30hands Learning

30hands Learning is an excellent company for creating an innovative LMS (Learning Management System) as well as a free iOS app that is ideal for digital storytelling.  The 30hands community is a perfect cloud based solution that allows educators to: manage/track students, hand in/out assignments, schedule events, and more.

The free iOS app uses a easy drag-n-drop interface to allow users to take or upload/draw images.  Once the images are uploaded they can then be dragged into any order.  Finally, a user can then record their audio to narrate a story.  It can then be saved to the users to device or shared into the 30hands Learning community.  This is an excellent free tool to integrate technology into the classroom that can be used by any subject.

I highly recommend checking out 30hands Learning by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Digital Storytelling click here.
For my Edshelf collection on Digital Storytelling click here.

*30hands Learning is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Healthy Heroes 1

Healthy Heroes 1 is a wonderful iOS game from the excellent mobile app company Yogome.  This is a fun app for the younger kids learning about Nutrition and healthy eating habit.  After selecting a Yogotar (the famous avatars of Yogome), the child has to feed 6 different hungry monsters in 36 levels before they destroy the Yogopolis.  This is done by selecting the nutritious snacks/food items that are dropped down in baskets.  Each stage tells you what kind of foods to select as well calorie content.  After each level is deleted a healthy eating tip is then revealed.

I highly recommend checking out Healthy Heroes by clicking here!!!

For more games from Yogome click here.

*Yogome is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Poptropica

Poptropica is a free iPad app based on the popular online game by Jeff Kinney (author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series).  This is a super fun adventure game that has kids solving puzzles and using logical thinking to complete quests on two different islands.  Best of all, it is completely safe, saves user data, and has high replay value.  It's a nice way for kids to play a educational type game w/out playing one of those mindless shooting/fighting style games that are so popular.

I highly recommend checking out Poptropica by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Educational Apps click here.

FluencyFinder V. 2,5

FluencyFinder the leading iOS app for assessing Reading levels and comprehension has been updated to version 2.5.  The latest version has been redesigned for iOS 7 for a sleeker polished look.  Exporting results is easier w/ a email share button, and educators can now search through Reading passages.

FluencyFinder is an extremely easy app to use as all an educator has to do is print out a Reading passage (1st-8th Grade) and tap the timer to start assessing a student.  As a student corrects or makes a mistake, the teacher then taps the (+) or (-) button to score the student.  Once the passage is a read, the educator taps stop and instant real-time results are given unless they choose to go on to Comprehension questions.

I highly recommend checking out FluencyFinder by clicking here!!!

Here is what others are saying about FluencyFinder...

• FluencyFinder has saved me so much time! I love this app. All I need to do is grab my iPad, look up a particular student, and I am able to find their results in seconds.Michelle, 3rd grade teacher, Maryland

• I heard about this app from another teacher at school and it has changed my life. I don’t know how we ever got by without it! Thank you, FluencyFinder! iTunes App Store Review 

  *FluencyFinder is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Letter Battle

Letter Battle is a super fun iOS app that I just downloaded for my kids to work on their Spelling skills.  This is a great RPG type game (grades 1st-4th) where a user can select their skill level and type of word (i.e. Science, School, Vacation, etc) to embark on an epic adventure.  Basically, it works like any turn based strategy game but uses spelling as the means of attack.  If a player spells the word wrong they will miss.  The goal is to defeat enemies, collect power ups, and advance levels as they complete their quest.  Best of all a educator/parent can create custom word lists to integrate into the game.

I highly recommend checking out Letter Battle by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board for Educational iOS Apps click here.
For my Edshelf collection for Educational iOS Apps click here.

I also recommend checking out SpellingCity for all Spelling/Vocabulary needs.

Word Clouds by ABCYa

Word Clouds by ABCYa is an excellent free iPad app that I just found out about from Free Technology 4 Teachers.  This is a great app similar to Wordle or Tag Cloud for creating those ever popular word clouds.  Word clouds are often used to visual represent a word frequency and can be used by any subject or curriculum.  This app is very easy to use and allows a user to edit their clouds by font color, size, etc.

I highly recommend checking out Word Clouds by ABCYa by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Word/Tag Clouds click here.

