Apps to Consider

One of my favorite parts of being a technology peer coach is when I get to go into exploration mode and look for apps/websites that could be useful for teachers. In the last few weeks, I've done a little digging and have found a few apps that might just meet your needs. A lot of them are just "skill and drill" apps, but they are pretty good quality as far as the fun factor goes. By the way, all of these apps are for iPod and iPad.

Sock Puppets:

You get 30 seconds to record your voice and move a sock puppet around. It then changes your voice according to which sock puppet you have chosen. I think this could be a lot of fun for students to record book recommendations, reenact a favorite scene, make a prediction, talk about cause and effect...you get the idea. The only drawback is that the free version only allows you to upload to Youtube and Facebook. That is the only way to export the video. So, you'll need a Youtube account if you want to keep the videos. However, you can set the videos as unlisted so that random people surfing Youtube will not be able to come across it. Here is an example:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ57dsUnYUU?rel=0]

Math vs. Zombies, Math Bingo Racing, and Math Monster Bingo:

The company Tap to Learn has a series of skill and drill apps for learning math facts. I came across them a few weeks ago and recommended them to a few teachers to try out. As it turns out, the students love playing them. So if you are looking for math facts apps that are fun and entertaining, these are for you. You may want to search Tap to Learn in the App Store as well. They have many free apps. See if you like them!

Chicken Coop Fractions:

I have taught 4th grade for several years and one of the most difficult concepts for kids to understand are fractions. I like this app because it works on fraction/decimal equivalents. Not only that, but I think it is funny that the chickens are launching eggs into a nest. It even starts to cover the concept of improper fractions and the decimal equivalent. The whole idea is that you have a number line from zero to one. The student receives a fraction and they have to determine where that fraction is located on the number line in decimal form. It will build number sense skills involving partial numbers.

Khan Academy:

This app has a series of instructional videos covering a wide range of mathematics and science concepts. This would provide great review for students that need extra practice. For math concepts, make sure you look in the arithmetic section to find videos that would be appropriate for elementary students. They have high school level videos as well.

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