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This "app inventor app" designed by MIT allows students to harness the process of app making in an app itself. The MIT App Inventor provides six-week training courses, teacher supports, and educational challenges! I see coding, programming, etc. becoming a very large part of our education world very soon, and if it's not, it should be! Providing my students with the knowledge and experience they need to be technologically literate is one of the most useful tools I can send them into the future with! I envision this resource being used specifically as a lesson in the classroom, or a class project- or, alternatively this resource could be used as an additional activity for students to tackle when they are finished with their work (thus allowing them educational screen time.)

As you hold your phone up and point it towards the sky, Star Walk Kids follows your motions using the built-in gyroscope to match the map on your screen to the stars seen from your location. Cartoon-style interface and friendly voice of the narrator effortlessly guide you through the night sky. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The winner of 8 awards, Star Walk Kids is a great astronomy app for students! Kids can learn about planets, stars, and constellations. The app is informational and interactive and completely kid friendly with engaging graphics and colors. I love that this app speaks to the operator and helps to verbally label items, so that children will know how to pronounce a name. The most incredible part of this app, in my opinion, is that it is available in ten different languages. I know that if I had a non-English-speaking student in my class, I would be thankful to have an app that offered a comfortable language for that student. Throught the vitotechnology link, one can access the app's manual to better understand its features and how to operate it. This app does cost $2.99, but I believe that is a small price to pay for such a wonderful app. The following is a YouTube link to a review video that goes through some of the app's functions. This video might be nice to view in order to get a better feel of the app. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d9zUbXsY6U

This website actually contains a list of the "10 iPad Apps for Teaching Kids About Science." This app is listed as number five but I feel it is probably the coolest. This app allows you to view the moon from many different angles. You can view it from Earth or get closer with satellite views. The coolest thing about this app is that it is HD. So you can zoom in and really examine the moon's surface. There are places where you can read facts about people and modules that have landed on the moon. This app could be used by students of any age. It would be a valuable tool in a high school astronomy class and I think it would pair nicely with that Moon Dust activity I posted before. I could simply show my kindergarten students what the moon's surface looks like and then allow them to play with "Moon Dust." I would probably use this as an early lesson in a unit on the moon. It is not stated on this site how much this app costs exactly, just that it is under $20.

This is an interactive exploratory app for kids to learn about the human body. Instead of offering lectures, this app allows kids to go into different parts of the human body, explore, play and observe. It offers many different activities that teach children how each of the different parts in the body work and it explains some of the functions and processes that take place within the human body. One of the activities included is the exploration of a working model of the body, as every part is interactive: the heart beats, guts gurgle, lungs breathe, the skin feels, and eyes see. I think this would be a fun interactive online activity to do in the classroom with the students. It would be interesting to have a class discussion over how the students believe each body part functions and what they think it is used for. Then we could explore the human body through this app and find out more about it. I think creating a KWL chart would work perfectly when using this app in the classroom. Although this would be a great app to use in the classroom, it would also serve as a great resource to use at home as it is designed for kids to discover what we're made of and how we work!

Pocket Universe resembles many stargazing apps in it's layout, hi-def images of all the space you could ever want, but in addition to that Pocket Universe has animated planets and a customization tool for star maps. It's designed for browsing, but also for educational purposes, as it's ability to review astronomical news is built right in next to tours of planets. Pocket Universe, as a resource could provide hands-off student directed instruction extremely easily. This allows students to explore astronomy on their own, without the concern of incorrect or unknown material. I envision this app being cycled through as an activity for students to utilize after their work is finished, as well as possibly being the basis for small group projects- especially those that center around specific planets or astronomical events/news.

Pocket Universe resembles many stargazing apps in it's layout, hi-def images of all the space you could ever want, but in addition to that Pocket Universe has animated planets and a customization tool for star maps. It's designed for browsing, but also for educational purposes, as it's ability to review astronomical news is built right in next to tours of planets. Pocket Universe, as a resource could provide hands-off student directed instruction extremely easily. This allows students to explore astronomy on their own, without the concern of incorrect or unknown material. I envision this app being cycled through as an activity for students to utilize after their work is finished, as well as possibly being the basis for small group projects- especially those that center around specific planets or astronomical events/news.

This is an app that teaches students all about dinosaurs. The app shows the user pictures of hundreds of dinosaurs, as well as their sizes, weights, and other stats. I liked this app because many students are interested in dinosaurs and this app will let them explore that interest. I would incorporate this app into a lesson about dinosaurs or prehistoric species.

This multimedia learning app teaches children about the water cycle. This app allows children to both learn about the water cycle, and test their knowledge. For each stage of the water cycle, the children learn about the process, fun facts about the stage, as well as how it can be seen in nature. Ie.: "Precipitation can be rain, snow, hail, etc." This app was the awarded the 2014 American Association of School Librarians Best Apps for Teaching & Learning in the STEM Category.

This is an iPhone app that helps kids learn about plants. It examines the life cycle of a plant, different types of plants, and allows students to grow their own plant. I selected this source because it is very colorful and has good information about the plant process. It allows kids to watch videos and create their own plant. It seems like a good app for $0.99. I would use this app in my classroom to get students engaged and to review material about plants.  I could also use it as an activity for early finishers.

Looks like the price has changed to free!

Once you figure out how to use this app it is incredible. The technology in this app allows you to see a functioning heart and human body in 4D. You can highlight different organ systems: skeleton, muscular or respiratory and see how they work. This app is super interactive and allows students to explore the human anatomy in real life spacial relationships. This app would be great to use as an engagement tool to have students explore the heart or human body in 4D then write down things that they see but aren't sure what they are or how they work.

