Move the Turtle by Applicable2U

Move the Turtle

by Next is Great

Are you a computer geek that loves programming or are you a classroom teacher instructing on such skills as angles, measurement and two dimensional geometry? If you answered yes to either these, then you have come to the right educational app review. We are no stranger to educational app developers, Next is Great and we are pleased to add to our collection of reviews their latest addition, Move the Turtle. Regardless of which mathematical program your school district is using, we are quite certain that it is a program that builds understanding over a period of time. This understanding comes as informal and formal exposure while also integrating direction instruction. Move the Turtle is a mathematical app for students in their early to late elementary years. Recently it was featured in the App Store in the New and Noteworthy for Education. It is compatible for all Apple devices running iOS 4.2 or later. As your child(ren) works alongside an adult or independently with a ruler, various directions and a pencil, they will soon become a coding guru.

With many school districts moving towards the Common Core State Standards and implementing mobile devices, the purchasing of educational apps is certainly under debate. When educational apps come at a cost, both educators and parents want to feel confident that their child(ren) and/or students will be gaming for a reason. A purchased app needs to not only engage the user, but it also needs to introduce, reinforce and/or challenge the target population. Technology is an essential tool that should be used strategically in any mathematics curriculum. Next is Great and Move the Turtle is certainly making this happen. Move the Turtle is based on the mathematical idea of Logo. Logo was created in 1967 by a Cambridge, Massachusetts firm. Logo gives students the opportunity to be introduced to basic programming or coding skills. Through a few simple step by step commands your “turtle cursor” will be able to draw geometric shapes and patterns, while also reinforcing angles. When looking at the standards for children as young as kindergarten they are expected to “identify and describe shapes, as well as to analyze, compare, create and compose shapes.” Over a student’s elementary years, this same curriculum expectation is expanded upon for a deeper understanding.

With the ability to create what appears to be an unlimited number of accounts, users will be able to unlock a multitude of rewards as they play and learn within three chapters: Let’s Move, A Little Bit of Magic, and Professor Turtle. Chapters are broken into tasks which teaches and builds upon various commands such as: move, turn, pen, color, repeat, sound, position and conditions. It is important to note that there are no audio directions, just verbal/pictorial pop up menus which can support the user as moves are made. As you keep this in mind, this will determine if adult supervision will be necessary. Once it is time to “move the turtle”, the users screen will be divided into two areas. The first being the chalkboard building area which is equipped with a ruler along each X and Y axis. The left side is designated for reviewing and selecting specific commands in order to complete individual tasks. In order to put your commands/steps to the test, simply click the play button underneath your chalkboard. If tasks are considered incomplete, additional opportunities to succeed will be provided. When tasks are completed, young coders will earn 1-3 stars within each level. As rewards are earned, additional levels are revealed. As you progress through levels, tasks become more complicated, but build on previous tasks for further reinforcement. As most people know, turtles are very slow moving, but in this educational app, your turtle can move in three different ways: slow, medium and super fast. Come see what happens when these options are altered.

Once commands are learned compose and save your own creations to your devices library. In addition, developers have also included a nice library of pre-made lessons. A note to the developers - is it possible to share newly made creations with other Move the Turtle followers? It would be greatly if your website had the option to upload and share projects in order to see how others are using this educational app.

Overall, we love this educational app and plan to install it on our new iPads arriving this summer. For only $2.99, it is an educational app worth purchasing. Put your thinking skills to the test and become a coding geek. If you would like to learn more Next is Great, please visit their website here. To get your turtle moving today, simply click here to download Move the Turtle to your iTunes library.

This review is also featured on Fun Educational Apps site along with many other detailed reviews.

Reviewers website: www.applicable2u.wordpress.com

Funtastic Math App!

