This is the third volume in the apps and education series -- we began with apps for education, volume 1: organization and time management and apps for education, volume 2: reading and writing. This month we are looking at apps for math and science.
** Remember, apps that say for iPhone generally also work on the iPod Touch and most of these are available for the iPad as well. I will have a post just on apps that are exclusive to the iPad later.
** BE SURE TO CHECK THE SOFTWARE/SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS BEFORE PURCHASING! Many of these apps only work on the 4th generation iPod Touch and iPhone.
** KIDCALC HAS BEEN A TOP SELLING EDUCATION APP FOR 15 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS!**
KidCalc teaches number recognition, counting and math to pre-schoolers, kindergarteners and elementary school aged children using flash cards and puzzle games, with engaging artwork, animation and voice-overs.
KidCalc includes animated addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division lessons. KidCalc is easily configurable to adjust how challenging the counting and math puzzles are, with settings for toddlers learning numbers, for preschoolers learning to add and subtract, and for elementary school aged kids learning to count as high as 1000 and to multiply and divide.
KidCalc is jam packed with features and now teaches the following skills:
• Writing numbers
• Number recognition by sight and sound
• Quantity recognition with icons
• Counting forwards and backwards, with voice-overs, by increments of 1, 2, 3, on up to increments of 100
• Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with operands up to 1000
• Reading numbers spelled out, up to one thousand
KidCalc features themed graphics with gorgeous little objects to count and learn math with including:
• Easter & Springtime themes with bunnies, flowers, chicks, and Easter eggs.
• Birthday Party theme with presents, birthday cakes, cupcakes, candles and party hat icons.
* Valentines theme with diamonds, cupcakes, hearts, and chocolates.
• Christmas and Hanukkah themes with stockings, trees, Santas, snowmen, candles and presents.
• Halloween and Thanksgiving graphics themes with pumpkins, bats, haunted houses, apples, turkeys, fall leaves, and more.
• Flash Card Challenge making KidCalc 7-apps-in-1. See how quickly you or you can solve 10, 25, 50, or even 100 math problems.
• Animated illustrations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division math problems on the back of flash cards.
• Running timer and totals can be shown or hidden.
• Choose any combination of beginner or intermediate addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division problems.
Other Features Include:
• One-touch skill settings to configure all learning games appropriately for a wide range of ages 2-4, 4-6, 6-8, 8-10, or Little Geniuses
• Counting puzzle and Counting Snowflakes game for preschoolers and kindergarteners
• Animated and voiced math puzzle
• Animated and voiced calculator with icons that demonstrate mathematical operations as they are entered!
• Additional themes including Sports, Outer Space, Springtime, Valentines Day, Easter and more.
PopMath Basic Math $0.99
*** PopMath won the iPhoneFootPrint Excellence Award in Education ***
PopMath is a fun game for kids of all ages to practice basic math.
Pairs of bubbles float on the screen and your goal is to pop each pair. For example, one bubble says "7" and another says "3+4". Simply touch one bubble and then the other to pop them both. At any time, you can choose different operators: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Once you've popped all pairs on a level, you see your time for that level and can move on to the next level, or keep practicing that level. New levels increase the numbers shown in the bubbles, up to 1,000 for addition/subtraction and 20 for multiplication/division.
PopMath rewards your child with fun sounds and end-of-level animations to make the experience fun. Yet it provides a non stressing experience: the time is shown after each level, but you don't loose. Just finish at your own pace. A personal message encourages you based on your time.
PopMath is a fun game for kids of all ages to practice basic math.
Pairs of bubbles float on the screen and your goal is to pop each pair. For example, one bubble says "7" and another says "3+4". Simply touch one bubble and then the other to pop them both. At any time, you can choose different operators: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Once you've popped all pairs on a level, you see your time for that level and can move on to the next level, or keep practicing that level. New levels increase the numbers shown in the bubbles, up to 1,000 for addition/subtraction and 20 for multiplication/division.
PopMath rewards your child with fun sounds and end-of-level animations to make the experience fun. Yet it provides a non stressing experience: the time is shown after each level, but you don't loose. Just finish at your own pace. A personal message encourages you based on your time.
