Free/Discounted iPad Apps Today

I just wanted to share a few apps that are free or discounted currently as I write this. These might not be free by the time you click the links.

Haiku Deck - Haiku Deck has always been free. But, there are in-app purchases that normally cost $1.99 each. Right now, certain ones are free, but get them quickly. The themes titled: Lucha, Orwell, Strangelove, and Underdog. I would check each theme to be certain that the others didn't go free. Regardless of getting these themes or not, Haiku Deck is a must have app for presenting with great visuals and forces slides to become succinct. This app is constantly improving and recently they released a presentation remote associated with the iPhone app. So, download this one and try to find the free themes.

Publisher Star (notes, flyers, scrapbooks pages,etc) - At first glance, this apps was fairly easy to understand. When opening the app for the first time, there are a few example projects to manipulate and publish with several choices.

4 Dice a Fractions Game - This looks like an interesting collaborative app, and I would like to see this game played with students. The one thing I didn't like is the Facebook connection within this app. Too often, iPad games that would be great for kids have a Facebook connection, and promoting a Facebook connection in class just isn't an option (or risk) that many teachers want take.

Storyteller Deluxe - It's not a pretty app. In fact, as I was playing with it, the top portion of the screen was partially blocked by the bar indicating my wireless signal. However, this apps seems to get the job done when creating a digital story. Students can add text, audio, images, and share their final products.

PICSMART for Sped. On Sale for 9.99 normally 99.99 - This would be a great app for parents or teachers that work with children that need help communicating their needs or feelings verbally.

Book Creator App

I have been playing around with an eBook creator app, entitled Book Creator, for a little while now.  But, I have only had one classroom attempt to create an ePub with this app.  To get started with Book Creator, take a look the video below for a broad overview of this app.

Book Creator for the iPad from Red Jumper Studio on Vimeo.

Fun Activity

I thought this was an engaging an interesting collaborative story activity.  Start a story on one iPad and pass the story around the room with each student adding the next page of the book.  A few teachers and a network administrator started to do this and we can up with a fun story about a dysfunctional printer.

See what your students can come up with and try your first book for FREE with Book Creator! 

Tellagami App

Use the Tellagami app on your iPads or Android device to record and share messages with your students via Twitter, Email, Text message, or through a link on your preferred website.  For my school district, I would suggest making the Gami and sharing it through Edmodo, Moodle, or Blog post.  For the teachers with iPads, I would suggest using a QR code or the Chirp app.

As you can see my Gami below, I used it to provide my students with an writing prompt.  It's a completely generic after-break prompt, but you get the idea of how to use it in the classroom.  Classroom activities for using this tool:

• Greetings
• Class assignments
• Writing prompts
• Short stories
• Reflections
• Exit slips
• Messages to class when out for the day

Sample Message to Students

Sample Message to Teachers

GarageBand App Free Today

If you want a great iPad/iPhone app to record student voice or even to create music for the fun of it, download the GarageBand app for free.  I hope it is still free tomorrow morning.  This was a last minute find on Twitter that I wanted to share out for those with iPads or iPhones.  

Even though I paid at least $5 for GarageBand, it was like the Heavens parted and a light shined down on me when I saw the GarageBand app was free today.  GB is a easy-to-use audio recording app with intuitive instruments and microphone effects to provide simple-minded folks (like myself) with professional sounding audio recordings.
Here are some classroom applications for GarageBand

• Record students repeated readings to encourage fluency

• Record students oral presentations to share on a blog

• Record student book talks 

• Record student book reviews

• Record students reading their writing for revision purposes

• Record model examples of student writing to share with whole class

• Record podcasts developed by students and based on their interests

• Record exit slip reflections daily on what was learned in class

• Record model examples of great classroom discussion to share

• Record impromptu classroom events 

• Record the questions on a test

• Record the directions to an activity for students that need a repeat

• Record messages to students or parents and upload to your blog, Moodle, Edmodo, etc.

• Record a problem of the day for students to access online and work on

This list of classroom ideas can just keep going and going and going like the Energizer Bunny.  GarageBand has become an easily overlooked app, but it provides teachers and students with an easy to use tool for audio recording.

Don't forget about Garageband on your MacBooks.  This MacBook app can be used to complete all of the above classroom ideas as well.  How can you utilize this audio recording tool in your classroom?  If you have additional audio recording ideas, list them below in the comments section.

iOS Tips from Haiku Deck

Created with Haiku Deck, the free presentation app for iPad

App: Doceri

Doceri is a must have app.  As I write these words, this app offers a free trial.  It will allow your iPad to share your desktops screen and there are many Interactive Whiteboard tools associated with this app.  It is easy to use and connects to your computer through a QR code or password.  The Doceri dashboard shows the QR code that could quickly connect your iPad with your MacBook.

I used it with a Keynote presentation and easily scrolled through the slides.  Then, when I wanted to highlight certain point on the slide, I just choose the interactive whiteboard feature and a highlighter tool.  Doceri also allowed me to record the presentation for others to view the screencast presentation.

I can see Doceri being used to limit the time stuck in front of the class.  It would allow you to present concepts and freely move around, which can help keep your students on-task.

Here's what you do:

1. Download the app on your iPad
2. Download Doceri Desktop on you MacBook
• If you need assistance, let me know
3. Open the Desktop App for the MacBook and the Doceri App at the same time
4. Type your password to connect or point the the iPad camera at the QR code
5. At this point, you should have control of your computer screen with the iPad