Great Apps

ipad-3-schoolTHIS PAGE IS NOT UPDATED. PLEASE VISIT ITS NEW HOME AT HTTP://ASKATECHTEACHER.COM

If you have an app you use in your classroom, please add it to comments at the bottom. I’ll update as soon as possible.

If you’re the developer of a great educational app, please contact me. I’ll review it. If it meets  Ask a Tech Teacher standards (high quality, ease of use, no/low advertising, quality educational value), I’ll list it. More details here.

Animation

  • Puppet Pals HD (free)–Create your own unique shows with animation and audio in real time
  • Toontastic–empowers kids to draw, animate, and share their cartoons through imaginative play.

Audio

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Classroom Resources

Drawing

  • AirSketch Free–Turn your iPad into a wireless whiteboard! Project live sketches to a local computer.
  • Drawing Box (free)–Drawing Box is the most suitable app to learn and practice drawing and painting. With reponsive smooth pencil and brush strokes, graphical and intuitive interface, you can use it to make a quick sketch or a detailed study on the go.
  • Doodle Buddy–Finger paint with your favorite colors and drop in playful stamps.
  • Drawing Pad–exactly what it sounds like
  • How to Draw–Listen, follow the instructions and draw on your screen. See how easy it is.
  • iBrainstorm–FREE–drawing and writing with lots of colors
  • PS Express–Phtoshop Lite–Adobe’s free app for editing photos on your iPad, iPhone, or iPad touch.
  • SketchBoard–Like to draw your own ideas? Want to keep them all in one place for further search? SketchBoard is simple yet powerful,

English Language

Financial

  • Pogo Pig–teaches 2-4 year olds fun lessons about savings.

Flashcards

Geography

  • Atlas–Barefoot World Atlas is an interactive 3D globe for iPad that invites children to explore the regions and countries of the world, discovering hundreds of fascinating features and immersing themselves in the rich wonders of our planet.
  • Google Earth–Fly around the planet with a swipe of your finger. Explore distant lands or reacquaint yourself with your childhood home. Search for cities, places, and businesses.
  • Stack the Countries Lite Terra–Stack the Countries Lite makes learning about the world fun! Watch the countries actually come to life in this colorful and dynamic game!
  • Stuck on Earth–A new kind of travel app that brings you the best places in the world to visit, photograph, and experience. It’s the ultimate app for explorers, photographers, and daydreamers.
  • World Atlas–from National Geographic

Health

  • Human Atlas (lite)–With this free download you can experience just some of the power of the Blausen Human Atlas. Turn the 360 degree rotatable Human Body figure, see narrated 3D animations of five common medical conditions
  • SRN Client–Student Response Network (SRN) is a powerful “virtual Clicker” student/audience response system designed for use in wired school computer labs or with wireless laptop groups.

History

  • Civil War Today–For less than one penny per day you can experience the war as it unfolded, one day at a time, with daily updates that let you live the events in “real-time” over four years.
  • Early Jamestown–interactive textbook exploration of the early days of the Jamestown settlement and the state of Virginia.
  • Pass the Past–educational game to help students prepare for Virginia’s Standard’s of Learning (SOL) exams with a focus on World, United States and Virginia history, civics, and geography.
  • US History–McGraw-Hill Education’s American History Time Line is a fun and informative way to navigate the history of the United States.

Mandarin Chinese

Maps

  • Kids Maps–What are the major deserts of the world, the highest mountains, or the longest rivers? The Kids World Maps app will help you answer these important geographical questions.
  • LandFormer–Raise and lower terrain to solve puzzles in this unique and challenging game.
  • Stuck on Earth–A new kind of travel app that brings you the best places in the world to visit, photograph, and experience. It’s the ultimate app for explorers, photographers, and daydreamers.
  • TapQuiz Maps–Play TapQuiz™ Maps for an easy and quick way to master geography. Learn the countries of the world through a fun and engaging game!

