Spark HD

Spark HD is an app all about story starters.  It has a simple interface and is very colorful.  As referred to by its author, Spark story starters include 52 scenarios to kick-start imagination, encourage problem-solving, and get kids talking.  Simply, touch the smilely sun to begin.  If the story starter is read to the students, this app can be used at any age level.  For independent work, a high 2nd grader reader should have no trouble with the vocabulary.

• Pros:  Simple attractive interface; easy to use
• Cons:  No posting options available i.e. email work to teacher
• Price:  $1.99

Rocket Math

Rocket Math by Dan Russell-Pinson is an app which provides skill-building in a fun and unique atmosphere. This app is not to be confused with another app called Rocket Math HD which has stunning graphics, but does not provide the learning experience found in Dan's program.  The concept behind the app is to earn money to build a rocket to launch into space.  Money is earned, of course, by solving math problems. The rocket is built using engines, boosters, fins, etc.  Physics is even involved as a rocket will not go very far without an engine.  When the rocket is built, the student then selects a mission.  Missions cover a broad range of skills including counting, money, time, add/subtract, multiply/divide, shapes, and even square roots. Missions are listed by category and by difficulty. Within each mission, the student can select which skills are appropriate.  For example, in the multiplication/division section, the user can select multiply by one digit, divisible by five, etc. The missions are designed to pinpoint each math skill.  There are many math apps available, but this one is one of the best I have seen so far.

• Pros:  fun, innovative, covers broad range of math skills
• Cons:  None so far
• Price:  $.99, free for trial version 

PhotoSpeak

PhotoSpeak is a unique application that turns a still photo into a 3D video complete with voice.  The eyes blink; the mouth moves; and the head moves from side to side. Photos can even be adorned with sunglasses, hair, and hats.  The user first takes a still photo, then, following the simple directions, places eye and mouth icons over the photo.  The app records the voice.  In the example above, I took a picture of Roxy, my therapy dog who comes to school visits with me.  I recorded a silly voice to complement a vocabulary lesson.  The application allows the user to save, email, and even post to YouTube.  I was able to save the file and show it on the classroom's smartboard.  The app can be used in various situations. For example, a child can do a report about an alligator, find a picture of an alligator, and animate it with PhotoSpeak while reading the report.  Any biography can come to life.  This is a perfect app for Reader's Theater scripts. This is a great tool for fluency. Have fun with this one! 

• Pros:  easy to use once set-up, fun, great for fluency
• Cons:  processing can be slow, a bit difficult to coordinate eye and mouth positioning 
• Price:  $2.99 (In-app purchases are available for adding decorations to your photo such as glasses, hats, and costumes.)

Pictureka!

Pictureka! is a category game.  The player is asked to find items within a certain category.   The first level requires the player to find an insect and a spider.   The player is shown several items and just needs to touch the screen when the items are found.   It is however, a timed game, which may prove to be frustrating for some.  At times, the categories are a bit obtuse.  Dinosaur bones are found in the animal category.  The music is catchy and the graphics are cartoon-like.  This is a good learning tool for the ESL student and can prove to be a challenging game for all.

• Pros:  fun way to learn categories, graphics look great on the ipad
• Cons: timer cannot be turned off, can be frustrating
• Price: $4.99 (occasionally goes on sale)

Animals 100

Animals 100 provides the teacher with a collection of 100 animals with over 600 beautiful photos, animal sounds, and animal facts. This app is ideal for the animal lover in your classroom. The application is divided into six sections:  photo & info, tour, speed sound (alphabetical picture list with animals sounds), alphabet (letters with animal pop-ups and pronunciation). quiz, and puzzle (easy, medium, hard).  This would be best used in the upper elementary classroom since the language is quite difficult.  This app also provides a good introduction to animals for the ESL student.  

• Pros:  Beautiful photos, animals seen in own habitats
• Cons:  animal facts are just written, students could benefit from a "read to me" when screen is touched
• Price:  $2.99

Toontastic

Toontastic provides a unique experience which enables the student to create, record, and animate stories.  The interface is very engaging and brings smiles to children's faces.  A short guide is provided which should be read before attempting to use the program in the classroom.  Begin by clicking "create cartoon" which takes you to the "create" section where the user can create a new cartoon.  The speaker explains the "story arc" which includes the setup, conflict, challenge, climax, and resolution.  You can then draw your own scene or choose a ready-made scene. The scenes have an adventure theme with titles such as "Pirates Cove", "The Castle Gate", and "The Throne Room".  Additional themes are currently under development.  Directions are given at each step.  Characters are then added.    After the scene is created, the student is directed to animate. Characters can be moved and voices are recorded.  Music is another choice to create the mood of the story.  I have covered just a small portion of the program's capabilities.  If you are working with story arcs in the classroom, this is app is a great asset.  This can be used individually or with small groups.  It works quite well when the students discuss their ideas before beginning the animation. Completed animations can be posted online.  A wiki is being created which will allow teachers to discuss their ideas.  The address is:  http://launchpadtoys.com/classroom/wiki/

• Pros:  Creative, fun, great tool for story development, not to be missed
• Cons:  Themes are adventure-spirited which can lend themselves to several fight scenes if not directed
• Price:  $1.99 (What a bargain!)
• Update:  Toontastic has added additional characters and backgrounds.  Check out the Halloween themes. New scenes and characters have been added via in-app purchases.
• Update:  Toontastic is free beginning November 4th.  Grab it!!

