Scribble Maps

Scribble Maps Pro  is a free web tool that is great for editing and drawing on top of Google maps. Unlike Google Earth Pro, this site does not require any additional downloads.
[There is also a standard version that doesn't require registration with less features that is an easy way to check out the basic features.]

A toolbar allows you to add to maps by drawing shapes, create place marks, and place text.

 Included in the drawing menu are the following features:

• Pen tool - for drawing straight or curved line segments
• Polygon pen tool - for drawing polygons
• Scribble tool - 'free form pen' for doodling
• Line Tool - for drawing straight lines segments only
• Connected line tool - for drawing connected lines (no individual segments)
• Draw shape tool (for drawing irregular shapes)
• Draw rectangles
• Draw Circles
• Place text
• Measurement tool (measures polygons, and lines)
• Markers (a variety of symbols available)
• Image - link images to the map 

You can also search for maps that have been created by other registered users.


Once maps are edited, they can be shared with an URL link, exported as an image or KML file.

Classroom Integration Ideas:

Use Scribble maps:

• in Language Arts class by inserting place markers with descriptions on the locations from stories that are read
• in Social Studies review geography lessons by having students tag locations being studied
• to chart a Flat Stanley or Travel Bug project

Trading Card Creator

Trading Card Creator is a free Web 2.0 site that allows students to create trading cards on a variety of subjects: people (both real and fictional), place (both fictional and real), physical object, event, or abstract concept. 

There is also a free iPad app (Trading Cards).   

Either version is very easy to use.  After naming and choosing the subject of your card, insert an image for the card, and fill in information specific to the subject chosen (in case of a person this includes background, major events, development, and memorable interactions).  Once the card is completed you have to option to print, save, or share (via email) your final product. 

Classroom Integration Ideas:

Students can create a set of trading cards about 

• historical figures
• characters from a novel
• places or events being studied in social studies classes
• scientific objects
• original character creations of a students own design 

The cards could be used  

• as introduction points to lessons
• study cards for tests

Free App Friday - TapQuiz Maps World Edition

This Friday's Free App is a great tool for social studies classes to master geography.  TapQuiz Maps World Edition allows users to learn the countries of the world as well as the fifty United States through a fun and engaging game.  From the main screen users can choose from the following regions:

• North America
• United States
• Canadian Provinces
• Latin America
• Europe
• Middle East
• Asia
• Africa
• Oceania

Each region has its own quiz. Once the the quiz begins, just tap the answer to each question on the map.

A timer and overall score is shown during and after the review game, challenging students kids to improve their previous scores.  In most regions, there are various sub-regions resulting in 22 overall geography quizzes.

Free App Friday - A Triple Feature

To help start off a new school year, today's Free App Friday will be a triple feature of useful apps.

Spelling City (a wonderful Web 2.0 site) now offers a free app version that gives users access to a list of over 40 thousand words.  There are separate activities such as Teach Me, Test Me, Match It, Word Unscramble, Hang Mouse, and Which Word. While registration isn't required to use, if you do register, you can then create custom lists for your students.

Applications for Education: 

• Use pre-created or custom word lists for students for spelling tests.
• Use Teach Me activity to have words or sentences read out loud to younger students.
• Use games such as Hang Mouse and Word Unscramble in learning centers.

Geometry Pad is an app students can use to learn geometry and understand key geometry concepts through practice. With Geometry Pad you can: move/resize geometric shapes and watch how its metrics are changing in real time, demonstrate theorems about incircles and excircles locations, and create and annotate complex geometric figures.

Applications for Education: 

• Create geometric shapes and measure all its possible metrics like length, angle, area, perimeter, intersections, distance between points, angles between lines.
• Demonstrate circle theorems by creating and changing inscribed and center angles.

K12 Periodic Table of the Elements is an app that lets you explore the elements and their key attributes in an easy-to-use manner.  Simply tap on the element and a display of the elements  name, symbol, atomic number, atomic mass, Lewis dots, and radius appear. Colors change in the table to show classification, melting point, boiling point, outermost orbital, radius, ion radius, electronegativity, and ionization energy. Temperatures are shown in Kelvin, Celsius, and Fahrenheit scales.


The table even includes the newly named elements Darmstadtium (110), Roentgenium (111), Copernicium (112), and Ununhexium (116).

Polls.io

Summer is over, so as you prepare for the new school year, here is a Web 2.0 resource that is perfect for student laptops or a personal student device.  

Polls.io is a free and simple site that allows you to create simple one questions polls in a matter of seconds. There is no registration required for the site. Simply go to Polls.io and type your poll question. You can enter up to eight answer choices for respondents to select from. 

A URL is given which you can then share with anyone you would like to participate in the poll. 

Classroom Integration Ideas:

• Use to poll students prior to introducing a new topic
• Take a poll during a class discussion 
• Use with faculty during a campus meeting or training

Tutpup

Tutpup is a free site that allows students to practice math skills as well as spelling in an online game format. The site is made for students from elementary through junior high.  Students can play the games without creating a login. If both teacher and students create their free logins, the teacher can keep track of student scores, and students can complete directly against other classmates in the learning games. 

Inside each section students can choose the difficulty level they would like to use. 

Math categories include addition, division, multiplication, and division mixed into the basics called MATHS 101, or MATHS MIX. 

A multiplication section covers 2-11

An Algebra section lets students either add, subtract, multiply, or divide by a variable. 

There is also spelling section that pronounces words for the students to spell. There are five levels of difficulty for students to choose from. 

Classroom Integration Ideas:

Tutpup's fun head-to-head competition gives the students a chance to practice mathematics and spelling in slightly pressured environment while focusing on specific skills. 

4 For Free

Here are four free apps! All are simple to use for early elementary and pre-K grades.  

Long Vowels is a fun app for students to learn and practice phonics by piloting a spaceship and shooting at planets to identify each word that has a long vowel sound.


Applications for Education: By identifying words, this app helps students recognize common word patterns. They also will begin to understand how the initial consonant, middle vowels, and ending consonant affect pronunciation.

Little Writer is an simple but fun app that allows students to trace letters, numbers, words, and shapes. If the student traces correctly along the lines, they can collect items as prizes.  The app includes upper and lower case letters, numbers 1-10, basic shapes, and 3-4 letter words.


Applications for Education: Letter tracing is an important skill for beginning readers to master by helping the development of letter recognition and fine motor control. 

 Hungry Fish is an extremely fun app that helps students master addition skills.  By tapping or dragging number bubbles together to add up to the number on the fish, students will "feed" their very hungry fish. The surrounding sea life will blow out new bubbles for students to continue to add together to feed the fish. 


Applications for Education:  Students will develop fast mental addition skills as well as learning multiple ways to add up each sum. 

WR (What Rhymes) is a great visual and auditory app that lets students match rhyming words.  After the the question of "What rhyme with..." is read aloud, students tap the image that rhymes with the corresponding word from a bank of four images.  Once the correct word image has been chosen, students are asked what else rhymes with that particular word.  Additional rhyming words are then read aloud by tapping below the images.  


Applications for Education:  Teaching rhyming words (which is a basic component of phonics) in preschool and kindergarten can help build a base for reading comprehension later on. Also a great app for speech pathologists.