Belated Happy New Year! Now that the holidays are over and my kids are heading back to college, I wanted to share some awesome Apps I recently discovered. I have 8 iPads in the classroom and I finally feel like I'm putting them to use multiple times throughout the day. (I did just start implementing Daily 3 so that also accounts for increase in use.) Hopefully, you can find some you like too.
First up is a must:
This app alerts me to 4-6 free apps every day. They aren't all educational ones but I've found personal ones this way too.
Here are SOME of the freebies I got in last two weeks.
You see the one on the end? Animal Math? This APP is by EGGROLL GAMES and let me tell you, I LOVE all of their apps. They seem to feature one on the site frequently. The First Grade Math was featured, too. Can I tell you it's one of my favorite ones that supports our math curriculum? Really well done. (And their Tech Support is top notch. I emailed with a slight problem on MY end they sent me the free second grade app. On the First Grade App, Emma and a cast of animal characters are featured: Manny (counting games) Phineas (Number Patterns), Charlie (Greater than, less than) Albert (Even and Odd) Hans (Place Value) Henrietta (Number Sentences) Lydia (Missing Signs), Kicheko (Addition Set 1) Pria (Addition Set 2) Moe (Sub 1) Rupert (sub 2) and Louie (Flash Card Games)
NOTE: I bought the First Grade App a few months ago not knowing it was featured on the free app site. He sent me the second grade one. I find them VERY similar and was glad I didn't pay for the second grade one. My Firsties could use either one and be fine...no multiplication /division on it at all.
Here are some pics of First Grade App
I love ALL Eggroll apps and they are featured quite frequently on the Free App. I got one from them Yesterday as well as another cute app that my kids might use during Friday Free Choice.
I have their addition/subtraction flashcards and like having the kids use for Rocket Math practice. Although I paid for them, both were featured on free app BEFORE I discovered it.
You never know when they'll expire so grab them as soon as you see them.
While discussing math apps, although not featured on the free app site, I have to show you two that are perfect for my students and are FREE.
This one is not only FREE, but AD FREE! Kids have to make combinations of 10 (or you can set for any of these numbers to practice facts.)
It's the perfect way to have them practice combos of ten. It's a fun, fast-paced game that ends only when you fail to clear a row and the last number in a row reaches you. My kids love it!
The one below? I must admit that I am addicted to it! While FREE, it honestly has so many ads, that I paid the 1.99 to make it ad free. If I didn't think it was worth it, I wouldn't have spent it. Even with the ads, it's still playable but I admit it took me a few minutes to figure out WHAT to press/not press. (Forget anything marked with special-themed dice, coins, etc. Just Press plain PLAY.) I
When the LONG ads came on after a game, they would x it out and launch app again.
It is so much fun and involves knowing how to add numbers to get to ten. You can have a number line out to help kids. The first few times they play, they score low but once they get the hang of it, watch out! LOVE LOVE LOVE! The game is NOT TIMED. It ends automatically when it knows you have no other moves. Once you download it, YOU'LL want to play over and over again.
Because I have to get my day going, I'm going just to highlight a few more from first pic above that were featured FREE.
Although BREATHING ZONE has expired, there are some free ones out there that are pretty similar. I love this one for my students and although I have other ways I have my kids calm down when needed, adding this is just another tool in our room. Sometimes I put it on the projector for everyone just to breathe/relax a bit when needed but recently, when a child needs to calm down/relax, he reaches for an iPad and uses this for 5 minutes. Great self-regulation. One child uses it before math each day. I don't stress he has anxiety or is stressed but the important thing is HE feels it and knows he can do something to help him if his own strategies aren't working.
You can set it to breathing rates, pick an accompanying soothing sound, and select a female, male or no voice at all. I took the voice off but I discovered that the voice is part of the soothing aspect for my class. After I used it for a week, I went back to see if it were still free for a colleague and it wasn't. But others are. I downloaded a few and although I didn't like them as much, they are still worthwhile downloads. I did see these accolades on the site and my sister told me that she read the Mayo Clinic uses the app.
Baby Flash Cards: I use this for my ELL students. Lots of categories to pick from and can show pic or VIDEO of the word given. (Word is always read to kids.) Glad I discovered it and it was free.
Paper Plate: Just FUN! No ads. I find it soothing as soon as you hear the background music of The Entertainer. This app shows kids how to make some crafts with paper plates. They can pick from about 15 different patterns (also spin art!) and "make" it online. Their finished craft is then painted and brought to life. Honestly, so sweet and well done. If free, grab it. The snowman coming to life cracks me up. Seriously gives me a case of giggles when the rabbit steals his nose.
Some pics:
Picked the dog...
They show me the pieces needed and I tap on one to get started.
After tapping on the big plate, a new screen shows it with the yellow ball on it. Follow the dotted lines across to "cut" the piece. Then repeat and assemble dog.
Once assembled, paint it. Gives finger a workout! App helpful for those in need for fine motor skills practice.
Love how it immediately brings the painted pic to life. Each craft has different "activity." This one: press buttons on bottom to make dog: bark, beg, play dead, fetch bone, chase robber away, catch a Frisbee and a ball. Adorable.
Gotta run. Going to see The Post. I'll be back again tomorrow with more apps to share. Hope you found at least one or two you want to try. Download some FREE recording sheets to be used to hold kids accountable and to let parents know what apps/technology kids are using in school. Enjoy!