EDUCATIONAL APP REVIEW

Matt Clements
Lees McRae College

Each app reviewed is to be used for educational

purposes and all are lined along Common Core
State Standards. Also all include a picture of the
app and some classroom suggestions for use. The
reivews also include brief pros and cons list for
each app to see whats good and whats annoying.

Chicktionary

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Grade level
1st and Up

Pros

Cons

Fun
Easy
Good graphics
No limit on the
length of game
Not easily or quickly

Ads every five

games
Only good for great
spellers
Not good for all
abilities of students

Classroom applications beat

For any extra time in class
it is a good game for
students to play that's
educational

Can be applied to all

kinds of different
learners
Helps student build
word building skills

Standards hit
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.4.B

Use frequently occurring affixes as a clue to the meaning of a word.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.4.C

Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g., look) and their inflectional forms (e.g.,looks,
looked, looking).

Sight Words

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Grade level
1st to 2nd

Pros

Colorful
Ease of use
Audible learning as
well as visual
Lots of words
The stars can be used
Classroom applications to mark known words

Cons
Confusing for
students at first
with the word
yellow being
colored red and
things like that

Could be used for any

extra ELA Time and for
help for students
struggling with reading
basic texts.

Standards hit
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.4.B

Use frequently occurring affixes as a clue to the meaning of a word.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.4.C

Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g., look) and their inflectional forms (e.g.,looks,
looked, looking).

Spelling City

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Grade level
Kindergarten to 5th

Pros

Cons So broad
Such a broad range
that children
of standards hit
may get
Broad range of grade
confused
or ability levels hit
Small font used
Broad range of
for most games
specific skills hit
Hard games
Classroom applications
usually
Could be used for
reinforcement of ELA
standards and for any
free time.

Standards hit
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.A

Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their
functions in particular sentences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.B

Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns.

Mad Libs

Grade level
3rd and up

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Pros

Cons

Fun
Funny
Easy to use
Lots of options for

Requires great
understanding of
nouns, verbs and
adjectives.
Requires great
understanding of
proper as well
Requires good
reading ability also

stories to fill in

Classroom applications
Could be used for
reinforcement of noun,
verb and adjective
distinction.

Standards Hit
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.A

Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their
functions in particular sentences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.B

Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns.

ABC Zoo
Grade level
Kindergarten to 1st

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Pros

Every letter is
included
Both upper and
lower case is
included
Pictures of animals
Classroom applications are included to
increase excitement
Could be used as a fun

Cons
Writing on touch
screens is always
hard
Only one skill is
addressed, not a far
reaching app

way for students to

practice writing all the
letters. Used as a drill for
this skill

Standards hit
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.1

Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which
they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an
opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...).

Tap n Learn

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Grade level
Kindergarten to 1st

Pros

Cons

A few different
games
Helps with learning
and practice

Not the best

learning tool, tries
but doesn't succeed

Classroom applications
Another reinforcement
app, Could be used to see
where students are at
thought before
instruction.

Standards hit
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.1

Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which
they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an
opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...).

Grade 1 Math

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Grade level
1st to 5th

Pros

Cons

Tons of skills
reached
Lots of grade levels
Simple to use
Colorful
Fun

None so far come to

mind

Classroom applications
Could be used for
reinforcement of any skill.
Or during any math free
time. Or even as a
formative assessment

Standards hit
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.OA.B.2

Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies.2 By end of Grade 2, know from
memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.

My Math App

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Grade level
1st to 4th

Pros

Cons

Has all four

Ads are at the
operations
bottom
Easy to use
So simple its boring
Simple to figure out
Endless game length

Classroom applications
Could be used for
reinforcements of basic
operation skills for drill to
increase accuracy

Standards hit
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.OA.B.2

Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies.2 By end of Grade 2, know from
memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.

Amazing Coin

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Grade level
2nd

Pros

Cons

Covers a lot of
different money
skills
Sort of helps the

Doesn't allow for

much learning
Lots of ads
Game ends early
with free version

students along

Classroom applications
Could be used after
teaching about money to
help kids practice some
with it

Standards hit
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.C.8

Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $
and symbols appropriately. Example: If you have 2 dimes and 3 pennies, how many cents
do you have?

Farmers Market

Picture of app as it looks

in the app store

Grade level
2nd

Pros

Cons

Helps with students

learning
Fun
Easy to use
Colorful
Applies to real life
Classroom applications situations
Good for after teaching
about math. Allows
students to really see
some application to life

Standards hit
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.C.8

Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $
and symbols appropriately. Example: If you have 2 dimes and 3 pennies, how many cents
do you have?