IEAR (weekly)

• 24 Educational iPad Apps for Kids in Reading & Writing « Imagination Soup | Fun Learning and Play Activities for Kids

  Great collection of apps for elementary students. 

  Tags: ipad, apps, reading, writing, iear, edapp

  • - By Dean Mantz

Posted from Diigo. The rest of IEAR - I Education Apps Review group favorite links are here.

Butterfly HD

Butterfly HD

by Sprout Labs

About a month ago Applicable2U was introduced to those at Sprout Labs. A development group interested in exposing elementary students to those things living in your own backyard. Earlier this year, they launched Plants HD which guides budding botanists to developing their understanding of the life cycle of a plant. As of late, Sprout Labs is once again making science happen at the palm of your hands with their recent launch of Butterfly HD. This educational app is designed for those with an iPad running iOS 4.3 or later. With a quality WIFI connection, see one of the most beautiful transformations of life through text, videos and photos. Does your life science unit need some improving? Are you a school district or classroom environment leading towards mobile devices for learning? Worried that you might not be meeting standards or benchmarks while integrating technology? When implementing those educational apps from Sprout Labs, these questions and concerns are all put to ease as it meets Common Core State Standards and the needs of different learning domains.

As you “play to learn” with your mobile device, see one of the most beautiful day-flying insects, a butterfly, evolve from an  egg – caterpillar – chrysalis – and finally a butterfly. Like Plants HD, upon entering this life science application, each stage of a butterflies life is a link to a wealth of information.  To put your educator’s mind at ease, click the “scholar’s hat” in the upper right hand corner.  This is an added feature with their recent launch, indicating how this educational app correlates to state science standards for those in Kindergarten to Grade 2.  In addition, it also shares how the Common Core State Standards are met in Reading for Informational Text, Craft and Structure, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, and Range of Reading and Level Text Complexity for K-5.

Butterfly HD is a very professional looking, easy to navigate application.  What Applicable2U loves about the applications from Sprout Labs is their ability to meet all learning styles.  Children learn effectively when material is presented in a particular hierarchy or learning domain.  This hierarchy is called Bloom’s Taxonomy.  Bloom’s Taxonomy is much like the food chain in its design, a triangle.  Each level of the triangle represents a level of thinking that as teachers we want our students to progress.  The lowest three levels are: knowledge, comprehension, and application.  While the highest three levels are: analysis, synthesis and evaluation.  As your child reads, listens, answers and witnesses science through the application of Butterfly HD, this hierarchy of learning will be present.

Some might compare Butterfly HD like a textbook and can be presented in a variety of formats: individually, in small or large groups. This will depend on the number of devices available and the needs of your students.  Each stage of the life cycle is presented in a similar manner.  On one side of the page is the informational content which shares a few lines of text or paragraphs at a time.  Information that is to be introduced or reinforced can be read in two ways, by the reader themselves or narrated for them.  If choosing to have it read, an underlining feature will appear line by line.  To the left of the text are pictorial flashcards representing that stage of the butterflies life cycle for deeper connections and reinforcement.  At the bottom of the page, developers have included a “Did You Know?” scrolling feature of WOW or interesting facts.  You will be amazed at what your child(ren) will recall and share after they have explored.  In addition to the scrolling flashcards, a digital camera of images is also included which gives an even more up close and personal connection to the life cycle of a butterfly.  Taking it one step further, educational videos are also available.

At the completion of each stage put your knowledge to the test by simply clicking the “pop quiz” button in the upper left hand corner.  Questions have been organized based on Bloom’s Taxonomy of learning.  With each correct answer, users are rewarded with a coin.  As a certain amount of coins have been earned, a new level of learning is unlocked.  Of course, as levels are unlocked, questions will become more challenging.   While playing in the pop quiz mode, Applicable2U wondered how the results would be shared.  By going through all stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy, users are given the number of correct questions out of a total.  Depending on the results will determine of a follow up is necessary.  A note to the developers – is it possible to design some kind of a progress report which indicates which level/question of Bloom’s Taxonomy the user struggled the most with?