Math

  • AIRR Math–student centered math activities in AIRR Math promote a strong, solid foundation for students’ success throughout their educational experiences.
  • Algebra Intro–Free. Have you forgotten most of your algebra? Algebra Touch refreshes your skills using techniques only possible on your iOS device.
  • Babakus–combines an abacus and calculator to provide math-challenged students with an excellent option for learning math
  • CalcMadeEasy–Free–One of the Best Calculators for iOS devices. CalcMadeEasy FREE version comes with fully functional Scientific Calculator and Notepad with automatic note taking capability.
  • Elevated Math–Elevated Math provides initial instruction or intervention on math topics that cover place value, estimation, large digit addition all the way through Algebra I (two years of math instruction!)
  • Egberta’s Equations–Egberta the macaw has a nest full of tasty eggs that Cliff the climber wants to eat. Unfortunately, the eggs are on top of a tall cliff. Help Cliff reach the top and get the eggs by completing equations.
  • Flash to Pass–easy-to-use, elegant program designed to facilitate mastering the basic math facts learned in Elementary School.
  • Fraction Basic–free video app provides a quick and simple way for you to learn and understand the basics behind fractions.
  • Free GraCalc–A powerful, flexible graphing calculator . . . and it’s free!
  • Grade 1 Math–Simple and easy to use math drill app for your 1st grader!
  • Grade 2 Math–Simple and easy to use math drill app for your 2nd grader!
  • Grade 3 Math–Simple and easy to use math drill app for your 3rd grader!
  • Hungry Fish–Practice mental addition and subtraction with Motion Math
  • iFormulae–simple library consisting of various formulae, equations with their example.
  • Math Bingo— If you need a way to break the tedium of repetitious math fact practice, get your students and iPad and let them have at Math Bingo
  • Math Board Addition–good basic addition practice
  • Math Drills Lite–Graphically rich and fun environment allows a single student to learn basic math skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
  • Math Game–sharpen math skills
  • Math Glossary–MathTerms is an illustrated glossary of mathematics terms in English and Spanish.
  • Math Puppy–Bingo Challenge Educational Game
  • Math Ref – Free
  • Math Zoom–An animal adventure through the world of numbers!
  • Mental Math–Amaze and delight others as you multiply, divide, and square at lightning fast speed.
  • Mini Catch–teaching shapes, colors, math, decision-making, and pattern recognition
  • Murky Math–Grade 1—focused on basic Math skills for Grade 1. Content is aligned with Common Core Standards
  • Murky Math–Grade 2–focused on “applied Math & Logic” skills for children in 2nd Grade or advanced learners in 1st Grade
  • My Math Flashcards App–My Math Flash Card App is for mastering basic elementary math facts. Its an easy to use and customizable application to enable focused learning.
  • Pearl Diver–Collect all the pearls, avoid the crocodiles. Play the Willie Creek pearl diving game, great for kids aged 2-12
  • Percentage Off–Easy to use and accurate
  • Quick Graph–a powerful, high quality, graphic calculator that takes full advantage of the multitouch display and the powerful graphic capabilities of the iPad and iPhone, both in 2D and 3D.
  • Rocket Math–use rockets to learn math
  • Ruler–With a single touch your iPhone turns into a top accurate ruler.
  • Slice It–slide objects into pieces
  • SoundBuilder–most powerful heart sounds and murmurs app ever designed for a mobile device.
  • Splash Math 5 worksheets–5th grade–a fun and innovative way to practice math. 9 chapters covering an endless supply of problems.
  • Timed Test Arcade–Timed Test is a full-featured addition math facts timed test simulator. Create completely customizable timed tests.
  • Undersea Math–Learn Addition Visually – Solve all levels on the treasure map to find the treasure chest.

Mind Mapping–Thinking

  • iBrainstorm Project–Capturing and sharing your inner most creative genius has never been easier. Introducing the first multi-device collaboration tool from Universal Mind.
  • IdeaSketch–easily draw a diagram – mind map, concept map, or flow chart – and convert it to a text outline, and vice versa
  • iThoughts–mind mapping tool for the iPad
  • Popplet–Great for work. Great for school. Popplet is a platform for your ideas.