Name: Math Doodles
Fee or Free: 2.99
Rating: 5 stars
I LOVE THIS APP! It is rare that I give an app 5 stars but this one so deserves it. Here is why - First, it looks as if it is hand drawn which not only empowers students to think they can mimic the operations but gives the app a refreshing look and feel. Second, it is easy to intuitively figure out what to do. The user does not need sheets of instructions. Third, the app scales and gives the user PLENTY to do for the price. So many apps I have reviewed get dinged because once I learn what they are telling me the fun is over. This app gives me 23 different systems to add and subtract within to get to the answer. With many of these ( Chinese, Braille, Spanish, Binary Code) I really have to use my head to translate the codes to the numbers and then add or subtract which makes this fun and challenging. A bonus - I am now learning numbers in Chinese. In fact, there are so many cool things to do with is app that I cannot list them all. Fourthly, you can tell that the developer is passionate about the subject matter. He truly wants everyone to love math as he does. The passion for the topic comes out in the playfulness of the design and yet the seriousness of the play. If your students hate math, give them this and their eyes will be opened to the engaging world of maths. Congratulations to Carsten Studios!

VISIT www.mobileieducator.com for more reviews!

Happi 123 HD by Applicable2U

Happi 123 HD – A Math Game for Kids

by Serendipity

Do you have children or students between the ages of 4-7?  As a parent or educator are you wondering how you can make learning math fun?  Then you will want to check out recently updated Happi 123 HD – A Math Game for Kids.  It is designed for your iPad device running iOS 3.2 or later and makes your children or students feel as though they are participating in a game show.  At this time the game can be experienced in four languages: English, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian.  Additional languages will be added as a free update soon.  Come up on stage with their host, an adorable tiger and be rewarded with various types of badges.  At an early age, counting is instinctually done on one’s hands.  Many try to disway children from counting in this format, however, developmentally it is very appropriate.  Happy 123 HD encourages this “natural way” of learning math as it  reinforces various mathematical skills from basic counting to number series, pattern recognition, and addition/subtraction.

Through our exploration we found that Happi 123 HD has so much to offer.  Upon entering the educational app, contestants will notice two gaming options.  We like to call them “finger play” and “let there be light dominos”.  For first time players, contestants might find it useful to begin with finger play as they learn to recognize and count to 10.  As they manipulate numbers through pictures and fingers, players have the ability to earn up to 50 badges.  While in finger play, educators and parents will be pleased to see a number of educational accommodations in place.  Each particular round has a designated badge that will be earned as it will become apart of the game.  To encourage one to one correspondence, contestants will be able to tap each badge as it swings back and forth while players mentally count.  The objective is to count out and match that number on the devices fingers.  Players must answer six questions before that rounds badge can be earned.  Through visual support users will see that number in two ways: on their hand and as an actual number.  If the contestant thinks they have the answer right they are to pull down the lever on the right hand side.  If correct, contestants will be reinforced with a two thumbs up, confetti and a shining light bulb.  Numbers can be counted out on the devices fingers in any way the user chooses.  Once all light bulbs are bright, players may replay and earn addition badges or move onto the next game.

The next round of play is what we call the “Let There Be Light Domino” round.  Here users must drag and drop numbered plugs in a domino like format.  On one end of the plug is the actual number and users must find and plug in its coordinating dice number.  Plugs will rotate in either direction, vertical or horizontal.  A note to the developers – might it be possible that players could rotate plugs on their own?  Thus working on fine motor skills at the same time.  Or even have certain plugs going in the wrong direction, making players use their thinking skills to align the matched numbers.  Once the puzzle has been plugged in correctly, turn the light switch on and see a bulb light up.  See how your adorable tiger host begins to disguise himself.  As you plug in correct matches, contestants have the ability to earn 24 playful disguises.

The game continues to get better as it also incorporates what developers call a timed streak level. During this bonus round users are expected to answer a combination of mathematical concepts until the time runs out. With every correct answer the streak continues.  Applicable2U and our little contestant haven’t reached this round as of yet, but look forward to the challenge.  If in a school or home setting, Happi 123 HD app settings can be manipulated through the devices Settings app.  Here parents or educators can reset badges or disable the Audio Help option.  With 50 badges and 24 disguises to collect, your child or students number sense will certainly advance.  We wonder if after collecting all these items, will our contestant have another opportunity to game for a reason.

If you would like to learn more about HappiPapi and the other educational apps that they have, please visit their website here.  Become the next contestant for puppet master or host, Papi the Tiger by downloading Happi 123 HD to your iPad device today by clicking here.

