ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

APP REVIEWS

SCIENCE: STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS OF LIVING

ORGANISMS
ESSENTIAL STANDARD K.L.1

PlayScience II

Students will have the

opportunity to learn
science concepts
and/or complete
activities on those
concepts.

Animal World
for Kids

Provides students with

animals sounds,
environments,
habitats, and realistic
sounds.

K-2

2nd
Pros: Includes science
concepts such as
plants, animals, and
Earth
Cons: Based only on
2nd grade concepts

Pros: Wide variety of

animals and their
environments
Cons: Such as wide
variety that no one
animal has detailed
information

COMPARE CHARACTERISTICS OF ANIMALS THAT MAKE THEM ALIKE AND

DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ANIMALS AND NONLIVING THINGS.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS: WRITING

STANDARDS K-5
3RD-5TH: 3.TEXT TYPES AND PURPOSES

Bookabi

Students can use the

elements of this app
to create stories or
reenactments of
actual events
including life events.

K-5

Comic Life

Students can use

researched material to
make a short comic to
show sequence of
100%
events.
Quality

4th-5th

Pros: Ability to use own

photos, tools are easy to
use for various age
groups
Cons: Sharing requires
email set up through an
iPad

Pros: Can be used on a

PC,Mac, or iPad and
saved as a PDF or
JPEG
Cons: Comics shared to
view may contain
inappropriate content

WRITE NARRATIVES TO DEVELOP REAL OR IMAGINED EXPERIENCES OR EVENTS USING

EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE, DESCRIPTIVE DETAILS, AND CLEAR EVENT SEQUENCES.

INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY:

INFORMATIONAL TEXT
ESSENTIAL STANDARD 1.IN.1

Giant Picture
Dictionary

This dictionary can

help students with
many vocabulary,
spelling, and
description
activities.

Destiny Quest

Students can look up

availability of books in
their school library.
Searches help
children look up
books by interest.

K-5

K-5
Pros: Interactive
dictionary helps children
search with ease
Cons: Free versions are
only available for words
through the letter F

Pros: Allows students to

connect to age
appropriate searches for
information
Cons: Access must be
granted by schools for
library materials

UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEXT READ FOR ENJOYMENT AND

TEXT READ FOR INFORMATION.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS: READING STANDARDS:

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS K-5
K-1ST: 1.PRINT CONCEPTS

Little Writer

Students can practice

letters and sight words
they have not
mastered. Name
practice can also
be added.

K-2

Sentence
Maker

Students with fine

motor skill delays will
be successful forming
sentences if physical
handwriting is not
necessary.

K-2
Pros: Comes preloaded
with letters and three to
four letter words to
practice writing
Cons: Letter formation
may not match that of
school expectations

Pros: Elements can be

customized to fit
students likes and
dislikes
Cons: Has limits for
forming complex
sentence structures

DEMONSTRATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORGANIZATION AND BASIC

FEATURES OF PRINT.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
HISTORY
ESSENTIAL STANDARD 5.H.2

RWT Timeline

Save the poster board

and glue as students
work on timelines with
images and
sequenced events
in history.

K-5

Stack the
States

Save the paper and

crayons as students
learn state shapes,
capitals, location,
and state
demographics.

K-5
Pros: Work can be
saved so that events
can be added during
research
Cons: Work can only be
shared as a PDF in
email

Pros: Locating states

becomes a game when
students "earn" states
with success
Cons: Students need to
be able to read to use
this app

UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF PROMINENT FIGURES IN SHAPING THE UNTIED

STATES.

APP REVIEW: STANDARDS MET

NC Professional Teaching Standards
STANDARD 3: Teachers Know the Content They Teach
Teachers align their instruction with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty.
STANDARD 4: Teachers Facilitate Learning for Their Students
Teachers know the ways in which learning takes place, and they know the appropriate levels of intellectual,
physical, social, and emotional development of their students.
Teachers integrate and utilize technology in their instruction.
Teachers use a variety of methods to assess what each student has learned.
NETS-T
1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences
that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating
contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills,
and attitudes identified in the Standards.
3. Model digital age work and learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global
and digital society.

APP REVIEW: STANDARDS MET (CONTINUED)

NETS-S
1. Creativity and innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes
using technology.
2. Communication and collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to
support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
3. Research and information fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
4. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make
informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
5. Technology operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
NCCCES
Kindergarten-Grade 5, Information and Technology Essential Standards
K.SI.1 Classify useful sources of information
K.TT.1 /1.TT.1/2.TT.1/3.TT.1/4.TT.1 Use technology tools and skills to reinforce classroom concepts and
activities.
3.SI.1 Categorize sources of information for specific purposes.
4.SI.1/5.SI.1 Apply criteria to determine appropriate information resources for specific topics and purposes.
5.TT.1 Use technology tools and skills to reinforce and extend classroom concepts and activities.

RESOURCES
Best Apps for Kids. (2015). Science apps. Retrieved on October 20, 2015, from
http://www.bestappsforkids.com/category/apps-for-education/science-apps/
Educational Technology and Mobile Learning. (2015). 100 + educational iPad apps for elementary
students. Retrieved October 20, 2015,
from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/09/100-educational-ipap-apps-for.html
iTunes. (2015). iTunes by Apple. Retrieved on October 20, 2015, from http://www.apple.com/itunes/