Friday, September 26, 2014

Homework Apps



After a recent webinar by Kira Smith KiraDemo@Kdace.com I learned about some of the Best Homework Apps. I looked at each of these apps tried them out and selected the ones that I thought were the best from her webinar and my experience.

Study Skills
iTooch (free; additional features $4.99) – large exercise database, meets common core standards, fast child-friendly interface, calculator and blackboard features, grade-specific content, syncs when web connection is available, badges, 3-5th grade Elementary School app and 6-8th grade Middle School app.
Quizlet (free; additional features $4.99) – create your own flashcards, 18 different languages, learn mode tracks correct and incorrect responses to emphasize areas you need help, spelling tests, math quizzes, typing program, voice recording for notes, the interface and content is definitely more middle school appropriate.
SAT Up and ACT Up (free; $4.99-9.99 premium features) – diagnostic questions help determine what you need help with and what you’re strong on, supports 12 languages, subject specific workouts, customized quizzes, games that help build skills, gives users a lot of feedback.
SimpleMind (free; PRO $4.99) – helps organize thoughts; create mind maps, flow charts, bracket charts, diagrams; add notes; works and syncs with desktop / other devices, the PRO version allows collaboration, sync to Dropbox, e-mail, icons, and much more.
MindNode ($9.99-19.99) – similar to SimpleMInd it has a slicker display / interface, more uploading options and display options, some user reviews express frustration with desktop version.

Assignment Trackers
myHomework (free; $4.99 additional features) – track assignments, schedule, projects, tests, and notifications; join io teacher classes, sync between devices, reminders, premium allows for file attachments, upload assignments, teachers can push out no ads, rewards
iStudiez (Lite Free, PRO $2.99) – calendar, collaboration, upload to iCloud, great layout, easy to use, track projects, assignments, and grades;
iHomework ($1.99) – extremely similar to iStudez with better upload / sync capabilities, integrates with Questia, has a reminder function, you can sort assignments different ways.
inClass (free) – video, audio, photo notes; schedules, assignments, repeating assignments, collaborate, share on Facebook.

Note Taking
EverNote (free, $5 month premium features) – the king of note taking apps it allows you use photos, video, audio; integrate different notes into portfolios; makes text in photos searchable; share via: Facebook and LinkedIn; the premium fee gives you PIN lock, offline mode, integrate with companion apps;
GoodNotes 4 ($5.99) – you can draw / sketch notes; use a stylus, finger, or keyboard; syncs automatically to cloud services; you can choose: graph, ruled, or plain paper (background); write on or highlight PDFs; iPad only


Learning to Read
Learn with Homer (free) – listening and drawing activities, Pre-K – Elementary, reading comprehension questions, customizable, great feedback, 30 free lessons, and it is so cute
Endless Alphabet ($6.99) – letter sounds, vocabulary, phonics, entertaining monster characters, very slick design, downside is large file size and doesn’t progressively get harder

Spelling & Vocabulary
Spelling City (free, $29.99 year) – lots of words by grade, schools use it, extremely popular, the subscription saves your progress, keeps a record, syncs your account across devices
The Opposites (.99) – brother and sister characters are opposites, cute engaging graphics, fun game, kid-friendly design
Winning Words (free) – memory match style game, four different game boards, changeable difficulty, up to 4 players, for 4 years and older, create compound words.

Geography
Tiny Countries (3.99) – children capture evil characters by answering geography questions that help children learn about 75 countries their capitals and major cities; 15 missions allow children to review information about countries before they begin.
BrainPOP (free, $4.99-6.99 a month) – third grade and up videos with quizzes about 7 subject areas; free gives you one free video and quiz a day; Explorer $4.99 give 4 additional videos with quizzes a day, and $6.99 gives unlimited access; the content is highly acclaimed by multiple parent and educator groups; the website gives you a lot of free games and videos.
News-O-Matic (free 10 issues then .99 weekly or $1.99 monthly or $19.99 yearly) – articles about sports, animals, news, etc. that have been written by written by professional children’s writers and reviewed by a child psychologist before publication to ensure emotionally safe content; quizzes, puzzles, and games accompany each issue.
Stack the States (.99) - learn state capitals, shapes, geographic locations, flags and more; tracks progress with your own map of the United States filled in with the states you have learned.
Science
Kid Weather ($1.99) – math and science skills, plot weather information, graph data, track multiple locations
Human Body ($2.99) – nervous, muscle, skeletal, system; uses microphone, camera, and light to demonstrate; beautiful artwork, urogenital system is an extra in-app purchase that can be made;
Plants ($2.99) – three biomes but they are adding more; see how different animals and insects interact with their environment; have the seasons change or introduce a fire to see how that affects things.
NASA (free) videos, photos, internet radio, mission details, history of the space program, this app is on my list of best apps for adults also – it’s that good.
Solve the Outbreak (free) – middle school and older audience this app has been created by the CDC to teach about how epidemics spread and how public health responds to those crises; lots of STEM education in a game format.


Math
Pet Bingo ($1.99) – for ages 4-10, it helps learn addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions; not timed, supports common core, tracks progress, and gives you a report card; you get pets for completing different levels and you feed them by answering questions correctly.
Sushi Monster (free) – for ages 9-11, you put in the correct number that fits each equation; a correct answer feeds the monster sushi; it is timed and has distractions; 12 levels of increasing difficulty with 14 questions each level.
Dragon Box Algebra ($5.99) - innovative educational app that through gameplay teaches kids concepts relating to solving algebraic equations. The app includes links to the developer's website as well as the app store, but does not require a user account or other online access

Language
Duolingo (free) - makes learning languages a games; has five languages
MemRise (free) – Learn languages, geography, history, science, and pop culture through crowd-sourced courses
English Monstruo (free) – through extensive analysis Cambridge has developed an app that teaches English to native Spanish speakers and emphasizes the phrases, grammar, and vocabulary that they most often encounter problems
Mango Language (free but need library card number) – teaches in a way very similar to Rosetta Stone, it has 26 languages and teaches you a lot about the language you want to learn. The library pays for it and it has ESL courses.

Resources
There are a lot great sources to find reviews of apps for children and education.
These are some of the best: (magazines) Horn Book, Kirkus, PC Magazine, School Library Journal

No comments:

Post a Comment