Reviewers website: www.applicable2u.wordpress.com

Caboose: Learn Patterns and Sorting with Letters, Numbers, Shapes and Colors by Applicable2U

Caboose: Learn Patterns and Sorting with Letters, Numbers, Shapes and Colors

by Reks

As our train nears 170 reviews, we are excited to hop on the recently updated educational app, Caboose: Learn Patterns and Sorting with Letters, Numbers, Shapes and Colors by developer Reks. Your train conductor, a sweet looking dinosaur will offer you two tickets, one that will have you traveling around the United States as you learn about patterns and another that will take you across Europe where your little one will sort items and build their vocabulary.  Go on this amazing journey as it was built to work on all Apple devices running iOS 4.0 or later. Which ticket will your toddler, preschooler or kindergartener take first?  With their recent update, Caboose has implemented a wonderful new menu screen.  The graphics and organization has truly improved since our last exploration and why our readers need to be aware of these updates and how it is applicable to you!

Prior to becoming a first class passenger, it is important that an educator or parent explore the “cog” wheels or options menu in the upper right hand corner.  Your train experience can drastically change as it meets your child’s learning needs.  Within this menu, parents and educators will see how pattern content and type can be altered as it meets a number of academic needs.  If your child struggles with certain fine motor skills, set the answer selection to either a tap or a drag/drop motion.  As they cross new and unusual things, provide hints and select content that is appropriate to your specific child or student.  Regardless of where the tracks may take them, verbal support and reinforcement is very evident.  With the accommodations made by the developers, your child’s mobile learning experience can be done alongside a parent or independently.

Travel by day and night as you piece together the tracks that will take you from the northeast all the way to the upper regions of the western part of the United States with every correct answer.  Children will experience and reinforce six different types of patterns which are taught in the early elementary years.  These various patterns, A-B, A-A-B, A-B-C will be incorporated with learning upper/lower case letters, shapes, colors and sounds.  Visit some of the most famous landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, White House, and the San Francisco Bridge as you learn about patterns.  A note to the developers – as the train leaves a location, might it be possible to fill in the icon on the map so children can make a real world picture connection.  We see it as another learning opportunity and possible conversations with your student or child.  Another  possible suggestion would be at the end of their trip across the United States, might they be able to make their own pattern thus showcasing what they learned.

Extend your travels now across the world to Europe as you hop on the back of a moving train and learn to sort items and build your vocabulary.  Applicable2U was really impressed with this first class passenger experience.  Developers included a number of support features that we really found useful.  For example, it integrated in the upper left hand corner a “wifi” like symbol that when tapped repeated missing directions and visually explained the necessary sorting order as well.  Through tapping of objects, reinforcing key words like “the largest, the smallest, and medium”,  and color coding for answers that are correct or incorrect, children are guided and supported from beginning to end.  When necessary such features can be turned off as users become more comfortable with the content and skill.

Applicable2U gives Caboose two thumbs up! It meets our approval for gaming with a reason.  With a very interactive and engaging design, your child will be learning and having fun at the same time.  If you would like to learn more about Reks and the other educational apps that they have available, please visit their website here.  With a simple $1.99 download, Caboose can be added to your iTunes library by clicking here.

Reviewers website: www.applicable2u.wordpress.com

32 HD by Applicable2U

32 HD

by William Gann

Have you ever played the card game Blackjack? It is one of the more popular casino games played all around the world. Known as a banking game in which the aim of the player is to achieve a hand whose points total nearer to 21 than the banker’s hand, but without exceeding 21. You might be wondering why I am referring to a casino game on an educational app review website. This is an excellent question! The game of Blackjack requires players to think on their toes, to add numbers quickly and to leave feeling like a winner. In January of this year, app developer William Gann, created a math application that is simply called 32. While reviewing this educational app, the card game Blackjack came to mind. This very fast paced educational game, 32, also requires players to be on their toes and to use a great deal of thinking in order to be successful. Designed for your iPad device running iOS 3.2 or later, late elementary to even adults will be challenged by this number game.