Mathematical Formulas $0.99
It's tough to remember all the complicated and easily-forgettable mathematical formulas. This app is especially made for this kind of a situation. Mathematical Formulas contains all the basic functions you'll need.
Amaze and delight others as you multiply, divide, and square at lightning fast speed. Learn and practice the tricks of mental math calculation in a fun and engaging application. Study any of the math tricks and then practice them as you progress through various levels of proficiency. Only the basic math skills of addition, subtraction and simple multiplication and division are needed to achieve astonishing results.
Students: Baffle your math teachers by providing answers faster than thought possible.
Teachers: Inspire your students as you pull answers to math problems out of thin air.
Master these math tricks:
* Multiply as high as 20x20
* Square a number ending in 5
* Square any two digit number
* Doubling and halving
* Multiply any number by 4
* Multiply any number by 5
* Multiply any number by 9
* Multiply any number by 25
* Multiply any number by 99
* Squares from 41 to 59
* Round number multiplication
* Divide any number by 5
* Multiply by 11
* Multiply in the 90's
* Square numbers in the 50's
* Multiply differing by 2,4,6
* Multiply if 1's sum is 10
* Multiply two close numbers
* Sum of first n even numbers
* Sum of first n odd numbers
* Nines complement
* Tens complement
* Large number addition #1
* Large number addition #2
* Large number subtraction
* Evenly divisible by 3
* Evenly divisible by 4
* Evenly divisible by 5
* Evenly divisible by 6
* Evenly divisible by 7
* Evenly divisible by 8
* Evenly divisible by 9
* Evenly divisible by 10
* Evenly divisible by 11
* Evenly divisible by 12
* Square numbers in the 20’s
* Square numbers in the 30’s
* Square numbers in the 60’s
* Square numbers in the 70’s
* Square numbers in the 80’s
* Square numbers in the 100’s
* Square numbers in the 200’s
* Square numbers in the 300’s
* Square numbers in the 400’s
* Square numbers in the 500’s
* Square numbers in the 700’s
* Square numbers in the 800’s
* Square numbers in the 900’s
* Casting Out Nines Digit Sum
* Check Addition by Casting Nines
* Check Subtraction by Casting Nines
* Check Multiplication by Casting Nines
* Check Division by Casting Nines
* Casting Out Elevens Digit Sum
* Check Addition by Casting Elevens
* Check Subtraction by Casting Elevens
* Check Multiplication by Casting Elevens
* Check Division by Casting Elevens
Prepare for the math section on the SAT, PSAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, MCAT, or any other standardized test. Don't waste time with a calculator on the few tests that allow them. Use Mathemagics as a tutor to quicken up your test taking abilities.
Students: Baffle your math teachers by providing answers faster than thought possible.
Teachers: Inspire your students as you pull answers to math problems out of thin air.
Master these math tricks:
* Multiply as high as 20x20
* Square a number ending in 5
* Square any two digit number
* Doubling and halving
* Multiply any number by 4
* Multiply any number by 5
* Multiply any number by 9
* Multiply any number by 25
* Multiply any number by 99
* Squares from 41 to 59
* Round number multiplication
* Divide any number by 5
* Multiply by 11
* Multiply in the 90's
* Square numbers in the 50's
* Multiply differing by 2,4,6
* Multiply if 1's sum is 10
* Multiply two close numbers
* Sum of first n even numbers
* Sum of first n odd numbers
* Nines complement
* Tens complement
* Large number addition #1
* Large number addition #2
* Large number subtraction
* Evenly divisible by 3
* Evenly divisible by 4
* Evenly divisible by 5
* Evenly divisible by 6
* Evenly divisible by 7
* Evenly divisible by 8
* Evenly divisible by 9
* Evenly divisible by 10
* Evenly divisible by 11
* Evenly divisible by 12
* Square numbers in the 20’s
* Square numbers in the 30’s
* Square numbers in the 60’s
* Square numbers in the 70’s
* Square numbers in the 80’s
* Square numbers in the 100’s
* Square numbers in the 200’s
* Square numbers in the 300’s
* Square numbers in the 400’s
* Square numbers in the 500’s
* Square numbers in the 700’s
* Square numbers in the 800’s
* Square numbers in the 900’s
* Casting Out Nines Digit Sum
* Check Addition by Casting Nines
* Check Subtraction by Casting Nines
* Check Multiplication by Casting Nines
* Check Division by Casting Nines
* Casting Out Elevens Digit Sum
* Check Addition by Casting Elevens
* Check Subtraction by Casting Elevens
* Check Multiplication by Casting Elevens
* Check Division by Casting Elevens
Prepare for the math section on the SAT, PSAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, MCAT, or any other standardized test. Don't waste time with a calculator on the few tests that allow them. Use Mathemagics as a tutor to quicken up your test taking abilities.
