Assignment2

=Flashcards+= [] The Flashcards+ application would be ideal for the fifth grade science class to learn their 6 to 15 vocabulary words each chapter. The program allows the students to "check off" the words as they master them so they don't waste time studying what they already know. The words would be with them wherever they take their iPads so there would be less of an opportunity for them to misplace their vocab list.

=Bible Minded= [] Bible minded is a Bible verse memorization aid that can help students who struggle to learn their memory work. The application has several memorization programs to choose from, but it also would allow our students to enter the First Immanuel program of memorization for each grade level. Students could select all of the verses they need to learn for the year and enter them in order in Bible Minded. They then can record their voice reciting each passage. Students would memorize the passages by reading, listening, and reciting along with Bible Minded. They could also use the application to test themselves prior to the class quizzes.

=ISS Live!= [] One of the areas in science that I would like to invest more time in is space science. ISS Live is a NASA application that educates us and keeps us up-to-date with the operation of the International Space Station. As a student navigates through the site, she can see Earth from the ISS's current point of view, learn about it's multi-national assembly, visit the mission control center, and find out what the crew members are working on at any given time. This would be a great App for a self-motivated science geek (can you say, "Maxwell McKnight?")

=SkyView= [] This app is difficult to operate, but it is still so cool that it's worth the trouble. If I had a smart phone or an iPad, I would definitely upgrade from the free version and perhaps some of the difficulties would be adverted. Although it's promoted for night sky use, it is equally functional as a day time device. The main problem I had with it is keeping it oriented to the proper land-based location. Still, after working with it for five to ten minutes, I knew where all the major sky objects were and the paths they were on. The free version is stingy with names, so again, the upgrade would be worthwhile. I would not recommend putting this app on all of the children's iPads, but I would use it to provide myself with content to share with the students.

=Science 360= [] This is an app that would allow students to follow their own interests over a multitude of scientific subject areas. Information is shared in several ways, video clips, short articles, and so on. Students may access the information by tapping on pictures in a 360 degree grid, or by consulting an index. Students could work individually or in groups to present on a topic of the week.

=3D Brain= [] What 4th or 5th grader wouldn't want to see a human brain separated into all of its working parts? This app would fit in very well in both grades when we study the nervous system. The app lets you pick out various areas of the brain, highlights and labels them for you, and then provides a wealth of information as to the function of each part. The text also supplies information from case studies that cite instances wherein the particular area had been damged, and what the resultant behavioral consequences were. Fun stuff.

=Exoplanet= [] One of the things that students (and us adults as well) have difficulty undertanding is the awesome size of our universe. This app about exoplanets may help them to begin to understand the immensity of our own galaxy. Exoplanet is an up-to-date listing of all discovered extra-solar planets, It also classifies them according to size and structure, and relative solar period. The galactic position of each exoplanet, relative to our own position, is also available on this app.

=Leafsnap= [] Leafsnap is an electronic interactive field guide to trees. In order to identify a tree, students take a leaf or leaves from a tree and place them on a white surface, then use the iPad to take a photo of the leaves, Leafsnap will then offer a variety of species identifications based on the photo, and the students sort through the information to identify the tree. It would be fun to use this app early in the school year to identify the trees on and around the First Immanuel campus.

=Coloruncovered= [] This is one of those apps that are so cool it's hard to put down. Remember those Magic Eye books that had those goofy pictures in them, and if you stared at the pictures long enough, images would begin to jump out at you? This app is a lot like that, but with a lot more variety and a lot more educational. This app would compliment our studies in both the areas of the nervous system and light. Students will be captivated by the optical illusions and educated by the explanations.

=HP Solids Elementary= [] This is a wonderful app to help kids who are having difficulty seeing three dimensional objects on two demensional paper. This app will allow students to open up any cube or prism, shade the sides different colors for identification, add lines to highlight the edges, and put red dot on all of the vertices for easy counting. Perfect for the end-of-the-year geometry unit.

=TED= [] I usually run across TED videos once or twice a week on some of the news and information sites I regularly visit. I've learned a lot from them, but they've always been quite random topically. The TED app will allow me to be more selective concerning which presentations I want to watch and when I want to watch them.

=Flipboard= [] Flipboard is going to be a great resource to help me pursue content areas specific to my instructional areas. I'll need to take some more time to fine tune my areas of interest, but as I do, it looks like it will be a good source of information for me.

=Slate= [] With all of the political events taking place lately, I was having trouble getting information I could understand. There's plenty of opinions being expressed right now, but not much in the way of factual explanation. Then I heard someone interview the chief legal editor of Slate magazine explaining parts of the health care bill in a way I could understand and get my head around. I wondered if Slate had an app for that; and apparently they do.

=Dragon Dictation= [] I thought that this might be an easy way to quickly send in-house emails without shutting down my smartboard to get at my laptop. "Mrs. Valdez, Jimmy won't be going out for recess today. He's volunteered to stay in and help me search the archives for some of the work he just knows he handed in last week."

=Discover= [] Students will often ask me questions during class that I don't know the answer to, and am not willing to shut down the smartboard to free up the computer to find the answer. I often have to say, "I'll get back to you on that." This Discover app will let me navigate Wikipedia to answer off the cuff questions during class without breaking down the lesson as planned.

=Brain Pop= [] I would use Brain Pop the same way that some people use "Joke of the Day," emails. It provides neat little tidbits of information that may, or may not, be useful in the classroom (or around the supper table). = =