Amazingly, it is filled with 5 levels of difficulty with over 200 mathematical puzzles in which players must use their higher order thinking skills as it meets a number of math standards along the way.  Although there isn’t a banker per say, the objective is quite the same as Blackjack. The only difference, with only four to five cards, a players total must be equal to 32. Each level within the game builds upon the mathematical concept of the orders of operation. When solving an equation that implements multiple operations, there is a rule that one must follow. Like reading a book, we read from left to right. This same rule applies when solving a mathematical equation, while also keeping in mind what many educators and students know as PEMDAS. PEMDAS is short for “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” an acronym for: parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, adding and subtracting. Regardless of which level is chosen, players are timed, not in the traditional sense, but rather by point value. Upon entering a level, players will see 4-5 colored cards, a fill in the blank equation and a countdown in the upper left hand corner. The countdown begins, not surprisingly, at 3200 points. The quicker you drag and drop cards into the correct position, the more points you earn. Scores are stored within the application based on the highest points earned within each level.

Come up to the chalkboard and show off what you know at each level. 32 is not difficult to navigate. As you enter the classroom, players will be provided general directions on “How to Play” as well as written tutorials upon entering each leveled game. Levels are clearly defined prior to game play. While manipulating cards and solving puzzles in levels 1 – 3, players will have access to only four moveable playing cards in which to get an equation equalling 32. It is important to note, that levels progressively incorporate the orders of operation.

Level 1 – consists of puzzles involving only addition.
Level 2 – consists of puzzles involving adding and subtracting.
Level 3 – consists of puzzles involving adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and parentheses.

Upon entering Level 4, players will immediately notice a slight change in the number of cards available. Instead of four moveable cards, players now have to manipulate and build an equation containing five numbers equalling 32. Puzzles in Level 4 contain the same available operations as level 3. The final challenge happens in Level 5, when players must manipulate four numbers to equal a total of 32 as it integrates all aspects of the orders of operation, exponents included.

There are a number of things that Applicable2U likes about this math application. As software becomes obsolete due to more and more schools implementing mobile devices in school, an application like 32 will certainly have a place in a classroom, on the go, or at home. It very nicely fits the late elementary curriculum standards and can stimulate the oldest of minds. 32 would work as a center activity or part of a whole group lesson with your iPad connected to a large screen projector as mathematical conversations are sparked. Or use just to stimulate ones mind at home in order to reinforce and master skills being taught at school.  Although we are an advocate of the game, there are some things we hope the developers will take into consideration when looking at their next update.

- Might it be possible for those just learning this mathematical skill or who need additional support to incorporate something like a video screencast or jing video modeling the solving procedures prior to playing. By integrating this added feature, your mobile application will be differentiating the learning for all students.

- Also, have you thought about allowing for multiple accounts within the application.  As puzzles are solved, might it be possible to include a username submission box which stores the Top 10 scores within each level.  Thus showing progress made by multiple users.

- For some students or users, the point value timer may be overwhelming.  Might it be possible to set the timer as an option that can be set to on/off as needed.  As suggested by one of our students, the point timer could even be invisible.  It is not until the game is done that this numerical value appears.  In addition, to continue on the theme of added support, might a scratch pad be made available in which users can jot down their work.  As players moved onto levels 4 and 5, this scratch pad feature could become locked after so many attempts at opening it up.

Overall, Applicable2u gives the educational math app 32, two thumbs up!  We have been on the look out for supplemental activities to reinforce such math skills and believe that we have found a winner in 32!!  We were amazed to see that it only costs .99¢ to download to our iPad device.  If you would like to learn more about William Gann, please visit his website here.  It’s time to stimulate your brain and apply known number facts as you follow the orders of operation while playing 32 in the palm of your hands, click here to download today!

Reviewers website: www.applicable2u.wordpress.com

Sticker Shop

Welcome to the Sticker Shop!

Students learning to count coins will have plenty of support from the shop keeper here at the Sticker Shop! In the simulation, students choose stickers from the store collection and the price is shown on the sign.
The students drag up photos of real coins. The amount on the counter is shown after each coin is added. When you check out if your coin amount is too high or too low, the selected sticker goes back into the store collection. If you are correct, it goes into your own sticker collection book!
Sticker Shop is developed by the GAMeS Lab at Radford University and is available from iTunes for free!