Rocket Math FREE
★ Editor's Choice Award! - Children's Technology Review
★ Top 10 best app for elementary school kids - Appolicious
★ "Rocket Math is another winner" - The iPhone Mom
Math can be fun! Build your very own rockets and fly them to the stars with Rocket Math!
While your rocket is floating weightlessly in space, the real fun begins! Play one of the many fun math missions. Each mission has touchable objects floating in space, including stars, coins, 3D shapes and more! Earn a bronze, silver or gold medal and also try to beat your high score. Missions range in difficulty from even/odd numbers all the way to square roots, so kids and their parents will enjoy hours of fun while learning math.
MATH MISSIONS:
⚫ Numbers
⚫ Telling Time
⚫ U.S. Money
⚫ 3D Shapes
⚫ Arithmetic
FEATURES:
⚫ Fun math missions that are different every time
⚫ Over 90 colorful rocket parts
⚫ Lively sound effects and music
⚫ Fun arithmetic game with 3 difficulty levels
⚫ Works on both iPhone and iPad - a universal app
⚫ Choose from over 15 space-themed avatars
⚫ Create up to five player profiles
⚫ Rocket simulator is powered by a realistic physics engine
⚫ Provides hours and hours of learning fun!
★ Top 10 best app for elementary school kids - Appolicious
★ "Rocket Math is another winner" - The iPhone Mom
Math can be fun! Build your very own rockets and fly them to the stars with Rocket Math!
While your rocket is floating weightlessly in space, the real fun begins! Play one of the many fun math missions. Each mission has touchable objects floating in space, including stars, coins, 3D shapes and more! Earn a bronze, silver or gold medal and also try to beat your high score. Missions range in difficulty from even/odd numbers all the way to square roots, so kids and their parents will enjoy hours of fun while learning math.
MATH MISSIONS:
⚫ Numbers
⚫ Telling Time
⚫ U.S. Money
⚫ 3D Shapes
⚫ Arithmetic
FEATURES:
⚫ Fun math missions that are different every time
⚫ Over 90 colorful rocket parts
⚫ Lively sound effects and music
⚫ Fun arithmetic game with 3 difficulty levels
⚫ Works on both iPhone and iPad - a universal app
⚫ Choose from over 15 space-themed avatars
⚫ Create up to five player profiles
⚫ Rocket simulator is powered by a realistic physics engine
⚫ Provides hours and hours of learning fun!
Math Carries FREE
Math Carries is designed to help children practice two and three digit addition and subtraction. Carry boxes are provided for addition and regrouping/borrow boxes for subtraction. At the end of the questions the student is informed of which questions were missed and provided the opportunity to try again.
User settings allow you to configure the number of questions asked the complexity of randomized questions. Additionally, multiple children can use the same game, customizing it for themselves via user profiles.
User settings allow you to configure the number of questions asked the complexity of randomized questions. Additionally, multiple children can use the same game, customizing it for themselves via user profiles.
ArithFit $1.99
ArithFit is an app mainly targeted towards getting children to practice arithmetics, but it is an engaging game, not an app that is just asking questions. Even though it is considered an educational game for children, it can also be totally enjoyed by adults.
ArithFit trains your ability to quickly perform sums (or products) and recognize patterns. It is possible to customize how it works by editing several settings, and to adapt it to everyone, from preschool children to adults.
5 Stars review at helium:
http://www.helium.com/items/1641302-iphone-app-review-arithfit
ArithFit is short for "Arithmetics Fitness". But while it trains basic arithmetics skills, it doesn't do so by asking questions which soon become boring. Like any other videogame, it does so by letting you play a fast-paced game that just grabs your attention. Since it is a game, not a test, users like it and keep playing it, improving their mental math abilities as they progress towards higher and higher scores.