Top 100 Sites/Apps for Game Based Learning

This is going to be one of my most ambitious posts yet, as I have curated a gigantic list of my favorite sites/apps for Game Based Learning (a.k.a Gamification).  I've done posts on educational iOS Apps and Educational Online Games but I have never combined the two and curated a list that specifically deals w/ GBL.  The resources below will vary from drill and practice to all out epic adventures in 3D virtual worlds, to help Gamify a classroom.  One theme I have noticed is that the subject of Math uses the concept of Game Based Learning quite often.  I hope you enjoy this list as much as I have in creating it.

*This list is in alphabet order.
** mobile app

Top 100 Sites/Apps for Game Based Learning

1. **4 Dice: Fractions - A super fun iOS game that can be played on up to 5 devices as students hone their Fraction skills (i.e. adding, dividing, etc.) while combining rolling dice and bowling.
2. **5 Dice: Order of Operations - A great iOS game that has students playing solo/multiplayer as they roll dice and try to use numbers and operations to "hit" the target number.
3. ABCya - A fantastic company w/ a wide variety of educational online games and iOS apps for a number of different subjects grades K-5th.
4. **Adam Dream: Numbers Nightmare - Explore different worlds as you help Adam overcome enemies using basic Math skills, in this wonderful fantasy filled iOS game.
5. **Amazing Alex - A nice iOS game from the creators of Angry Birds that focuses on the concept of Rube Goldberg Machines.
6. **Angle Asteroids - A fun iOS app for learning about angles by shooting asteroids w/ your spaceship.
7. Answerables - A innovative 3D virtual world that allows educators to Gamify their lessons in this cross between Game Based Learning and Learning Management System.
8. Arcademic Skill Builders - Amazing site w/ educational games and portal to allow for student tracking and  progress reports in Math, Reading, and more.
9. Arcoiris - A nice simple site for finding educational games in both English and Spanish.
10. **Axiom - A nice iOS game that has students controlling a ship and picking up numbers/operations to solve different Math equations in over 80 levels of play.
11. Back Pack Games - A wonderful site filled w/ lots of educational games aligned to Common Core Standards in the subjects of Math & Science.
12. BrainNook - A game w/ educational portal for Math and Language Arts that allows educators to moderate all aspects of student behavior.
13. Cackleberries - A fantastic virtual 3D world for ESL kids 3-7 yrs old learning English through interactive games.
14. **Champs of Numeria - A fun multiplayer iOS game that uses Connect Four game logic to develop basic Math skills.
15. **Chima - A nice simple iOS app that has students solving different Math equations in addition/subtractions to defeat mythological creatures.
16. ClassXP - A excellent way for educators to integrate Game Based Learning through a RPG based student dashboard.
17. Clever Island - A nice site for 3-8 yr olds for games in Math, Reading, and Phonics.
18. Cookie - A great site for educational: Math, Reading, Science, and ESL games for El Ed kids.
19. **Digital Passport - An essential iPad app for kids that has them playing games to learn about Cyber Safety (i.e. bullying, copy right, privacy, etc.).
20. DimensionU - An amazing site for educational games 3D games for Math and Literacy aligned to Common Core Standards.
21. **Door 24 - A fantastic iPad that has students working different Math/Algebra problems to help a robot fix his circuits and uncover the mystery behind Door 24.
22. Fish Smarty - A terrific site w/ educational portal for younger kids to interact in a safe environment and play educational games/activities.
23. Funbrain - A very popular site for kids looking for Math games and other online activities.
24. **Futaba - An interesting gaming system for the iPad that allows educators to create the questions and then share them students iPads while they compete to solve the problems.
25. Fuel the Brain - A fun site for educational games on Math and Reading.
26. **Gadzookery - A nice Acronym/Spelling iOS game where users try to create sentences w/ words to score against other players.
27. Game Classroom - A excellent site for Math and Language art games/worksheets for students K-6th.
28. Gamequarium - One of my favorite sites for games for El Ed kids in Math, Reading, and Science.
29. GameUp - From the creators of BrainPop, a nice site for animated educational games in Math, Science, Reading, etc.
30. **GazziliMath - A fun iOS app for young learners as they strengthen their counting, adding, and subtracting skills.
31. **Grading Game - A great iOS game that turns the student into the "editor" as they look for spelling and grammar errors.
