Apps!

It's getting to be crunch time for me downloading apps to the iPads! There are a few really cool apps for free today. The one that I was most excited about is called Pocket Zoo HD. It is only free for today! It has a lot of great information about animals, plus videos and live webcams from zoos around the world. I was watching sharks in Gothenburg this morning--how cool is that? It is usually $4.99, so free is a total steal! This is the first app that I've signed in and out of every student iTunes account we have in order for all the students to have it. It was worth that 20 minutes of my life!

Also for free today is Frosby Early Learning Teacher. This includes basic games about shapes, colors, counting and the alphabet for preschool and kindergarten kids.

Pre-K prep is another app that is free today. It has activities for parents to do with toddlers to prepare them for preschool. Some of them are interactive on the iPad, but there are "real life" activities, too, such as visit the local library or cutting up cardboard into shapes.

Snowflake station is also free today. We could all use some snow right now to cool us off! This app does what it says: creates snowflakes!

There is also a fun free game called KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese "Dinner, Not Art" where you use noodle shapes to create artwork. Super fun!

Here is a list of digital books reduced to free today:
Miss Priss & Cabby (friendship theme)
Miss Priss (great for girls)
Jeff the Mis-Fish (about fitting in)
The Icky Mr. Fox (fairy tale)
What Grows on Trees? (a reading zone 1st grade reader)
The Story of the Three Little Pigs - Read Aloud Edition (marked down from $2.99)

Again, stocking up on as many quality digital storybooks as you can is a great idea. Reading is the thing I do most on my iPad, and students should feel comfortable and be motivated to read, as well, if we give them great book choices.