Monday, December 31, 2012

Apps for Teacher Librarians Part 1: Books & Currently

This is a bit of an update for the series that I did last summer when the iPad was brand new. Go here, here, here, here, and here for the original posts! This one didn't change much but I think the others might.


BOOK APPS

Most of these are not free. Don't despair (because for a LONG time I wasn't allowed to pay for any apps either) ... not all posts will be about apps you have to purchase. But this one is.

Still LOVE

Harold and the Purple Crayon (Oddly enough ... I cannot find this on the US app store anymore! Did they quit selling it? It's so awesome! One of our favorites.)
Harold at the North Pole (this one either ... SO STRANGE and I must say ... a bummer for the rest of you ;])

How Rocket Learned to Read

The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore (there is an iTouch app--must be one with a camera--that will work if you also have the print book)

The Monster at the End of this Book can also work on either. Totally worth the price. I like it better than the second one but the kids like that one, too. Could just be me and nostalgia.

Barnyard Dance is only $1.99 and will work on either device. FUN!

Dr. Seuss books from Oceanhouse Media. I have the two collection sets.

I also have the Smithsonian books from Oceanhouse Media. For your lovers of non-fic they are definitely worth it. Plus? YOU don't have to try and figure out how to say "pachycephalosaurs."

Weird but True is a totally fun app that works on either size device. Can't really be used for directed research but for fun ... maybe as a game where kids then tried to figure out where they'd go in the library for MORE information  or to verify a weird but true fact?

Bobo Explores Light. Great way to introduce inventions, inventors, and properties of light. A little confusing to navigate, though.

OVERDRIVE ... is so awesome can hardly stand it. Will work on iTouch or iPad or Droid devices. For audiobooks it's just a matter of downloading. For ebooks you have to create an Adobe account first and sign in ... but that's just a one time thing. Go here for help! And maybe go here to get a splitter for headphones.

Want to Try 

(Will get our Terracycle check sometime in January and hope to use it to get an iTunes Volume Purchasing card ... but haven't been able to buy any new ones since I first started posting about apps.)

Bartleby's Book of Buttons

Brave Interactive Comic ... not usually a huge fan of movie to books but this one looks good. And it's only $1.99.

Ultimate Dinopedia is $4.99. But it looks COOL. User reviews are mixed but it is a NYT Top 10 Best.

Didn't End Up Loving So Much

Pete the Cat will work on either iPad or iTouch. It's OK ... especially for the price. But it's NOT the book ... just sort of a couple extended activities to go along with mainly the School Shoes book. But again ... for $.99 you don't NEED the book. Just not a lot to it.

Curious George at the Zoo does not have much of a story. It was only $.99 but it really doesn't even have THAT much of a story. And it's got some in-app purchases that of course everyone wants.

Dare I say it? The Numberlys. By the same group as Morris Lessmore! LOVE the animation. The story ... not as much. But to be honest I haven't tried it with kids yet so I can't tell you their opinion. Just that I didn't quite "get" it.

I need to read Sunday in Kyoto with the music teacher and see what she thinks. Rhyme guitar with bizarre and you lose me. The pictures are kind of cool, though.

The Artifacts story is actually kind of interesting and the art fun ... but some of the interactive parts are not super intuitive. Kids end up just sort of banging around on the screen trying to figure out what the app wants them to do.



Our school district got a site license for the Reflector software (which actually goes on your DESKTOP). Makes it so you can project the iPad up on the projector screen without it having to be tethered to any sort of adaptor. When I do it it works pretty well but will sometimes make strange ... scratchy noises. Haven't asked around to see if that happens to everyone or not. (PS The free trial? Works for 10 minute increments. Which could actually be enough for many of you.)


Next Tuesday ... apps for Media Creation. (I will say that Puppet Pals Pocket Director's Pass will be discussed next Tuesday ... and drat. It was free yesterday but that's already over. I did tell FB fans in time. Apologies to everyone else. :/)

And now to link up with Farley ...



Tehnically it's New Year's Eve. I might not make it through the 5K I'm doing with my little brother tomorrow, though, so I decided to go ahead and post now (and hey! The Media Creation apps post is already written and scheduled ... so you'll get that much. Just may not get the Photo Editing, Utilities, and Miscellaneous posts cause they're not done yet ;]). Dumb allergies have made the last month super unpleasant and "training" has been not so good. But I REFUSE to wimp out. I will not start 2013 on an wimpy note. I WILL NOT. No matter how much I want to and how many strange NyQuil induced dreams I've sort of slept through the last couple of weeks.

A little overshared at this point but if you made it down this far  ...

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5 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing about the apps - going to pin it to remember. I like your word "Intention" too. It makes so much sense. I'm your newest follower!

    Emily
    I Love My Classroom

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  2. My allergies turned into bronchitis for Christmas so I know how you feel! Hope you feel better soon!
    ~Lorraine
    Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies

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  3. Thank you so much for sharing the book apps. I'm planning on loading more to my iPad soon, so you have definitely saved me some time and money. Good luck with your 5K. I found you on through Farley's Currently and I'm your newest follower :)

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  4. New follower here...found you through the linky! Thanks for sharing the apps...I need to check them out.

    I can relate with the allergies- I have terrible allergies too. It's just awful isn't it? Hope you get well soon.

    Cheers to 2013

    colormekinder.blogspot.com

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  5. Thanks for posting about these ipad apps. I am new to the ipad and ipod and learning how to incorporate it into the classroom.

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