32. **Grid Lines - A innovative Battleship style Math iOS game that has students plotting points on a plane to defeat their opponent.
33. **Healthy Heroes 1 & 2 - A fun game iOS game w/ over 30 levels of play that has students feeding different monsters fruits/vegetables to stop them from destroying Yogopolis.
34. Historia - An excellent History game designed for MS students aligned to Common Core Standards.
35. **If... - A great iPad game for kids learning about Social and Emotional learning in safe 3D virtual environment.
36. iPracticeMath - One of the best sites around w/ educational portal (i.e. assessing/student tracking) for finding lots of Math resources, worksheets, and games.
37. **Jack and the Beanstalk a Mathematical Adventure - A fantastic narrated iPad adventure that has students solving different Math problems (i.e. time, money, etc.) in the world of Jack and the Beanstalk.
38. **Kids Fun - A fun iPad app for kids as they play over 70 activities/games while discovering nature and it's animals.
39. Kidz Page - A nice site for educational games, activities, and puzzles for grades K-8th.
40. Learning Games For Kids - A fun site for lots of educational games such as Typing, Health, and Geography.
41. **Little Digits - A great iPad app for young kids learning about numbers, adding, and subtracting as well as associating them w/ fingers.
42. Lure of the Labyrinth - Gamification at it's best in this mysterious adventure Middle School based Pre-Algebra game.
43. Magnahigh - A wonderful way for educators to teach Math using a Game Based Learning environment where students can compete in a safe environment.
44. **Marble Math (Jr/Lite) - A collection of different apps that focuses on basic Math skills while trying to guide a marble through a series of challenging puzzles.
45. **Math Champ Challenge - A great iOS app for lots of Math questions aligned to Common Core Standards using Game Based Learning.
46. Math Chimp - A nice site for lots of resources, worksheets, and educational games in the different areas of Math.
47. **Math Evolve - A widely popular iOS game for learning basic Math skills while either playing through Story (Sci Fi shooter type game) or Practice (flash card style practice) mode.
48. **Math Heroes 1 & 2 - Super fun iOS apps that has students using basic Math skills and the ever popular Yogotars to solve equations and defeat their opponents.
49. **Math Minute Madness - A fun iOS game that has students try solve 50 basic Math problems in one minute.  As students progress through the game they earn stars that they can redeem for animals that they can put in their virtual zoo.
50. **Math vs. Undead - A crazy iOS game that has students solving basic Math problems while trying to defeat the cartoony zombie horde in over 30 levels of fun!!
51. **MathFileFolderGames - A great company that creates fun, multiplayer mobile Math apps in a wide range of topics (i.e. Fractions,  Plotting points on a graph, Tangrams, etc.)
52. MathGameTime - A great site for educational Math games for K-7th in a wide variety of subjects (i.e. Algebra, Physics, Time, etc.)
53. **Maths Tree Vs - A fun multiplayer iPad app that has students practicing basic Math skills while trying to drop different objects on top of their opponents.
54. **Mathtastical - An interesting iOS app that uses Game Based Learning to reinforce Math skills while collecting different power ups to move on up the leader board.
55. MinecraftEDU - Is the educational version of the mega popular PC hit being used in classrooms throughout the world.
56. **Moody Monster Manor - A nice iOS game for kids 3-8 yrs old learning about emotions as well as critical thinking skills.
57. **Mystery Math Town/Museum - Two amazing iPad apps that has students finding numbers and solving equations while exploring a mysterious town/museum filled w/ enigmatic characters.
58. **Numbers League - A fantastic iPad app that uses a comic book style to have kids of all ages working on their different Math skills.
59. **Operation Math - A wonderful iPad app that has students using basic Math skills to defeat Dr. Odd in this spy filled game of over a 100 missions.
60. **Ordered Fractions - A nice multiplayer Math game that has comparing and putting fractions in order.  Also, this game is aligned to Common Core Standard and can send progress reports to pareants/teachers via email.
61. PhyFun - A nice site for Physics based games.
62. PlayBrighter - A innovative site that uses an animated virtual environment to teach kids through educational games and lessons the teachers setup.
63. Play Kids Games - A fun site w/ educational portal that allows educators to create a classroom and track their educational games.
64. PowerMyLearning - Great site for educators to search for games by Common Core Standard, build playlists, and track student progress.