Overall, Applicable2U would give Butterfly HD two thumbs up!  If you have an elementary student, then this educational app is applicable to you.  It’s time to clear out the shelves of the old hardcover science textbooks and replace it with the newer mobile version.  If you would like to learn more about Sprout Labs, please visit their website here.  For $1.99, you too can alter your life science unit or enhance your child’s love of learning with Butterfly HD by simplyclicking here.

Reviewers website: www.applicable2u.wordpress.com

App of the Week: Compare a Twist!

Last week on the MacReach show, we were very excited to talk about the App of the Week: Compare a Twist! This is one of our new favorite apps because it is interactive, customizable, and great for so many ages and subjects. We just love how you can make the app whatever you need it to be! 

Compare a Twist is an engaging lesson platform that allows students and teachers to leverage learning through the personalized creation of compare and contrast activities, AND... they can be shared! Whether you create an activity right in the app, on a Google spreadsheet, or with the companion stand alone Mac app - it can easily be shared with anyone using the app. (See below for how easy it is to share!)

Here are nine ways we came up with for using the app in the classroom... we saved the tenth spot for you! Tell us how you would use the app!

App of the Week: Compare a Twist!

1. start a discussion about a given topic

2. check for students' undertanding 
3. use it to review for a test or quiz

4. examine characters in a story
5. complete classification activities
6. create math challenges
7. learn about other students (icebreaker)
8. find the pros and cons of an event/person/idea
9. decide what to do and what not to do (i.e. lab safety)
10. IEAR community... how are YOU using Compare a Twist??

We always love hearing from other teachers and students about how they use great apps like this in their classroom!

How to share your Compare a Twist activities:

1. Create Compare a Twist Lesson with Google Spreadsheets

2. Use the companion standalone Mac application "Lesson Editor"

3. Make it right in the app and upload with Google docs!

Compare a Twist for the iPad is $2.99 in the App Store

IEAR (weekly)

• WritePad for iPad for iPad on the iTunes App Store

  Tags: apps, spedapps, writing, handwriting, handwriting recognition, notetaking

• App Store - iScroll

  Tags: apps, free, spedapps, ebooks, eBook readers, audio support

• SMART Notebook App for iPad - SMART Technologies

  SMART announced it would release it's iPad application this summer

  Tags: SMART Board, iPad, tablet, applications

  • - By Bob Rowan

• Science Apps - Science NetLinks

  Tags: science, apps, scienceletlinks, Thinkfinity

Posted from Diigo. The rest of IEAR - I Education Apps Review group favorite links are here.

Kandoobi: Animal Edition

 

Kandoobi: Animal Edition

by Kandoobi

Has your child “kandoobi” lately?  Are you wondering what that even means?  If so, then it’s time to meet the next educational app developers from Kandoobi.  They are a development group designing apps so “kids can do” on their own or with the support of a parent.  They recently released Kandoobi: Animals Edition for all Apple devices running iOS 4.3 or later.  It is a creative application designed for toddlers and preschoolers.  This target audience love to manipulate and explore.  Well, now it is time to accomplish those two things as they encounter 100+ adorable animals all dolled up.  For $2.99 and one simple download, users will get their hands on four interactive games.   Whether you are playing at home, school or on the go, your child will soon be saying they “kando.” Kandoobi: Animal Edition encourages letter recognition, builds one’s creativity and imagination and allows users to manipulate and match animals from all types of environments.  Come fly, swim, slither or walk in order to have some fun!

Knowing the population that this educational app was designed for, developers have certainly created a very kid friendly navigation menu, intuitive tasks and buttons as directions are very short and sweet.  In addition, we immediately noticed how both verbal and visual representations were incorporated on the main menu as a way to support all learning styles. Whether your child is a toddler, preschooler or grade level, they want to hear or see words of encouragement.  Throughout each game, reinforcements are presented as auditory sounds such as: a bounce, pop or magical stars. As they game for a reason, users will certainly not be surprised or confused when they play the pre-installed games - Letters, Coloring, Scratch & Fill or Matching.