Star Walk and Solar Walk

These apps are ideal for your astronomy enthusiasts.  The graphics are stunning. Star Walk takes you through constellations, stars, and planets.  Tap location, and you can see exactly what the sky looks like from your point of view.  Tap sky live, and see images of the current sky including rising and setting times and elevations. Settings can be personalized to view only what can be seen with the naked eye. Solar Walk provides the user with a 3D universe.  A movie compares the planets' sizes.  Watch the satellites orbit the Earth. This app explores the entire Milky Way Galaxy.  Fly to any planet and find information about it. These are ideal apps for the budding astronomer in your classroom.

• Pros:  wealth of information, beautiful graphics
• Cons:  none
• Price: Star Walk $4.99, Solar Walk $2.99

I Language

As described by the author: Language Builder is designed to help children accomplish the following educational goals: 1) Improve sentence ideation ; 2) Improve sentence formation; and 3) Improve receptive and expressive language.  Extensive use of audio clips promotes improved auditory processing for special needs children with autism spectrum disorders or sensory processing disorders.  Auditory playback of child’s voice offers reinforcement for language development.  That said, the Language Builder series which also includes Sentence Builder, provides teachers with unique tools for developing language.  Children are shown appealing pictures and then asked to talk about them. Depending upon the setting, questions are asked about the picture prompting the creation of a story or a sentence.  Voices are recorded and can be played back.  The program encourages the use of complete sentences.  The pictures also provide an opportunity for discussion for ESL students and students with auditory difficulties. These programs take advantage of the Ipad's capabilities for a rich learning experience.   

• Pros:  Very versatile, easy to use, great tool for language development
• Cons:  Voices have a sing-song quality
• Price:  $3.99 for each program; $1.99 for each additional add-on pack 

Miss Spider's Tea Party

Miss Spider's Tea Party is a delightful book which takes advantage of the Ipad's capabilities.  This book, which is also available in a hardback version, takes the story to an interactive experience.  As you can see by the screenshot, the illustrations are bright and appealing.  The story is about Miss Spider who is very lonely because all the insects are afraid of her and refuse to visit.  It is soon discovered that Miss Spider is indeed friendly and, most of all, a florivore, allowing all to become friends.  There are two different modes in which to enjoy the story.  The first is the "Read" mode allowing the reader to read to himself with or without a music background.  All the illustrations are interactive in this mode and can be expanded to full screen.  Each page has an icon on the bottom allowing the page to be read to the student. The next mode is "Watch" in which the story is read aloud to the student. Each word is highlighted as it is read.  The illustrations are fully animated and come to life.  The "Match" mode provides a memory game.  The "Paint" mode allows the student to paint several pictures of "Miss Spider" and friends using various brushes and colors.  These can then be saved to the photos library.  The "Puzzle" mode provides twelve different jigsaw puzzles.  A "Lite" version is available for free and will provide access to the beginning of the book.  It is also available in other languages.

•  Pros: Beautiful illustrations, cute story, provides an  interactive experience for the young reader
•  Cons: A bit pricey, could use vga connectivity for the  classroom
•  Price: $7.99, free for lite version
•  Update:  The folks from Calloway Studios have added Miss Spider's Bedtime Stories to their high-quality collection of interactive stories for the young reader. There is a lite version available for free. The full version is $7.99.  

Dictionary.com

Dictionary.com is exactly what its name implies with some added features.  Tapping the application, reveals an address bar to type in a word.  If the word is spelled incorrectly, several choices appear.  The definition is given along with a sound bar to hear the correct pronunciation.  Dictionary.com also includes a thesaurus providing synonyms for each word.  The "Word of the Day" feature provides a new word each day to add to your vocabulary. This is an easy to use reference tool for the classroom.

• Pros:  Good reference tool
• Cons:  Advertisements
• Free or $4.99 for the HD version without advertisements 

Brain POP

Brain POP is a unique application.  Tim and Moby host a featured animated movie each day. Some featured movies for October, 2010 were entitled Women's Suffrage, The Great Depression, and John Adams.   After viewing the movie, an animated quiz is available to take.  Several animated movies are available by tapping the "More Brainpop" tab.  Movies included are Jane Goodall, Mars, Wind Energy, Cesar Chavez, Civil War, Stocks and Shares, Blogs, Main Idea, William Shakespeare, Angles, Comparing Prices, Interest, Harlem Renaissance, Digital Animation, Yo-Yo Ma, Asthma, DNA, Nutrition, Cameras, Digital Etiquette, and International Space Station. The extra movies do not include the quiz feature.  This is a very appealing application offering a wealth of information and should not be overlooked.

