Computer Software/Applications

Math

• Splash Math  is an interactive website that children ages 5-10 can use to practice math for free.  Each student will get a personalized learning path fit for catching up, enrichment, or regular practice.  While students are completing math problems, they will get fun rewards as a motivation tool.  The games that are on Splash Math are also aligned with the Common Core Standards.  One drawback is that teachers who are from Minnesota will have to make sure the games align with the Minnesota State Standards to make sure students aren't learning content that will be taught the next year.
  
• Mathmateer is an app that can be downloaded on an iPad.  In order to build a rocket ship to launch into space, students must earn money by completing basic math challenges while recognizing many different skills, such as recognizing patterns, telling time, and working on fractions and square roots.  This app is designed for grade fourth through sixth grade.  Students are able to get creative with this app, which is a bonus.  One slight downfall is that the app costs $1.99, but it's just a one time payment.
• PBS Learning Media focuses on many different subjects, including math.  Students can select their grade and what type of activity they want to practice, such as a video, interactive lesson, image, and more.  This is a free website that can be accessible on a laptop or iPad.  One downfall of this website is that there aren't specific topics that students can practice within math.  It has many random article and other activities that students can do.  It will be easy to students to get off task on this website.

Literacy:  Reading Fluency and Comprehension

• Kidspiration Maps is a mind-mapping tool that is designed for elementary students from kindergarten through third grade.  This app can help students organize and classify information to improve reading and writing.  The app also features a picture-to-text and voice recordings to help engage and inspire emerging writers.  There is a free version of this map, but it doesn't have nearly as many features as the $9.99 app offers.  The only con about this app is that students and teachers could get carried away with excitement about their creations.
• Epic! Unlimited Books for Kids is a free, expansive digital library.  This app makes more than 25,000 children's books available with a touch of a finer.  The app can also let students put in their interests and then it will select books for that student to read.  It's a great way to enhance the classroom library.  One con is that assessment tools are limited.  The books are mainly for those in grades kindergarten through sixth grade.
• Literably is a simple and useful reading fluency tools to help free up teacher's time.  Although this website is for the use of teachers, it can help teachers track and assess students' reading fluency.  Teachers assign readings, the students record themselves reading the text, and literably scores each recording and sends data to the teachers.  This can be used on students in grades kindergarten through seventh grade.  One drawback is that students may have challenges with handling the microphone or being understood.  To get an estimated pricing of this website, the school has to request a quote online.  
• Popplet is a versatile mind-mapping tool.  Students get to create a "popplet" that can be filled with text, drawings, images, or videos.  It's a great tool to help students create, organize, and brainstorm their ideas.  One con of this app is that collaboration is only available through the online version.  This app has a one time fee of $4.99.

Literacy:  Spelling and Writing

• Word Wizard for Kids is an app that can be downloaded on an iPad.  It's geared towards grades kindergarten and third grade.  These students will be able to practice spelling, phonics, and short sentence-building.  The app gives lots of tips when giving spelling tests and it has fun, visual rewards for the students.  Two downfalls of this app is that it has a one time cost of $4.99 and some pronunciations are not 100% accurate on the open spelling board.
• StoryJumper is a website where students can create and publish their own illustrated stories.  The website will provide an outlet for them to use their imaginations as well as learn different writing strategies.  If a student does get stuck, the website will provide helpful feedback.  The younger grades can use it, but they will need much more assistance.  This would be a great website for third to sixth graders, and possibly middle school students, too.  Students can sign up for an account for free.  There is an option where they can publish their stories and illustrations, and in that case, it would cost anywhere from $2.99 to $24.99.  
• Scribblenauts Remix is an app designed for grades fifth through eighth grade.  This was originally a console games, but this remix is full of word-driven problem solving for open-ended vocab based situations.  It let's students be creative while working on their vocabulary and spelling skills.  It has a one time fee of just $.99.  One drawback of this app is that some solutions are to narrow and the controls can be frustrating at times.
• VocabularySpellingCity is a student-facing app for independent practice.  This app offers word lists, learning activities, and student records for the VocabularySpellingCity website.  It's a more engaging option for students who may struggle with vocabulary and spelling.  It has touch-based, on-the-go- learning activities.  One con of this is that students cannot create or access their custom word lists in the app.  Also, a subscription fee for this app is $69.95 a year.

Social Studies

• Homes by Tinybop lets students take an interactive tour of homes around the world.  Students are able to see how other people live, eat, sleep, and play.  It's a great way for students to learn about the world's different cultures.  This app as a one time price of $2.99.  One small downfall about this app is that the controls and navigation can be a bit tricky at times.
• News-O-Matic: School 2018-2019 is a daily news and activity app for kids in grades second through fifth grade.  This app offers high-interest stories that are engaging for the audience.  Students can also read current event articles, answer questions, and chat with classmates about the stories.  One drawback is that the edition changes every year and must be repurchased.  The price for this app is $19.99.  
• News-2-You is a symbol based newspaper (for students with special needs) as an iPad app.  This app incorporates the symbols system along with voice narration.  It makes reading newspaper easy to understand for students who have special needs.  These students will be able to expand their literacy skills while learning about the world.  It costs $1.99 per newspaper or it costs $54.99 per year for a subscription.  A con of this app is that some article content has a limited shelf life.

Physical Education and Health

• GoNoodle is a website that gets students moving in classrooms.  It has many engaging videos to help students get up and move, along with improving behavior and attention, bettering academic performance, and strengthening classroom cohesion.  It's geared towards lower elementary, but could also be used in upper elementary, too.  It's free to sign up for both teacher and parents.
• Swork-It Kids is a great app that introduces kids to strength, agility, flexibility, and balance exercises.  Each workout can be customized to a certain length and difficulty, too.  Another pro about this app is that it minimizes instruction time and gets students moving right away! It's a free app that is geared towards students aged 6-12.
• Coach's Eye can help students perfect a certain skill.  Students can video themselves performing a skill, and then they can play it in slow-motion, backward, or frame-by-frame.  The teacher can even draw and record a playback with verbal comments.  It's a great app for skill assessment that provides instant feedback to students.  This app has a one time fee of $4.99.