Tag: iOS

Apps, Education, K-12, Teaching Tools, Websites

iPad As…

Terri Eichholz
image from: http://edtechteacher.org/index.php/teaching-technology/mobile-technology-apps/ipad-as

This page from edtechteacher, offers a unique way to find iPad apps for your classroom.  At last count, there were 19 learning objectives listed on “iPad As…“.  Each objective is hyperlinked to a chart that offers a range of iPad apps that could service that need.  For example, the image above is the chart that appears when you click on, “I want my students to record and edit video on the iPad. ”  As you can see, the cost, usefulness, and ease-of-use are all listed in each chart.  Some of the charts also provide links to pages with ideas on how to use the apps in the classroom.    If you are tired of trying to wade through all of the “educational” apps in the iTunes store, this page is much more manageable.

For other great sites to find apps, you can also check out my post on My Favorite Sites for Educational App Reviews, or choose “Apps” from my “Categories” to see some of the apps I have reviewed on this blog.

Apps, Creative Thinking, Education, Games, K-12, Problem Solving

Windosill (Reblog)

whatimeant2say

For the summer, I have decided to use my Tuesday and Thursday posts to reblog some of my favorite posts that some of my readers may have missed the first time around:

Windosill is an app for the iPad for $2.99.  A free version is also available online, though you would also have to make a purchase to experience the second half.   I have to admit, though, that I am glad I purchased the iPad app.

It is difficult to describe this mysterious, whimsical game, so I will quote the iTunes summary, “Explore a dream-like world of eleven beautifully-constructed environments in this iPad adaptation of the classic desktop adventure. Equal parts puzzle game, playful toy, and living picture-book, Windosill rewards playful investigation with mysterious and beautiful surprises.”

My nine year old daughter saw me trying to solve a level, and soon we were both deeply engrossed in finding the solution.  We completed the game together, and then she wanted to start it over again from the beginning.  Her perseverance in trying to puzzle out each level was admirable.

Vectorpark, the company responsible for this game, also has other iOS apps, which you can view here.

Apps, Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Education, Games, K-12, Problem Solving, Science

Bubble Ball (Reblog)

Terri Eichholz

For the summer, I have decided to use my Tuesday and Thursday posts to reblog some of my favorite posts that some of my readers may have missed the first time around.

Bubble Ball is one of my favorite iDevice apps.  It is a free download, and has 48 levels.  You can purchase more after you finish the 48  for  99 cents.  The purpose of this game is to use the various materials that appear on the screen in each level to direct a ball to roll toward a flag.  I don’t usually like to recommend game apps for the classroom, because students seem to get enough of those at home.  But this Physics challenge encourages problem solving and creative thinking.  Many of the levels have more than one solution.  This could be a fun center in which the students could take screen shots of their solutions and explain them using the free Screen Chomp app or other methods.  It would be interesting to compare the different solutions groups develop, and have them explain their thought processes.  Of course, I highly recommend that you play around with the app yourself – just to get familiar with the levels, of course 😉

6-12, Apps, Critical Thinking, Education, Games, Independent Study, Problem Solving, Social Studies

Pocket Law Firm

Terri Eichholz

Pocket Law Firm is an iDevice app that is free.  It comes to us from Sandra Day O’Connor’s iCivics program, which has a wonderful website that I have featured on this site.  Pocket Law Firm is a game designed to teach about the Constitution.  In the game, the user is in charge of a law firm, and must “match” the clients to the lawyers who can best fight for their rights.  By earning points, the user can hire more lawyers, and buy ads and furniture for the firm.  As lawyers win trials, they develop more experience, and can help with additional constitutional rights.

If you have a student who is interested in the law, or wants to learn more about our Constitution, this simulation will satisfy his or her quest for knowledge.

3-12, Apps, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving

Solitaire Chess Free

Terri Eichholz

Solitaire Chess Free is a challenging app for iOS.  I also mentioned the boardgame that can be purchased at Mindware in my last post.  In both versions, the object of the one-player game is to capture all of the pieces on the board until there is only one left.  Every move has to result in a capture.  This is a nice way for kids to learn the appropriate moves for each of the chess pieces, and to practice thinking ahead.  There are increasing levels of difficulty, which means that students can quickly move to the level that best fits their needs.