The International Reading Association makes some great and free iPad apps that are cross-curricular and based on sound teaching practices. The apps mirror their web-based interactives. Try one of these today with your students:
RWT Timeline – Timeline allows students to create a graphical representation of an event or process by showing items sequentially along a line. The timelines can be organized by time of day, date, or event, and the tool allows students to create a label with short or long descriptive text. Images can be added as well. Work in progress can be saved and the final timeline can be sent to the device’s camera roll or emailed as a PDF file.
Trading Cards – This is one of my favorite apps. It allows students to create old-time trading cards for fictional or literary characters, historic events, objects, vocabulary words, or real places. Each category comes with guiding questions to ensure that the information on the card is accurate and complete. There are 12 different designs available and you can add your own photos. Cards can be gathered into collections after they are saved to the Camera roll or emailed.
Venn Diagram – Create diagrams with two or three overlapping circles. While this is a fairly simple app, it fulfills a purpose and can help students better understand complex concepts.
The IRA has several other apps more tied to ELA. You can find them here.