65. **Presidents vs. Aliens - A very fun iOS game that reminds me of Space Invaders as you fling US Presidents at the incoming aliens.  A great app for History teachers and learning about different facts of the 44 US Presidents.
66. QR Wild - A cool site for creating and playing QR code based games.
67. Quandary - One of my favorite sites/apps for Game Based Learning that has students making ethical/social decisions in a science fiction based world.
68. **Questimate - A fun iPad app that has students create the questions to be answered in this multiplayer game.
69. **Quiz Dungeon - A innovative iOS app that uses RPG elements to reinforce basic Math skills.
70. **Recycle Hero - One of my favorite iOS apps for learning about the environment/recycling by playing through a variety of games.
71. RoomRecess - A wonderful site w/ lots of educational games for students K-5.
72. **Save the Sushi - A great iOS app for students learning their Multiplication tables while earning badges and playing w/ their friends.
73. **Science Heroes - A excellent iOS app that has students challenging 5 different bosses in 15 different missions to explore the different regions of the Digestion system (i.e. mouth, stomach, intestine, etc.).
74. Science Monster - A fun site for finding lots of lessons, apps, and games for the different areas of Science.
75. **Shake-a-Phrase - A super fun iOS app that helps students w/ Vocabulary, parts of a sentence, and even create Writing prompts.
76. Sheppard Software - A nice site for lots of educational games and activities in a wide range of subjects.
77. **Sight Words Hangman - A great iOS app game that focuses on over 300 sight words and 30 word lists to help teach students.
78. SimCityEDU - The award winning PC game now has educational portal to allow for Game Based Learning aligned to Common Core Standards.
79. **Skip Math - A fun iOS jumping game that uses computational fluency (i.e. counting by 2's, 4's, etc.) to help land on the correct number.
80. Skoolbo - A virtual world filled w/ educational games to help kids 4-10 yrs old in Literacy and Math.
81. **Slice Fractions - A nice iOS game for learning the basics of Fractions w/ high replay value.
82. **Spelling Hero - A excellent iOS app that uses a flash card style game to help users learn how to spell different words and their definition.
83. SpellingCity - A fantastic site/app for students to find educational games for Spelling and Vocabulary.  Also, there is an educational portal for teachers where they create their own custom word lists to incorporate into the games.
84. Spree Games - A great site for finding lots of games for K-12, as well as creating lists of your favorite games.
85. **Sugar Shake - A interesting iPad game for Chemistry that has students shaking/tilting sugar molecules to set off chemical reactions.
86. Sumdog - A excellent site/app w/ educational portal that allows educators to track students progress in educational competitive games.  Also, the games tailor to differentiated instruction to meet student needs.
87. **Sushi Monster - A fun iOS game that has students practicing Multiplication/Addition to help feed a sushi monster by building equations.
88. **Tangram Chess - A innovative Math iOS game that has students moving shapes across a chess board to complete their tangram using: translations, rotations, and reflections.
89. Teach w/ Portals - Gamify your classroom w/ the award winning PC game Portal 2.
90. Time Tribe - One of the most innovative sites/apps around for learning about history and different cultures by playing this mystery based time travel adventure.
91. **TinyTap - A wonderful iOS app that allows users to create educational games or play those of others.
92. Tutpup - A cool site for Math and Spelling games where you compete against other players.
93. What2Learn - A neat site where students can create and play the games of others.
94. Wonderville - A terrific site w/ lots of resources of educators including: games, puzzles, lessons, and more.
95. **World's Worst Pet - A wonderful iPad app for helping students w/ their Vocabulary skills through four different games.
96. **YodelOh Math Mountain - A fun iOS game aligned to Common Core Standards that has students solving basic Math equations while climbing up a mountain.
97. **Yogome - A fantastic company w/ lots of educational mobile apps in areas such as: Math, Science, and even Recycling.
98. **Zeus vs. Monsters - A super fun Android app for practicing basic Math skills (i.e. addition, multiplication, etc.) while defending Olympus from mythologic villains.
99. Zondle - A innovative site that allows educators to create educational games and share w/ others.
100. ZooWhiz - A fun site for kids 5-15 yrs old to develop their Math and Reading skills by creating their own virtual zoo.