Music

  • Easy Beats–free version of our drum sequencer built from the ground up to be the quickest and easiest way to create great sounding 4 bar beats.
  • GarageBand–turns your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch into a collection of Touch Instruments and a full-featured recording studio
  • Guitar–tudioShare allows the novice or professional musician to record, mix, and share your music with friends, fans, and fellow musicians anywhere in the world.
  • Soundrop–Draw lines and watch as Soundrop uses them to create music!
  • Toontastic–you and your kids can start your own garage band
  • Virtuoso–play the piano

News

Notes

  • Educreations–turns your iPad into a recordable whiteboard. Creating a great video tutorial is as simple as touching, tapping and talking. Explain a math formula… Create an animated lesson… Add commentary to your photos… Diagram a sports play….
  • EverNote–easy-to-use, free app that helps you remember everything across all of the devices you use
  • Note Lite–To-do/Diary
  • Jots–acts like a piece of paper
  • Notability–Notability powerfully integrates handwriting, PDF annotation, typing, recording, and organizing so you can take notes your way
  • Note Taker HD–the iPad app for professionals in need of note-taking software
  • Paper (free)–Capture your ideas as sketches, diagrams, illustrations, notes or drawings and share them across the web.
  • Paper Desk — Leave behind your paper notebook for your next class lecture or meeting. PaperDesk is a simple, easy-to-use notebook replacement made specifically for the iPad
  • Screenchomp–share a great idea… Explain a tricky concept… Help kids with their homework.
  • ShowMe–Turn your iPad into your personal interactive whiteboard!
  • Three Ring (free)–take pictures of student work and keep track of them online
  • Voice Thread–Talk, type, and draw right on the screen.

Photos/Pictures

  • PicSay– Color-correct your pictures and add word balloons, titles, graphics, and effects like distortion
  • SonicPicsLite–the easiest way to turn your images into custom slideshow movies to share with your family and friends

Preschool

Reading Fluency

  • Action Words–learn action words with amazing pictures
  • Ansel & Clair: Paul Revere’s Ride–a History lesson that fully leverages the interactive capabilities of the iPad
  • Audio Books–apps for books purchased through Audio Books (and free ones)
  • Cat LITE — Dr. Seuss
  • First Site Words (fee)–focuses on the core vocabulary your children will need throughout their lives.
  • Free Books–download any of our 23,469 classic books, and read
  • IBooks–amazing way to download and read books.
  • Kindle–read ebooks, newspapers, magazines, textbooks and PDFs on an easy-to-use interface.
  • Murky Reef–Murky Reef is a series of thematic educational apps that encourages critical thinking through contextual game play
  • SparkleFish–a hilarious audio story completion game that will have you laughing uncontrollably.
  • StoryKit–Create an electronic storybook.
  • StoryLines–award-winning game of ‘telephone’ with pictures
  • Super Readers (fee)–improve reading skills
  • Young Reader–highly customizable eBook reader and speed reading coach all-in-one

Resources/Research

  • BrainPOP–Bring learning to your fingertips™ with the BrainPOP® Featured Movie app
  • Chinese Pad–Only touch the panels, you will be instantly good Chinese speaker. Over 400 word & phrases are available for speaking, hearing, and seeing the Chinese character spelling
  • Dictionary–Dictionary.com app
  • Heritage fotopedia–With 30,000 awe-inspiring photos, this much loved app has been called the world’s largest photo book, an inspiring travel guide
  • iLearn Chinese–introduces Chinese characters to non-native speakers or young kids in a fun and intuitive way: to understand their origins as pictures of the objects they represent.
  • Merriam Webster Dictionary
  • Khan Academy–unofficial app for Khan Academy, a non-profit video channel covering topics ranging from high school math and science to banking and venture capital
  • KT Dictionary–English Chinese
  • SparkVue–collect and display live data from iPhone etc to the iPad
  • TED app–TED’s official app presents talks from some of the world’s most fascinating people

