because the results can be hilarious. I am sure they will feel the same way about SparkleFish. 🙂

Recommended!

SparkleFish - Whosagoodboy Partners

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Timbuktu

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Timbuktu

Timbuktu is an iPad magazine for kids and their parents. Each day new content is added – bedtime stories, paper toys, recipes, activities, games, pictures, ask Auntie Rita, videos, math mysteries, and news of the week! The design of the app is very slick – kids can see the most recent 8 articles with a preview of what tomorrow’s article will be. Kids can also go to “All Stories” to see a selection of earlier articles and unlock premium stories by using bubble (available as an in-app purchase). There is a lot of good content in this app – fun activities that kids & parents can do together. There is an option for kids to login and collect badges on their Timbuktu passport. Unfortunately, the only choice for logging in is through Facebook. Hopefully an update will provide another login option. In the meantime, you can enjoy it without “setting a profile.” The idea of a digital magazine for kids is very exciting!

NEWS FLASH: I emailed the developers of Timbuktu with my concerns about the FB login and they have already submitted a new release to Apple that addresses the problem. Look for that update in the near future!

Timbuktu - Stories and games for parents and kids. - Timbuktu Labs, Inc.

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Lingo Zoo

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Lingo Zoo

Lingo Zoo is FREE for a limited time. Kids learn animal names in English and Spanish as they complete jigsaw puzzles. They also hear the animal’s sound as a reward for completing each puzzle. The animals are presented in 7 different settings (farm, ocean, forest, jungle, etc.) so that kids become familiar with where different animals live. As a child completes the puzzles in one setting, other settings are unlocked. Nicely done puzzle app for little ones!

Lingo Zoo - Mindshapes Limited

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MathLands – Kids Logic Game & Brain Builder for Math and Critical Thinking

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MathLands

All I can say is WOW! MathLands is a completely FREE math app that makes kids THINK! Kids have to use logic, problem solving skills, and critical thinking to solve 5 levels of 5 different puzzles. Each puzzle is timed, has hints available, and has a section that tells the history of the puzzle. Kids can choose to start over. They can try again to get a better score or they can try again to get the BEST score (the app tells what is the best possible score). I love that this app challenges kids to be the best!! There is also a Math Comics section – problems are written in comic strip form. Kids solve the word problems by using the interactive manipulatives on the page. In a word full of math apps that stress practice and drill, this app is like a breath of fresh air. LOVE it !!!!

MathLands - Kids Logic Game & Brain Builder for Math and Critical Thinking - Mamanijo