Gameplay: Three numbers attached together fall down from above. They can be pushed left or right to change the place where they land. The numbers keep piling up unless they can be combined with numbers that are already there in a sum (or product) that matches a given target result. The aim of the game is to keep this pile of colorful objects from growing too much.
ArithFit trains your ability to quickly perform sums (or products) and recognize patterns. It is possible to customize how it works by editing several settings, and to adapt it to everyone, from preschool children to adults.
5 Stars review at helium:
http://www.helium.com/items/1641302-iphone-app-review-arithfit
ArithFit is short for "Arithmetics Fitness". But while it trains basic arithmetics skills, it doesn't do so by asking questions which soon become boring. Like any other videogame, it does so by letting you play a fast-paced game that just grabs your attention. Since it is a game, not a test, users like it and keep playing it, improving their mental math abilities as they progress towards higher and higher scores.
Gameplay: Three numbers attached together fall down from above. They can be pushed left or right to change the place where they land. The numbers keep piling up unless they can be combined with numbers that are already there in a sum (or product) that matches a given target result. The aim of the game is to keep this pile of colorful objects from growing too much.
SCIENCE
VideoScience FREE
Science Class Experiments brought to you by Science House and featuring Science Teacher Dan Menelly, winner of the NSF Einstein Fellowship in Cyberinfrastructure!
These videos are two to three minutes in length and demonstrate the steps of simple science experiments. The experiments are designed to inspire and excite kids of all ages, with very little set-up time and using only low cost materials.
Whether you are a public school teacher, private school teacher, or home school teacher; we hope you use these videos and the many more on our website to ignite the scientific passion in your kids.
Mitosis FREE
Mitosis: An interactive learning experience
How do cells divide to grow new hair, repair your skin, or strengthen your bones? Mitosis walks you through the process of cell division, and explains everything that happens along the way. You'll usher cells through mitosis with your fingers, learning about what happens in each phase of the process. You can also look at images of actual cells dividing under a microscope and see the actual structures you've studied.
Mitosis includes the following features:
* Interactive exploration of mitosis
* Actual photographs of cells from light microscopes
* Video content (while connected to the Internet)
* "Read and listen" text and audio that explains mitosis
* Interactive quiz to test your knowledge of mitosis
* Comprehensive glossary of relevant terms
* Access to additional resources for understanding mitosis
How do cells divide to grow new hair, repair your skin, or strengthen your bones? Mitosis walks you through the process of cell division, and explains everything that happens along the way. You'll usher cells through mitosis with your fingers, learning about what happens in each phase of the process. You can also look at images of actual cells dividing under a microscope and see the actual structures you've studied.
Mitosis includes the following features:
* Interactive exploration of mitosis
* Actual photographs of cells from light microscopes
* Video content (while connected to the Internet)
* "Read and listen" text and audio that explains mitosis
* Interactive quiz to test your knowledge of mitosis
* Comprehensive glossary of relevant terms
* Access to additional resources for understanding mitosis
Science Facts FREE
Science Facts contains thousands of science related facts from eigth categories (Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Biology, Inventions, Geography, Bugs, Miscellaneous)
Features
********
- Lots of Science related facts.
Features
********
- Lots of Science related facts.
- 8 categories (Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Biology, Inventions, Geography, Bugs, Miscellaneous)
- Simple and intuitive user interface. Browse freely to the next or previous fact.
- Shake device for random fact.
- Change category by pressing the "S" button in the top right corner of the main view. This will bring up the category view where one can select a specific Science category.
- Simple and intuitive user interface. Browse freely to the next or previous fact.
- Shake device for random fact.
- Change category by pressing the "S" button in the top right corner of the main view. This will bring up the category view where one can select a specific Science category.
A Life Cycle $0.99
** In New and Noteworthy by Apple
Understanding life cycles is a integral part of every school curriculum. A life cycle is a period involving different stages of a species from birth through reproduction. As kids grow, they need to know and understand how life starts, morphs through various stages into a adult and how life starts all over again. Various processes also exist in nature, that are also called life cycles since they follow a systematic flow through stages at regular intervals.
This Life Cycles App is created by a team of high school students, educators, and parents in Texas. It is easy to use, intuitive and most importantly, provides educational content with great illustrations and narrations for students, schools and montessori's.
