WEB TOOLS FOR ONLINE LEARNING
​Presentations:
  • Teacher Tools 2.2:  Presentation from 2019 PAC-TE TEA which outlines quality Web tools in multiple categories. 
Resources: 
  • Common Sense Media:  Ratings and suggestions for quality media for students.  The Apps and Games dropdown specifically addresses searchable websites and applications for different ages and subjects.  
  • 101 Web 2.0 Teaching Tools:  Comprehensive list of Web 2.0 tools separated by purpose categories.
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Middle LEvel Apps

Mathematics
  • Algebra Touch:  This instructive algebra practice app allows students to use tablet features to experiment with the manipulation of numbers and equations.  Students can use the tutorial features or practice random problems categorized by topic.
  • Algebra Champ: This algebra app allows students to choose an avatar and challenge themselves to improve their solving speed using four different levels of difficulty.
  • Algebralator: This app quickly calculates several different types of algebra problems.  Works well as a quick help for teachers or a self-check for students.
  • Buzz Math: Based on common core curriculum, this subscription-based app provides instruction and practice for assessment in multiple math skills.  
  • Five Dice: This game allows students to practice the order of operations either alone or matched up with another student/personal technology device in the room.  Students work to find the solution to a target number using multiple operations all five game dice.
  • Geometry Stash: For more advanced math students, this app is a searchable reference to popular theorems and postulates.
  • Painless Fractions Challenge: Quiz-based, this app challenges students to complete fraction skills to a predetermined level to unlock reward games.
  • Probability Tools: This app provides virtual coins, dice, and spinners.  Teachers and students can alter the parameters for each manipulative to suit different math explorations.  
  • Teaching Table: This app provides lower level manipulatives (coins, counters) as well as newly added middle level manipulatives (shapes, fractions, algebra tiles).  Teachers can create lessons, questions, and examples using these widgets.
  • Virtual Manipulatives: This app provides fraction, decimal, and percent bars and pie charts for student or teacher use.  Drag functions allow teachers to construct quick examples.  The app also has a function that displays equivalents when needed.  

Science
  • 3D Cell Stain: This app allows students to manipulate a 3-D cell model.  The app comes with free videos, and for a cost, it also provides an opportunity to stain an e-cell.
  • Biobots Sea Rescue: In this mission-based game, visitors of an undersea zoo are trapped in an underwater lab of a scientist who specializes in biomimetics, the study of "biological systems as models for the engineering of machines." Students must review the scientist's files on each of the creations to help build and operate a rescue robot to save the visitors.
  • Bobo Explores Light: Young middle level learners will enjoy learning content and fun facts about light from a friendly robot host.
  • DK The Human Body App: This highly detailed record of the human body allows students 3-D and close up views of all the major body systems. The authors of the app recommend it for ages 12+.
  • Dr. Frankenstein's Body Lab: With Dr. Frankenstein's lab as a back drop, students must complete body system puzzles to unlock parts for the 6th game where they create their own monster.
  • Hubble Top 100: Users of this app have access to 100 of Hubble's best, most vivid photographs provided by European Southern Observatory.
  • Leafsnap: The first release in a series of field guides by Columbia University and the Smithsonian, this app allows students to examine a collection leaf samples.  Students can also use the app's photo recognition to identify their own collected samples.
  • Monster Physics: Although physics content is often designated for high school learners, this app's tutorials, challenges, and invention builder make the STEM content accessible to even the youngest middle level learners.
  • NASA Visualization Explorer:  This app provides NASA's most current pictures, videos, and research.  Although some material is too advanced for independent use by middle level learners, the amazing pictures and stories can be adult-interpreted to make them meaningful for younger learners.
  • Phases: Students can use this simple app's GPS features to track realtime moon phase data for their location.
  • Powers of Minus Ten: Great for beginners in biology, this app allows students to easily zoom in to view a human hand from the surface to the cellular level.  Students can use the app to find different organs, cells, and organelles.  Once found, the app provides additional information on each structure.
  • Science 360: Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, this app provides high interest videos and photos on current science discoveries and research.  Older and science-savvy students will enjoy perusing the numerous files provided. Younger students may need adult support to experience the app to its fullest.
  • Solar Walk: This outstanding app allows students to explore space through hands-on manipulation.  Students can zoom in to get specific information on each space object, rotate objects to obtain 3-D views, and even zoom out to help visualize Earth's location in the galaxy and the universe.  
  • Whack-A-Bone: With colorful graphics and a pirate theme, students are engaged in memorizing the names of the major bones of the skeletal system.

