Super Why! from PBS - post by E. LeBris

IEAR Blog Review Template

App Title: Super Why!

Grade Level: Junior Kindergarten - 2nd grade; Special Education

Purpose: A

Program Functionality: A

Overall Educational Value: A

Cost: $2.99

Recommendation: This app would work very well for students at various levels of reading and writing ability. For students that arrive in Kindergarten already reading to those students that in 1st or 2nd grade that might need practice and reinforcement.

Based on the PBS series, four characters, a boy, two girls and a pig, lead each activity. You can play them separately or all them in a random order.  I preferred the random order for the variety but it could depend on the skill a teacher might want to reinforce or the preferences of the student at the time of use.

Alpha Pig's Lickety Letter Hunt has you find missing letters that spell a word. You hear the missing letter then tap on it.

Princess Presto's Wands Up Writing helps with letter sounds, writing and spelling.

Wonder Red's Rhyming Time has you find missing rhyming words from her basket.

Super Why's Story Saver has you read and complete sentences from well known stories.

Each activity allows as much time as you need.  When a mistake is made you are gently told and then get as many tries as you need to succeed. There is no scoring,no levels or login.  The characters prompt you along so there is very little set up time before you are actually doing the activities. You can leave the activities at anytime and view the stickers earned.  Stickers can be pasted into various backgrounds, erased and reused. They accumulate on the bottom of the page and can be scrolled through.  Not sure if they ever go away or reset however.

Classroom Use Examples / Ideas: This app could be used by a single student or two students together figuring things out as a team. The app does not have individual logins or keep score.  Stickers and verbal praise are the reward system so it keeps the competition aspect to a minimum. Iphone, itouch or iPad resolution work very well. 

Teachers could have students keep track of which words they discovered on a sheet of paper while they play since all the activities lead to complete words. Those words could be put in alphabetical order or used in sentences etc. Small teams of students could do the same.

Developer Website: http://pbskids.org/mobile

ITunes Link: Click Here

Reviewer Name: Elisabeth LeBris

Reviewer Blog: http://lebrisary.blogspot.com

Other: Not the cheapest app out there but very well made.  Accomplishes the goals with good graphics, intuitive navigation and very little annoying noise.

Hey, check out our Ning (Online Community) devoted to helping teachers utilize these devices to the their fullest.  Please leave a comment if you agree, disagree, or have other creative uses for this app in the classroom, etc.