This website has some great ipad apps. I don't know if they are all free, but it looks like some of them are. There are apps for for both students and teachers. The rest of the website also has resources for teachers and it looks like a great place to find all kinds of information to use in the classroom. I like the idea of mobile apps and I use them when i can.

This app shows the user a picture of the sky that they are viewing, by using a compass. The app tells the user all of the names the constellations, stars, and planets they are seeing. I chose this app because it could help make a real world connection with the students. If I had the opportunity to send iPads home with my students, I would instruct them to use this app at night and make observations about what they see.

Giant deadly hornets, gorgeous fluttering butterflies and stealthy crawling stink bugs: readers cannot tear their eyes away from these fascinating creatures. They can discover these and more mesmerizing world insects in Expedition: Insects, an e-book written, illustrated and animated by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. Read now! This app is so cool! The weather lab allows for students to come up with possible outcomes for weather in North America. It is a very interactive, fun, and realistic app. First students pick a an ocean current, air mass 1, and then air mass 2. After, the students are asked what they should wear or what they should be preparing for with the weather situation they just created. Ex. would be, If I live along the East Coast of the US I should... and then they would pick from the options given. This app would be awesome to incorporate when learning about weather. It allows for students to create different weather situations and then also they have to predict what will happen with the situation. I think it would be a great opportunity to have student collaborate with peers and come up with 3-5 weather situations and they should record the weather they created, what they predict will happen, and what actually happened with the weather. I think students would really enjoy this app in the classroom considering its not your typical weather game or activity.

This looked like a great free app that can be used on an ipad or iphone. You can look at the sky in a 3D or 2D form. It shows the star consolations in relation to the planets. This would be a great app to use when learning about the solar system and the stars. The app is free and it gets great reviews. This would be a good way to integrate technology into the curriculum.

I have the star walk App, which is not free. This looks Iike a good free alternative, with perhaps fewer ways to get "lost" in space with zooming in on objects, a good thing for younger students!

Off the Rail is an exciting app that let's kids build and enjoy their very own roller coasters in a virtual environment. The fun is in the on the fly building while they are riding the coaster. With varying difficulty levels and extras to add lots of interest to each coaster, this app is one that will have little creative minds going for hours. I like this app because it will get my students creative minds thinking! It really encourages the students to use STEM! This app could be used when students finish their work early or it could even be used as a center.

This application allows for students to build their own roller coaster in a virtual reality. I really like the idea of students creating and constructing things. This application lets students create whatever their mind wants to. I believe that creativity is an easy way for students to become engaged in a lesson or activity. I would personally use this app to supplement a lesson focusing on force.

This application is available on iPad and is a great exploration tool for students. The app is like an interactive book that will allow students to gain a more concrete idea of what the solar system looks like, rather than just reading it. Included on the app is a 3D view of the planets along with detailed information and facts about them. I would use the app on an iPad during centers while learning about the solar system in class. It would also be a great way to show the students what the structure of the solar system is instead of simply reading about it. Not only do students get the option to read interesting facts on this app, but there are many pictures included to show different astronomical features. Anything related to technology seems to interest students, especially when they get to be the driver.

Plastic Bottle Scrooge is being haunted! Follow Scrooge as he learns about plastic, where it comes from, how it litters the land and oceans, and what can be done to stop pollution. _____________________________________________________________________ As cheesy as this app sounds, it's actually really cute! Earth Day Carol is an app that provides a story (based on The Christmas Carol) that follows a little character who is plastic, and he learns all about himself and pollution. This app is awesome because not only does it provide a cute story line for kids to follow and be engaged with, it also has some interactive components. This app allows students to tap on the screen, providing pop up facts about pollution and our Earth. I chose this resource because I think it's really helpful in teaching young students the importance of a clean environment. In today's society, phones are becoming more and more prevalent. Students will automatically become engaged knowing that they're going to be learning through a phone/Ipad. This resource would be good to use around Earth Day. It adds a bit of a twist to the typical "board and marker" learning. Students can be in groups of two or three, and if Ipads are available in the classroom, students can listen to the story and take turns with the interaction parts. Once each student is done, a group discussion can follow to discuss what each student has learned.

"Monster Physics" is an app that allows the user to create and test his/her own machine using a variety of devices such as wheels, propellers, ropes, etc. After the user invents a machine, he/she is able to test it to see if it works. So, not only does this app allow students to create their own system, but it allows them to evaluate the effectiveness of their creation as well. I chose this app because it looks child-friendly and can easily be used for students to explore different mechanisms that I may not have readily available. Also, this app lets them create a device which may require too much time or space if attempted within the classroom. I would allow students to use this app during a rotation time or if they finish their assignment early in order to further their knowledge of mechanical systems as well as enhance their critical thinking skills.

As technology in schools continues to advance, teachers must be on the lookout for ways to integrate new technology into the classroom. This website overviews 30 science apps for IPad covering topics such as physics, chemistry, anatomy, geology, weather and the solar system among many others. Most are free, but some charge a small fee and would be suited to many grade levels, at least grades 3-12. I would use to introduce or supplement a lesson, but could also see this as a treat for kids ready to work ahead.

This app allows students to overview the cell as a whole, as well as the individual structures and their functions. I selected this resource because it can act as an interactive diagram and quiz on the cell. Having just created a lesson over the cell, I thought this would be a great tool if the class had iPads.

This app could work great for teacher or student-directed learning. It shows the universe in a way that is more engaging that simple, flat pictures. It's a versitile app that can be adapted for a variety of in-class or at-home activities. Students can use it to find out how close planets/contellations are to a given object in space or they can simply pick a planet/constellation they want to learn about and teach the class about it. It could be used as a great introductory or motivational tool. It can also be used as a fun reward for students who finish their work early.