Appropriate for children ages 2-10+.
Following life cycles are covered in this app:
- Frog Life Cycle
- Water Life Cycle
- Butterfly Cycle
- Plant Cycle
- Pollination
- Photosynthesis
- Moon Phases
- Nitrogen Cycle
- Oxygen Cycle
- Rock Cycle
App Features:
+ Colourful illustrations with highlights at each stage (tap/swipe to go to next stage)
+ Detailed kid oriented descriptions for each stage
+ Narrations (by a elementary school teacher) per lifecycle stage
This Life Cycles App is created by a team of high school students, educators, and parents in Texas. It is easy to use, intuitive and most importantly, provides educational content with great illustrations and narrations for students, schools and montessori's.
Appropriate for children ages 2-10+.
Following life cycles are covered in this app:
- Frog Life Cycle
- Water Life Cycle
- Butterfly Cycle
- Plant Cycle
- Pollination
- Photosynthesis
- Moon Phases
- Nitrogen Cycle
- Oxygen Cycle
- Rock Cycle
App Features:
+ Colourful illustrations with highlights at each stage (tap/swipe to go to next stage)
+ Detailed kid oriented descriptions for each stage
+ Narrations (by a elementary school teacher) per lifecycle stage
Have you ever looked up at the night sky, and wondered what exactly you were looking at? Pocket Universe is an easy-to-use app that will help you learn constellations, bright stars and planets. You can literally hold up your iPhone 3GS/4 or iPad in front of you, and the app will use the built-in compass to display the same view of the sky you see - but one that's complete with names and information. If you want your kids to learn the constellations, or to impress a date with the names of the stars, this is the only app you need.
Note: The new iPod Touch with built-in gyroscopes is supported. Just face North and tap the Motion control. :-)
"The app works beautifully, making astronomy a bit less mysterious—but no less remarkable", MacWorld
"It’s truly an impressive marvel. 5 Mice out of 5", MacWorld.
"..one of the prettiest and easiest to use. And at three bucks, it’s a steal", Cult of Mac.
Augmented Reality
Pocket Universe was the first iPhone astronomy app to support the built-in compass, and it was also the first to add a true augmented reality view using the iPhone's built-in camera! Use the camera view in the evening or morning sky to overlay the labelled view over the real sky.
Simply hold up your iPhone in front of you, and the view will be exactly what you see - but with names and information at your fingertips. Move the iPhone around to see the view change in real-time. As previous iPhone models and the iPod Touch do not have a compass, the up/down movement is automatic, but you will need to drag the display left/right yourself.
• Apple App Store Staff Favorite
• Voted Best Educational iPhone Application by AppAdvice
Key Features
• Easy-to-use astronomy application, which focuses on helping you answer the question "What's that in the sky?"
• Works on all iPhones and iPod Touch devices with latest firmware (iPhone 3GS/4/iPad2 required for compass support)
• Tracks the ISS, and predict sightings
• Special "Show Me" mode will guide you to named stars, planets, constellations as well as the brightest galaxies and nebulae.
• "Tonight's Sky" and "Objects and Events" will keep you up-to-date, and give you suggestions for what to look for when you head outside.
• Constellation and Star Quiz to help you learn your way around the sky.
• Links to Wikipedia articles for the latest information.
• Responsive customer support, frequent updates.
Please note: Network access is only required to view supplementary web-based news and Wikipedia text. The rendering of the 3D sky and positions of the stars and planets are all calculated in real-time with no access to 3G, Edge or WiFi required.
Specifications
•Plots the position of the Sun, Moon and Planets (including Pluto)
•Displays 10,000 stars and the Messier Catalog of Deep Sky objects.
•Draws Constellations outlines, with mythological artwork
•Lunar phases for the current, next and previous months
•Plan observations with list of meteor showers and visible planets
•Constellation and Star Quiz games
•Jupiter's and Saturn's Moons (visible in a telescope)
•Regularly updated news section for viewing suggestions
•Night Vision mode
•Augmented Reality camera mode for use during evening/dawn on iPhone/iPad2 devices.
•Location found automatically or may be specified manually.
