Apps

Apps for learning and exploration (3-5)

1.jpg    Rhythm Cat Lite, App Store (free)

Tap rhythms to a background track and try to score 3 stars! Pro HD version is available for $4.99

4.jpg    Staff Wars, App Store ($0.99)

Best dollar you’ll ever spend! This simple game teaches note names in 3 clefs and is popular with all my grade 3-5 students.  Staff Wars is only available as an app. It is no longer available online for chrome book users.

5.jpg    The Nutcracker

Beautiful storybook app with excellent illustrations and music. A great introduction to the full ballet when projected from your iPad. Even upper grade students love the illustrations!
Update: This app is no longer available, but YouTube has a great video of the complete playback!

Apps for presentation and assessment

2.jpg    Keynote, App Store ($9.99)

Compose Keynote presentations on your iPad and access presentations stored in iCloud. This is great if you are presenting via a wireless projector.

3.jpg    Doceri, http://www.doceri.com ($30.00 for software, app is free)

Control your teacher computer remotely from anywhere in the room with your iPad. Allows annotation, has a whiteboard feature and presentations can be recorded with audio (think screencast from the iPad). Does not require both devices to be on the same wireless band.

4.jpg    Gradebook system apps (various, usually free)

If you haven’t already, check to see if your web-hosted student systems software has an app. This is for ours (Synergy), but Power School has one as well. They save a lot of time when doing quick observed skills assessments.

5.jpg    Class Dojo, http://www.classdojo.com (free)

Behavior incentive points system. Sign up on the website, set up your classes then download the free app and award points from anywhere. Even on your phone! Reporting options are available – you can also email reports on individual students to parents.

6.jpg    Rubrics, App Store (Free 30 day trial; full subscription $5.99/year)

Pricey for an app but worth the money. Develop your rubrics on the iPad, with archive and reporting capability. Teachers in my building love this app!

7.jpg    Socrative, http://www.socrative.com and App Store (free)

Create written assessments and exit polls digitally, both multiple choice and short answer. Auto grading option for multiple choice. You can choose from several reporting options. Great alternative to paper for a 1:1 environment! Grade 2 and up.