Letters -  Upon entering the first academic game, users are presented with a 6 page catalogue of animals to choose from. Whether the animal is known as a creature to fear or “ooh and ahh” over, illustrators have done a nice job at designing colorful and eye pleasing graphics with their wonderful expressions and unusual accessories. It is up to the user where they would like to begin.  As an animal is chosen, game play within Letters continues in order from that particular animal.   Immediately, users will notice that the screen is divided into three parts: draggable Scrabble pieces on the left, animal graphic on the right and its corresponding word at the bottom, grayed out.  It is up to the user to match those grayed out letters at the bottom with those Scrabble like pieces by simply dragging and dropping them into their correct places. If a Scrabble like piece is tapped, the narrator will announce that letters name. As users begin to recognize and match letters, it is also important to note that they do not have to be dropped in any particular order.  If letters are dropped incorrectly, they will bounce back.  Once the animal’s name is spelled, both letters and animal will animate across the screen.  Game play continues as the train drops off and introduces the next animal friend.

The next gaming option is Coloring which allows users to be creative as they learn various art skills.  As they color with Kandoobi: Animal Edition, children will build their vocabulary of color names while manipulating three writing utensils: a pencil, paint brush and an eraser.  Coloring exploration can occur in two ways, with those animals previously seen in the “animal catalogue” or as free choice.  Regardless of which is chosen, users are given a paint palette of both primary and secondary colors. Depending on a users age and creative need will determine if a thin lined pencil or a thick stroke of a paint brush is required for their coloring page.  If mistakes are made, no need to panic, developers have also included an eraser.  As coloring pages are complete, share them with others by simply tapping the button in the upper left hand corner, as it is saved to your devices camera roll.

Does your child or student have difficulty with their fine motor skills, but love to be creative?  Then, the next gaming option of Scratch & Fill is just what you are looking for. Scratch & Fill does not require users to stay within the lines, simply swipe your finger from left to right, up and down and the colors will come alive within the picture. The last gaming feature called Matching is one that has children manipulating with puzzles.  At the top of the screen users will see an outline of an animal.  While at the bottom of the screen are three choices.  The goal is to simply drag, drop and match the correct animal puzzle piece.

Kandoobi: Animal Edition is very academically appropriate for this age level.  It provides just the right amount of repetition, supports ones creativity, and allows for independence.  It is an educational app that disguises learning as fun.  To learn more about the Kandoobi development group be sure to visit their website here.  If you are looking to stimulate your child’s need for creativity and imagination, then begin downloading Kandoobi: Animal Edition to your iTunes library by simply clicking here.

This review and many others are featured on Fun Educational Apps, AppStar Picks and iear.org

IEAR (weekly)

• News - iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad & Android Apps - Oceanhouse Media

  Sale on Smithsonian omBooks

  Tags: mobile_devices, iPod_iTunes, ipad, apps, iphone, iPod, mobile, ipodtouch

  • - By Amy G.

• 2012-02-24 iPad for Educators at CLS North - EdTechTeam

  PD agenda by Dr. Mark Wagner for participants of a 1:1 iPad program

  Tags: ipad, curriculum, education, ipads, PD, MarkWagner

  • - By Dean Mantz

• 50 resources for iPad use in the classroom | ZDNet

  Tags: ipad, resources, apps, classroom, tools, ZDNet

Posted from Diigo. The rest of IEAR - I Education Apps Review group favorite links are here.

IEAR (weekly)

• Apps in Education: Monster List of iBook Tutorials

  via Dean Mantz

  Tags: ibook, tutorials, ipad, education, ibooksauthor, ibooks

  • - By Fred Delventhal

• A Lesson at the Zoo: Enhancing Field Trips with iPads

  Tags: ipads, iPad, lesson, education, ios, imovie, fieldtrip

• Mobile "Edutainment" Startup Fingerprint Digital Doubles In Size With Addition Of 6 New Games | TechCrunch

  Tags: no_tag

  • San Francisco-based Fingerprint Digital, a startup building educational apps for kids as well as a parent-child communication system for iOS apps
  • San Francisco-based Fingerprint Digital, a startup building educational apps for kids as well as a parent-child communication system for iOS apps
  • San Francisco-based Fingerprint Digital, a startup building educational apps for kids as well as a parent-child communication system for iOS apps
  • The apps, however, aren’t the most interesting thing Fingerprint is developing – it’s the built-in sharing platform (available to select third parties via an SDK) that is. This system allows kids to share their in-game progress with parents, and the adults get a news feed detailing their child’s activity. They can then leave supportive messages via audio and text for their children to receive in the game.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of IEAR - I Education Apps Review group favorite links are here.