Note: The new iPod Touch with built-in gyroscopes is supported. Just face North and tap the Motion control. :-)
"The app works beautifully, making astronomy a bit less mysterious—but no less remarkable", MacWorld
"It’s truly an impressive marvel. 5 Mice out of 5", MacWorld.
"..one of the prettiest and easiest to use. And at three bucks, it’s a steal", Cult of Mac.
Augmented Reality
Pocket Universe was the first iPhone astronomy app to support the built-in compass, and it was also the first to add a true augmented reality view using the iPhone's built-in camera! Use the camera view in the evening or morning sky to overlay the labelled view over the real sky.
Simply hold up your iPhone in front of you, and the view will be exactly what you see - but with names and information at your fingertips. Move the iPhone around to see the view change in real-time. As previous iPhone models and the iPod Touch do not have a compass, the up/down movement is automatic, but you will need to drag the display left/right yourself.
• Apple App Store Staff Favorite
• Voted Best Educational iPhone Application by AppAdvice
Key Features
• Easy-to-use astronomy application, which focuses on helping you answer the question "What's that in the sky?"
• Works on all iPhones and iPod Touch devices with latest firmware (iPhone 3GS/4/iPad2 required for compass support)
• Tracks the ISS, and predict sightings
• Special "Show Me" mode will guide you to named stars, planets, constellations as well as the brightest galaxies and nebulae.
• "Tonight's Sky" and "Objects and Events" will keep you up-to-date, and give you suggestions for what to look for when you head outside.
• Constellation and Star Quiz to help you learn your way around the sky.
• Links to Wikipedia articles for the latest information.
• Responsive customer support, frequent updates.
Please note: Network access is only required to view supplementary web-based news and Wikipedia text. The rendering of the 3D sky and positions of the stars and planets are all calculated in real-time with no access to 3G, Edge or WiFi required.
Specifications
•Plots the position of the Sun, Moon and Planets (including Pluto)
•Displays 10,000 stars and the Messier Catalog of Deep Sky objects.
•Draws Constellations outlines, with mythological artwork
•Lunar phases for the current, next and previous months
•Plan observations with list of meteor showers and visible planets
•Constellation and Star Quiz games
•Jupiter's and Saturn's Moons (visible in a telescope)
•Regularly updated news section for viewing suggestions
•Night Vision mode
•Augmented Reality camera mode for use during evening/dawn on iPhone/iPad2 devices.
•Location found automatically or may be specified manually.
The Chemical Touch $0.99
Explore the properties of the elements, the standard amino acids, and the nucleobases with The Chemical Touch. A touch sensitive periodic table and chemical information companion, it provides a wealth of information right at your fingertips. Recolor the periodic table by selecting properties other than Atomic Mass to visually investigate periodic trends. Having exhausted the built-in information, the internet button opens the Wikipedia page for the selected element, amino acid, or nucleobase.
3D Brain FREE
Use your touch screen to rotate and zoom around 29 interactive structures. Discover how each brain region functions, what happens when it is injured, and how it is involved in mental illness. Each detailed structure comes with information on functions, disorders, brain damage, case studies, and links to modern research.
[Editor's Note: Great not only for understanding more about our children's differences but also as an educational/study tool for high school and college students studying anatomy.]
Of course, there are dozens more apps for assistance with math and science. This is just a sampling of the apps that turn up on lists of top-rated apps.
What apps do you use for science and math?
PREVIOUS
<<< apps for education, volume 2: reading and writing >>>
Penny Williams is the creator and editor of {a mom's view of ADHD}. She is also a freelance writer, real estate broker, wife, and mother of two living in Asheville, N.C. She has published several pieces in ADDitude Magazine, the #1 national publication dedicated to ADHD, and has also been quoted in Parenting.com's Family Health Guide on ADHD and The High Desert Pulse article, When Ritalin Works. When not writing, she can usually be found behind a camera.
Penny Williams is the creator and editor of {a mom's view of ADHD}. She is also a freelance writer, real estate broker, wife, and mother of two living in Asheville, N.C. She has published several pieces in ADDitude Magazine, the #1 national publication dedicated to ADHD, and has also been quoted in Parenting.com's Family Health Guide on ADHD and The High Desert Pulse article, When Ritalin Works. When not writing, she can usually be found behind a camera.