Angle Asteroids

Angle Asteroids is a wonderful free iOS app that helps students learn how to measure angles.  This is a fun app that any Math/Geometry teacher can use that has students try to blast incoming asteroids by aligning it to the correct angle from their spaceship.  Also, being a part of Sylvan's education series allows for parents/educators to track student progress.

I highly recommend checking out Angle Asteroids by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Educational iOS Apps click here.

Ask3

Ask3 is one of my favorite free iPad apps for educators.  This is an excellent app that teachers can use to teach any subject for any curriculum.  Ask3 allows users to visually explain a topic by importing a image (or draw) and then record narration for explanation.  I like to think of it as Skitch w/ the ability to record audio and collaborate w/ others.  Best of all, a educator can use it to collaborate w/ students by asking questions and having them respond.  This is ideal for flipping a classroom or guided learning.

I highly recommend checking out Ask3 by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Flipping a Classroom click here.

If

If is a very cool and fun free iPad game for SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) that I downloaded the other day for my kids.  This game takes place in an animated 3D world (Ziggurat) and allows users to make decisions that effect the outcome of the game.  I had a great time playing through game, creating my animal avatar, and making different decisions when interacting w/ other characters.  This game like Quandary, does a great job of helping students choose from right or wrong decisions and what is the appropriate way to interact w/ others.

I highly recommend checking out If by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Educational iOS Apps click here.

Stick Around

Stick Around is a fantastic iPad app by educator Tony Vincent that is for creating puzzles and then having students label them.  For example, an educator can create a diagram/puzzle of a cell using Stick Around, and then have students label the different parts.  It can be used for any subject and can be used to flip instruction w/ the ability to record narration.  Also, educators can share their different puzzles/templates and find new ones online all the time.

I highly recommend checking out Stick Around by clicking here!!!

Jack and the Beanstalk: A Mathematical Adventure

Jack and the Beanstalk: A Mathematical Adventure is one of my favorite iOS games from the creator of MathFileFolderGames.  This is an excellent and super fun game for kids working a basic Math skills, such as: counting money, adding, telling time, and more.  Also, a user can switch the Math problem if they are getting stuck which and the narrated adventure makes for high replay value.

I highly recommend checking out Jack and the Beanstalk by clicking here!!!

*MathFileFolderGames is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Below is a list of other great games from MathFileFolderGames or click here....

5 Dice: Order of Operations Game

(Cost: FREE!)
5 Dice: Order of Operations Game is a math app intended for upper elementary and middle school students that helps students enjoy practicing their order of operations. Read More Here

4 Dice: Fraction Games

(Cost: $1.99)
4 Dice: Fraction Games is a math app for middle school and upper elementary students. The goal of the game is to present fractions in a way that is both conducive to learning and fun. Read More Here

Ordered Fractions: Comparing & Ordering Fractions

(Cost: $1.99)

Ordered Fractionsgame begins by pressing the button that rolls the dice. Students then insert these numbers into the boxes on the board, which creates the fractions. Students then position the fractions in ascending order by comparing fractions. Read more here

Grid Lines: Ordered Pair Game

(Cost: $1.99)

Grid Lines is a Battleship-style math app used to teach students the coordinate plane. Students will get practice plotting points on a coordinate plane by playing a game similar to Battleship. Read more here

Tangram Chess: Transformation Games

(Cost: $1.99)

Tangram Chess For Kids, Translations (slides), Rotations (turns) and Reflections (flips). Every game of Tangram Chess has its own story. Some are long-drawn out strategic affairs; others can be quick, but complicated, tactical battles. The winner is the player who can out-think his or her opponent, and make the best plans for attack and defence. Read more here

Door 24

Door 24 is a wonderful free iPad app for working on basic Math skills.  This educational game has students trying to solve different equations to help repair a robot's circuits and solve the mystery behind Door 24.  Door 24 is aligned to Common Core standards, designed for grade 4-8th, and has over 6 different levels that focus on different computational fluency.  Best of all is a Math review screen that helps students w/ problems they are struggling on.