• Pros:  Interesting, interactive, informative
• Cons:  None at this point
• Price:  Free (premium services are also available)

Words With Friends

Words With Friends is basically a very popular scrabble game for the ipad.  It comes in two flavors, HD, written specifically for the ipad, and the standard definition format, written for the iphone. The standard definition version is fully functional on the ipad and is free, but the HD version takes advantage of the ipad's resolution. An internet connection is required for this game.  First, the player creates an account and selects a username. You can either choose a specific user to play or you may let the game select an opponent for you  The game tallies the scores and keeps track of the moves. Teachers can use this application in varied ways  Groups can be set up within the same classroom to play each other.  Classrooms can play different classrooms  Schools can even play different schools.  And you can even play with students from around the country or even the world as long as an ipad with the game installed is available.  A chat feature is also functional.  Teachers may wish to give extra points to those who use vocabulary words currently studied in the classroom. Depending upon the setup in the classroom, the ipad can possibly be connected to a Smart Board.

• Pros:  Fun and interesting way to expand vocabulary
• Cons:  None, really except that everyone who participates needs an ipad
• Price:  Free for the standard version, $2.99 for the HD version (price drop from $3.99)

Discover

Discover gives the user access to Wikipedia, the online free encyclopedia.  You must have internet access to use this application.  Upon opening the application, a magazine cover appears introducing a new topic each day. Swipe to the right and a photo of the day is shown with a brief explanation. Swipe to the left to navigate the magazine cover, see related articles, see your history, or search a new topic.  Tap search and swipe downwards to expose the keyboard which allows the user to type in the search topic.  Articles on the chosen topic are shown along with related articles.  The graphics are impressive. Tap and hold down a word in the article and the definition is given.  This is a great looking app and an asset to any classroom. 

• Pros:  easy to use, beautiful graphics, wealth of information
• Cons:  must have internet access or application will not work
• Price:  Free

USA Factbook and Quiz

USA Factbook and Quiz is a straightforward application which provides a lot of information for those classrooms studying the United States.  Documents included are the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and The Constitution. It even displays the original image of each document. Each state is listed with an abundance of facts including a map of its location in the United States. Another section plays the National Anthem and displays the flag. Major cities with facts are listed according to its population.  Tap "Presidents" and all the presidents are listed with additional facts.  The last section provides a quiz of capitals and locations of states.  If you are connected to a network, you can email any of the pages.  This is a free application which offers a wealth of information. 

• Pros:  free,  great source of information for those studying the United States
• Cons:  This app was written for the iphone or ipod touch. Although it works just fine on the ipad, it does not display the high quality resolution that the ipad is noted for.
• Price:  Free

Smack Talk! HD--A Talkback Application

Smack Talk makes you laugh.  When opening the app, a cute guinea pig appears.  Say something and the guinea pig will mimic what you have said only it sounds about  three octaves higher.  Tap and hold the "record now" button, and your sentence is recorded.  Tap the "say again" button and your sentence is repeated.  Swiping left will reveal a jack russell, kitty, and chihuahua.  Tap twice to set the pitch from freaking to squeaky and also to set the speed.   I have used this app with students and they have loved it.  This is a great tool for ESL teachers to work with fluency. It would appeal to the most shyest of readers.

• Pros:  fun application, easy to use, very appealing
• Cons: none, so far.
• Price:  $.99 

A major update has been introduced.  If you are using the older version, be sure to update to version 1.4.  New features have been added.  First, you are now able to record a video and even upload your video to Facebook, email, or YouTube.  Tap the settings tab to see the instructions..  The settings tab is used to set all of the customization features such as "sticky pitch & speed", triggers, and connection to speakers.  If you are using this app with young children, "Kid Mode" allows you to turn off advanced features.  The major change to this app is the ability to create a video.  It is a simple process.  First, tap "Talk!" and speak to the character of your choice. Next, select "Action!" and select the resolution for your video.  Choices are 480 Medium, 640 SD, and 1024 HD. Of course, the better the quality, the longer it will take to render.  A screen appears saying, "rendering video". Next, tap "Videos" and tap the Play arrow.  If you have more than one video, tap "library" and choose which video to view.  You can name each video.  One note: as of this moment, I found that the video feature  freezes on the ipad.  I will post when this is corrected.

Special Note:  Several talkback applications have been added since this review. Some include talking parrots, robots, giraffes, and dogs. Search the app store to find your favorite. One word of warning--some of the actions performed by the characters can be vulgar. Almost all of them are free, so choose carefully.