Science

  • 3D Brain–Use your touch screen to rotate and zoom around 29 interactive structures.
  • 3D Cell Simulation and Stain Tools
  • Elementals–A fun periodic table where every element has its own unique personality.
  • EMD PTE — periodic table
  • Explore the Animal Kingdom–Let your kids go on a safari and discover the animal world anytime!
  • Frog Dissection–humane and inexpensive way to help all students learn
  • Google Earth App
  • GoSkyWatchP–Easily and quickly identify and locate stars, planets, constellations and more by simply pointing to the sky
  • LeafSnap HD–he first in a series of electronic field guides being developed by researchers from Columbia University, the University of Maryland, and the Smithsonian Institution
  • Molecules–Molecules is an application for viewing three-dimensional renderings of molecules and manipulating them using your fingers.
  • Murky Reef–Murky Reef is a series of thematic educational apps that encourages critical thinking through contextual game play.
  • Rat Dissection–students can experience a virtual dissection of a rat (MS/HS)
  • Rocket (free)–official app for the PEI Rocket
  • Science 360–The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Science360 for iPad provides easy access to engaging science and engineering images and video from around the globe and a news feed featuring breaking news from NSF-funded institutions.
  • Science Glossary–A glossary of scientific terms and short biographies that support our science education website
  • Science House–growing library of over 80 hands-on Science lessons that are great for home and the classroom.
  • Simple Physics

Sounds

  • Belfry Sound Effects–sound effects player written for schools and small scale theatre venues

Spanish

Special Needs

  • Babakus–combines an abacus and calculator to provide math-challenged students with an excellent option for learning math
  • Occupational Therapy–a long list of greast apps including stress, social skills building, and more
  • Speech Therapy and Language Apps–apps like Conversation Builder, StoryBuilder, Tense Builder, Rainbow Sentences, designed for kids who need a different approach
  • More–click here

Spelling

Studying

Thinking

  • Educreations–turns your iPad into a recordable whiteboard; share your ideas with others
  • Tangram
  • Vault Breaker–Train your brain with our cool logic and memory game, by guessing the secret code for the vault in as few attempts as possible.

Vocabulary

Writing

  • Bluster–word matching game develops vocabulary and word understanding for school-aged children
  • Futaba–fantastic multiplayer game AND a fun way to help children learn new words
  • Quickoffice
  • Sight Words–Help Your Child Learn to Read
  • Spelling Test–FREE* version of My Spelling Test
  • StoryKit–Create an electronic storybook.

Miscellaneous

  • Color Uncovered–Explore the surprising side of color with Color Uncovered, an interactive book that features fascinating illusions, articles, and videos developed by the Exploratorium.
  • Letter School–for handwriting
  • PBS Kids–Watch videos from your favorite PBS KIDS television series anytime, anywhere (in the USA).
  • Puppet Pals–Create your own unique shows with animation and audio in real time; popular with my play-acting kids
  • Scan–fastest, simplest and most user-friendly QR Code and barcode scanner available

Great Collections

52 Comments

52 thoughts on “Great Apps

  1. Pingback: Great Apps Now Available « Ask a Tech Teacher

  2. Pingback: Great Apps Now Available « Ask a Tech Teacher

  3. Pingback: Great Apps Now Available « Ask a Tech Teacher

  4. Pingback: Great Apps | Educational Tech in Janesville | Scoop.it

  5. Pingback: Great Apps « Educational Technology for Teachers

  6. Pingback: Great Apps | mlearn | Scoop.it

  7. Pingback: Great Apps | Leadership Think Tank | Scoop.it

  8. Pingback: Great Apps | Moodle and Web 2.0 | Scoop.it

  9. Pingback: Great Apps | Learning With ICT @ CBC | Scoop.it

  10. Jacky

    I would add NEARPOD to this awesome list 😀 Amazing app to engage your students, creating your own multimedia presentations and giving them the opportunity to interact with each other! It really worked for me!
    Tomorow they are releasing a new version! I hope lots of teachers can try it, their classes will certainly be richer and fun 😀
    They are on TW as @nearpod and they also have a FB page.

