iPad APPS!

I feel like I could spend all day exploring the apps on this iPad! One of my personal favorite subjects is astronomy, so I spent a lot of time exploring apps under that category. One of those apps is NASA. When opened, a maps of all the planets in our solar system is portrayed from the sun to Pluto (even though it got stripped of its planet status :( ). You can then click on the planet you want to learn more about, and a new page of information comes to the screen that tells all about the distance from the sun/earth, size, weight, how it got its name, significant dates regarding the planet, etc. This app also offers video, NASA TV, news topics and features from nasa, a google map of all the NASA centers, and a calendar of important NASA events/launchings.
As a student in elementary school, I LOVED talking about the stars and constellations. I feel like this app is a great interactive way to learn about the solar system and to hear about the latest NASA research, developments and launchings. I would love to use this with a classroom!

Because math can sometimes be the hardest subject to get students engaged in, I explored the math apps. I remember the biggest motivator for me to learn my multiplication facts in grade school were though drill tests. SO, I tried the math drills app. You can choose addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or a mix. You can then take a timed test that keeps a record of the questions you missed and will then offer help and re-ask. I think this is such a helpful tool! When I took drill tests, I had to wait for them all the be graded by the teacher, and then by the time I had feedback on which ones were tricking me, it was time to move on and there was no time to practice. I would love for me kids to be able to take math drill tests using this app.

THEN I discovered one of my FAVORITE apps called Your World. It gives you an image of the world, which you can rotate and move in any direction. THEN it gives you a picture of a country and flag in the middle of the screen. You then have to rotate the world until the country is in its right location. It was addicting, and I was learning so much geography! Seriously, I couldn't stop playing!...until it asked me to upgrade for $.99 :(. I think this would be an app worth paying for, however, because I think students would really truly enjoy it and REMEMBER their world geography. It's like working on a puzzle, and eventually you memorize where all the pieces go! I love it!