Reviewer Name: Carolyn Wojtera
Reviewer Blog: Teach with Tech

Middle School Math 7th Grade by Applicable2U

  Middle School Math 7th Grade

by Monkey in the Middle Apps, LLC

If you are familiar with what is available in the App Store as it relates to educational math games, many of them are focused towards the pre-school to late elementary years.  If however you are a parent, an educator or both, that has middle school students or children then maybe you are in need of something more appropriate for your Apple device.  Currently on the market is Middle School Math 7th Grade by new developers Monkey in the Middle Apps.  As you travel through various locations around the world with an animated monkey, the object of the game is to guide him sideways, up and down ladders with the tilting magic of your Apple device.  In order to get him safely down, it is your goal to answer a variety of algebraic expressions.  Through your middle schoolers exploration, they might make a real world connection as Middle School Math 7th Grade bares a slight resemblance to  the video game version of Donkey Kong.

Upon entering the application, you will notice that the main menu options are basic and to the point.  There is not a great deal of flashiness that needs to attract the audience.  In addition, when opening Middle School Math 7th Gradeyou will also notice that your Game Center app is queued up.  Your achievements and leader board stats will be stored in your Game Center account as it relates to your individual mobile device.  The initial download of Middle School Math 7th Grade is free and provides users with four mathematical topics to review: negative numbers as it relates to all operations (+,-, x, and /), absolute value and the orders of operation.  Within each academic level there are also three levels of difficulty.  Your achievements are presented numerically in banana icons within your Overall Ratings window.  A note to the developers – might it be possible to store such things as: About, Leaders, Achievements and such as a separate icon that users could tap on as an “on needed” basis.  By doing this, it would open the main screen a bit to present the Overall Ratings window a bit bigger. If over time, your middle school feels that they would like additional topics/questions to their Middle School Math 7th Grade application, there is an in-app purchase option of .99¢.

Middle Schoolers will be very quick to pick up on how to manipulate.  Simply choose a mathematical concept from your ratings window and the game will begin. It is important to note that players are timed, as the clock appears in the upper right hand corner of your screen. With a tilt to the left or right of your Apple device, navigate the monkey to the ladder.  As your jungle friend approaches the ladder, it will automatically slide down. Randomly while tilting and sliding down ladders, math boxes will suddenly appear with a numeric expression and four possible answers.  Simply tap the correct answer, answers that turn green are correct and those that turn red are incorrect.  With every correct answer, users will earn a banana token.  A final grade report is then generated, sharing your time and the number of bananas earned out of the total questions attempted.  If necessary, parents and/or educators can have grade reports emailed to them to explain where successes or difficulties may have occurred.  This report is also important as it can guide classroom teachers for future follow up instruction for a small or large group. From the point of view of both an educator and a parent, Applicable2U does have some suggestions that we would love to see in a future update:

1) When an incorrect answer has been chosen, students should see some kind of consequence.  If sending the monkey back up levels, then it is important to be consistent.  An alternative consequence could be adding a particular block of time to your final score as a penalty.

2) When problems appear, students are not pressured to complete in a particular amount of time, however, some students may require a scrap pad to solve.  It might be interesting to offer a notebook like icon which students could use as a calculator or to follow through with their step by step procedures in answering.  Their finger or even an appropriate mobile device stylus could be used as a pencil.  This would accommodate students of all learning modalities.

3) This is an educational math application, however, it might be interesting to add some level of challenges.  Such challenges may include obstacles that the monkey would need to jump over, swing across or things to collect along the way.  Although Middle School Math 7th Grade may be for young adults 12+, they still require some challenges along the way as they game for a reason.  The goal is to keep the player engaged and challenged academically.  With every wrong answer, supplemental questions of similarity should be presented.  For those consistently getting correct answers, problems should increase in difficulty.

Overall, Applicable2u believes that Middle School Math 7th Grade has potential.  Currently, they are reviewing suggestions by both parents and teachers on ways to improve their educational app.  A component that we have yet to see by other developers is the ability to build and load your own question sets via HTML code that Monkey in the Middle Apps provides via their website.  If you would like to learn more about Monkey in the Middle Apps, simply click here.  To begin climbing down your ladders of algebraic expressions,  simply click here to access Middle School Math 7th Grade  as a FREE download from your iTunes library today!

Reviewers website: www.applicable2u.wordpress.com