Assignment+2

App Assignment

**Professional Apps**

1. **PennyMe** is a free app that allows the user to practice counting money. The student chooses the coins to use in order to add up to the dollar amount displayed. A counter at the top adds each coin as it is chosen. To alter the difficulty, the user can change the mode so that the coin amount is not displayed on the coin. The game will also block out coins from being used so that the user needs to think of alternative ways to get to the displayed amount. The user can play in quiz mode as well. A number of coins are on the mat, and the user must count them and choose the correct money amount on the bottom. []

2. **Word Ball** is designed so that the students can create words that they know. It is a free app. Balls with various letters on them float around the screen. The student taps the letters to spell out a word. The letters are displayed on the bottom as they are tapped. When the word is finished, the student clicks on the checkmark to see if it is a correct word. Points are awarded for different words made. This is a good way to practice spelling. []

3. **Dictionary.com** is a good resource tool for the students to find definitions of nearly 2 million words along with their synonyms and antonyms. As the user is reading the definition, they may click on any unknown word, and it will switch to that word's definition. The app features audio pronunciations of words as well. No internet connection is needed to use the dictionary, but a connection is needed for the Word of the Day feature. Again it is a free app. []

4. **Telling Time Free** gives the students a chance to practice their time telling skills. The student enters the hour and the minutes before checking their answer. I like that the teacher can adjust the difficulty by setting the skill level to the hour, to the five minute interval, or to the minute. []

5. **Phonics Awareness** teaches children how to segment and blend sound and use vowels. Each section gives a basic overview of the skill and then students interactively answer questions. Since this is geared for first grade students this app would be used with my struggling students. []

6. **Phonics Genius** is another great app to practice phonics skills. This can be used for students at all levels. 226 categories (over 6000 words) ranging from beginning 'b' sound to 'dge' sound to 'cial' sound. The settings can be put on learn mode where a list of words from the category are shown and vocalized or on game mode where a word is said and the student chooses between choices shown on screen. The flashcards and categories can be customized by being added, edited, or deleted. This feature would be useful to add the spelling pattern being studied for the week. []

7. **Math Bingo** displays math facts (skill level and math operation can be chosen) at the top of the screen. The students choose the correct answer on the bingo card. Five Bingo Bugs in a row wins the game. Again I like that the difficulty level can be set. I was adding 3 + 2 in the easy level and 16 + 19 in the hard level. This app could be used as an alternative to flashcards. One downfall is that students earn "Bingo Bugs" in which they can use to play "Bingo Bug Bungee" (a mind numbing game). []

8. **Tic Tac Toe Phonics** is a free app that offers phonics practice in a fun interactive format. The game is played in a similar fashion to its name. The game screen shows nine questions on the tic-tac-toe grid. The user answers the question to get their X or O placed on the board. The questions involve counting syllables, identifying blends, identifying sounds, and recognizing words with some beginning or ending sounds. This will be a good word work activity for my students to use for phonics skill building. []

9. **Spelling Free** is a great way to let the students practice their weekly list of spelling words. The teacher is able to create a new test by typing in the words and vocally record each word as well. The students listen to the word and type it in. The student gets instant feedback as to the correctness of their answer. Some minor glitches, but hopefully they are worked out when full version is purchased for $1.99. []

10. **Magnetic ABC** can be used as a word work activity during my Daily 5 time slots. The students can practice creating words or even creating sentences. The free app is set up to look like a magnetic board with magnetic letters. Students manipulate the letters to create words. An option would be to have them do a screen shot in order to check what they did afterwards. []

**Personal Apps**

1. **How to Tie a Tie**: My husband and I are both inept when it comes to tying a tie. This free app has 12 different ways a tie can be made ranging from the 'Four-in-Hand' method to the 'Windsor' method. Once the user selects the tie wanted, it gives step by step instructions (each on individual pages) on how to achieve success. Hopefully we never need to ask dad again to tie the tie. []

2. **Sudoku**: The free app keeps my mind sharp. It is played just like the pencil and paper number grids and the user can choose their difficulty level. An advantage is that one can click on a number and all of that same number will highlight in each grid making it easier to view what is missing. One can also put it into note taking mode to "pencil in" what that box might be. []

3. **Bejeweled Blitz**: This app keeps me busy during bored times and also keeps my mind busy. The screen is filled with different colored gems. The player manipulates the gems to get 3 in a row. In this free app there is a one minute time limit to score as many points as you can. I'm hoping a future paid app lets the player move up levels without time limits. []

4. **Diamond Crusher** is very similar to Bejeweled Blitz. The user selects two or more touching gems to earn points. The more gems you crush in one move the more points you get. This game is not timed; instead you climb levels to advance. However, once you fail a level you go back to the very beginning. The game can also be changed to different modes: shifter, gravity, and blob. Again, it keeps my bored self busy. []

5. **ABC Player**: With this app I am able to watch Revenge (and any other ABC show) for free on my Ipad when I miss it. Very few commercials are shown and it can be paused and viewed later without losing the place where I left off. Due to my lack of Wi-fi at home, however, I wish there was a way to save it onto my Ipad so I can watch it anywhere. []