I highly recommend checking out Door 24 by clicking here!!!

*Door 24 is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Book Writer

Book Writer is a excellent iOS app that educators are using everywhere for digital storytelling and flipping their classroom instruction.  This is a simple app to use that can be used by any subject for any curriculum that allows users to create a multimedia digital book that can then be published to iBooks or printed out as a PDF.  Best of all, a student can record their own narration to help tell a story, or an educator to help teach a lesson.

I highly recommend checking out Book Writer by clicking here!!!

Below is a brief demo...

Hideout: Early Reading

Hideout: Early Reading is a wonderful free iOS app for young readers to help them w/ their Reading skills.  This is done through a series of educational activities/games that has students trying to sound out words, find the correct letter, word recognition, and more.  Also, this game features a wide variety of things that engage young learners, such as animations, music, and more.

I highly recommend checking out Hideout: Early Reading by clicking here!!

For my Pinterest board on Educational iOS Apps click here.
For Hideout on Edshelf click here.

OpenEd

OpenEd is a fantastic site for educators to create an online course and assign a wide variety of educational resources for students to view.  These resources can include: videos, links, sites, and more from such resources as PBS, EdCite, BrainGenie, etc.  Recently, they released a free Android/iOS app that works in conjunction w/ their website that allows students to join a course via a unique login code on their mobile devices.  Anyone familiar w/ Nettrekker will feel right at home w/ the user interface as can view their classes, resources (rated on a star scale), standard, grade level, etc.

I highly recommend checking out OpenEd by clicking here!!!

Quiz Dungeon

Quiz Dungeon is a wonderful iOS game that combines elements of RPG to help students learn basic Math skills.  Anyone familiar w/ the classic arcade game Gauntlet will feel right at home playing this simple yet fun game as they try to defeat enemies such as slimes and knights while unlocking treasure chests.  As w/ any classic RPG as the user gets better at the game they earn XP and gold to level up and purchase items in a "gift shop".  This makes for a entertaining adventure and high replay value.  Best of all, QD allows for multiple user accounts which is ideal for those that share an account, and a parent can even set what type of questions are asked (i.e. multiplication, addition, etc.).

I highly recommend checking out Quiz Dungeon by clicking here!!!

Slice Fractions

Slice Fractions is a wonderful educational iOS app for learning the basics of Fractions.  This app has students slicing through objects to make the corresponding fraction.  Also, there are lots of goal orientated actions to solve to make the fraction, such as freeing a mammal from ice or lava.  Finally, Slice Fractions is aligned to Common Core Standards and has high replay value as users try to unlock all the special hats (fun stuff) for their mammal to wear.

I highly recommend checking out Slice Fractions by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Educational iOS apps click here.
For my Edshelf collection on Educational iOS apps click here.

Piig Labs

Piig Labs is a new free (for today) iPad app that is ideal for teaching young kids about different Scientific experiment.  Right now, the interactive animated app offers 6 different experiments (w/ more on the way) such as volcano (mixing baking soda/vinger), build a lightbulb, put together a radio, and more.  This is a very user-friendly app and covers a wide range of Science themes from electricity to chemical reactions.

I highly recommend checking out Piig Labs by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Educational iOS Apps click here.

MarcoPolo Ocean

MarcoPolo Ocean is a wonderful iPad app for young learners wanting to learn and build their own ocean.  This interactive narrated app covers 5 ocean concepts such as: coral reef, marine mammals, fish, boat, and submarine.  MP Ocean is a very user-friendly app that has kids drag
ging and dropping pieces of a puzzle to create an animated object (i.e. fish, boat, etc), control a submarine through an ocean, feeding fish, and other engaging activities.

I highly recommend checking out MarcoPolo Ocean by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Educational iOS Apps click here.
For my Edshelf collection on Educational iOS Apps click here.