Social Studies
  • Britannica Kids: Aztec Empire: This app provides interactive articles, pictures, videos, and puzzles to engage learners in ancient Aztec culture.
  • Kids Discover Washington, D.C.: The popular Kids Discover Magazine is now an app!  Students can explore information about Washington, D. C. while viewing interactive maps, quizzes, and 3-D models about points of interest.  Other titles include Antarctica, Extreme Weather, Cells, & more.  
  • Mount Rushmore National Memorial: In this National Park Service App, students have an opportunity to experience a virtual tour of Mount Rushmore National Monument.  
  • National Geographic Adventure: Greatest Stories Ever Told: This app provides stories of adventurers and their discoveries.  It's filled with videos of explorers in action.
  • Oregon Trail: A new version of the classic Apple II game, this app will engage learners in the hardships and challenges of westward movement.
  • Presidents Vs. Aliens: This app puts a fun spin on learning presidential facts. Students answer quiz questions to earn opportunities to defeat the aliens.
  • Stack the States: Designed to teach state information in a fun way, this quiz-based game allows students to collect states to fill their personal maps as evidence of each mastered level.  
  • The Civil War: A Visual History: In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, this app is stocked with rare photographs and other primary resources from the era.
  • U. S. Westward Expansion: This app is designed to engage students into the causes and effects of westward expansion in the United States. Students can choose to complete the journey as a male or female character as the app assists them through an expedition westward.  Through this journey, students learn more about the land acquisitions of the time period.
  • World Factbook: This app puts the contents of the CIA Factbook in one place.  Students have access to information on the geography, history, people, government, and economy of the countries of the world.

Language Arts
  • Best Books for Tweens: This app is designed to help 5th and 6th graders find high-interest, school-appropriate reading.
  • iTooch:  Quiz-based apps for multiple elementary and middle school grade levels.  This series provides practice for test taking in interactive apps.
  • Kids' Book Finder:  This database allows teachers to search for literature by topic, genre, award, and grade level.
  • Middle School Vocab Pro 7th Grade: These game-based apps provide practice in common middle school vocabulary words.  The program also offers apps in math and science at other various grade levels.
  • Scribble Press: This creative app allows students a platform to create and publish their own books.  Books can be published online,  or for an additional price students can publish work in paper form.
  • Shake-a-Phrase: This app is designed to foster creative thinking with language.  Students can use the phrases as silly story starters or for practice with identifying parts of speech.  
  • Tools4Students: This app provides multiple types of graphic organizers that students can complete and share via Dropbox or email.
  • Zombie Grammar Force: This app uses comical skeleton pirates to make practice with identifying parts of speech more attractive to students.

Teacher Apps:
  • Educreations: This app turns the iPad into an interactive whiteboard.  Capture voice and graphics to make video tutorials that can be saved and shared.
  • Encyclopedia Britannica: This subscription-based app offers student quality research options.  Teachers will also find the link map option and the daily history features useful.  
  • National Geographic World Atlas: This apps touch features allow students to manipulate the globe and easily zoom in and out to access country information and find distances between locations.
  • Rough Guides World Lens:  Meant to capture the essence of places throughout the world, this app provides a collection of photographs that teachers can use to activate students' imaginations of the world.
  • Skitch: Teachers or students can use this app's drawing tools to create original illustrations.  The app also has the capability to alter and annotate maps, screenshots, and photos. All creations can be shared through social media or Evernote.
  • TeacherKit: This app helps teachers organize their students by class.  Teachers can track behavior, attendance, assignments, and grades.  This app is especially beneficial for teachers who have multiple groups of students per day.  

Organizational Apps:
  • Capture Notes: For students or teachers, this app helps organize notes into manageable binders that can be shared.  Students can type, write, highlight, or record voice in the notes.  The app also offers several tab themes to mark important class reminders or content.