    Like

  11. Pingback: Grandes Apps | Las Tabletas en Educación | Scoop.it

  12. Pingback: Great Apps | iPads in Education | Scoop.it

  13. Pingback: Grandes Apps | IPAD, un nuevo concepto socio-educativo! | Scoop.it

  14. Pingback: App Review: 5th Grade Math–Splash Math Worksheets « Ask a Tech Teacher

  15. Pingback: App Review: 5th Grade Math–Splash Math Worksheets « Ask a Tech Teacher

  16. Pingback: Apps « ichiswick

  17. Laurie Cohen

    Do I have to check each one, or are all of these really for iPads only or mostly? We don’t use iPads or tablets in the classroom, but I am looking for free Win apps for our PCs.
    I didn’t see these great free apps: Audactiy, Alice, Scratch, Looking Glass, TuxPaint.

    Like

  18. An app that was recommended–Nearpod (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nearpod-teacher/id523540409?mt=8). Students see on their iPad a presentation which is being sent out from the teacher’s iPad. Nearpod can deliver tests and videos and also be used to take polls.

    Like

  19. Here’s another suggestion I received from a reader:

    How about Alge-Bingo for the Math section?! It just won the 2012 National STEM Video Game Challenge. It’s a great game that helps students develop their algebra equation solving skills within a Bingo game.

    Like

  20. Here’s one that looks great–Skitch for iPad by Evernote. Annotate screenshots. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skitch-for-ipad/id490505997?ls=1&mt=8

    Like

  21. Pingback: Book Review: My Evernote « Ask a Tech Teacher

  22. we produced the app 1+1 which helps children learning the addition of numbers from 1 to 10 .
    Would be nice, if you could test our app.

    http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/1+1/id537049275

    p.s.: if you need the promotion-code, please let us know

    Like

  23. Pingback: How to Use iPads in Your Classroom « Jacqui Murray

  24. Pingback: How to Use iPads in Your Classroom « Ask a Tech Teacher

  25. Kelly

    PicCollage– very useful, easy for any grade and teacher friendly

    Like

  26. Pingback: How to Use iPads in Your Classroom « Ask a Tech Teacher

  27. As you requested here is the Food Adventures with Charles the Chef app for your review. I look forward to your comments. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/charles-the-chef/id572605732?ls=1&mt=8

    Like

  28. Jim Smith

    I recommend this Timeline Eons app, a graphic representation of the entire natural and human history:

    http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/timeline-eons/id433352152?mt=8&ls=1

    Like

  29. Pingback: Great Apps | ICT hints and tips for the EFL classroom | Scoop.it

  30. Pingback: 10 Hits and 10 Misses for 2012 « Ask a Tech Teacher

  31. Pingback: How to Pick iPad Apps for your Classroom | Ask a Tech Teacher

  32. Pingback: Great Apps | EuroSys Education | Scoop.it

  33. Sheri

    Any ideas about the the “perfect” app to replace using Kidpix on our computers?

    Like

  34. Pingback: » Walking the Web EdTech Xpress

  35. Pingback: Great Apps | iPads in Learning | Scoop.it

  36. Pingback: GURU Webinar Resources – DEN Blog Network

  37. rhondawinters

    Thank you for posting these, I am a substitute teacher and these will help me a lot!

    Like

  38. Here’s a Chemistry App–got some good reviews. Anyone have experience with it? https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chem-pro/id386263255?mt=8

    Like

  39. Pingback: Great Apps | Digital Candies 21 Century Learnin...

  40. Sheri

    Any app suggestions that would help with reading fluency?

    Like

    • Hi Sheri–Try these three:

      Young Reader–https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/young-reader-quickreader-ebook/id356540630?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
      First Site Words–https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/first-sight-words-professional/id515121228?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
      Super Readers–https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/super-readers/id560348568?mt=8

      I’ve heard good things about them. Let me know what you think.

      Like

  41. Pingback: How to Pick iPad Apps for your Classroom | Ask a Tech Teacher

  42. Pingback: 10 Hits and 10 Misses for 2012 | Ask a Tech Teacher

What do you think? Leave a comment and I'll reply.

Website Powered by WordPress.com.