Grammaropolis

 How many of you hated grammar growing up (or still hate grammar for that matter)?  I didn't actually appreciate grammar until my second year of teaching when I was assigned to be the 4th grade writing teacher.  My first thought was, "Oh no, I have to teach grammar."  Over time though, I began to appreciate grammar but I never really think my students enjoyed it as much as I did.  You have to admit, grammar is basically learning a bunch of rules and then figuring out how to apply them.  How exciting can that get?  

Then I thought, "Grammar could be exciting if it could be taught using a game and or some type of technology."  That is when I discovered Grammaropolis.  Grammaropolis is a place where students can learn about the different parts of speech, watch videos and listen to songs to help explain different rules, and play games using the different skills learned.  


Suggestions for using Grammaropolis:  

1.  Don't let Grammaropolis do all of the teaching.  Introduce your students to the basic terms before ever sending them to the site.  The terms on the site will only confuse them if you have given them no background knowledge.

2.  Use Grammaropolis as a whole classroom experience before setting your students loose.  Talk with them about the different characters (each character is a different part of speech) and watch the introductory video with them.  Explain how to play each of the games as well.  

3.  Allow students to play the games, but also make sure they know how to look back at each character's description if they need help remembering information about each part of speech.

4.  Suggested Activity:  There is an online grammar book for students to read.  Have them read the book and then pick out the different grammar rules that are explained in the book.

---------------------------------- 

Word Sort, one of the games within Grammaropolis, is also available as an app for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. ($1.99)

5 Great Math Apps for Under $5.00

Jungle Time ($.99, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)

This is a great app that helps kids learn how to tell and set time.  As a teacher, I have noticed that many kids are not learning how to tell time on analog clocks.  This is still an important skill to learn.  This app allows kids to learn this skill in a fun and interactive way.  The clocks within the app are animated and come alive (they even roar) when kids tell time correctly.  Kids can shake their device for a new time or move the hands on the clock to set the time themselves.  Note:  While you can buy the $.99 version for iPad, it is a small iPhone like screen.  There is a iPad version as well for $2.99. 

Mad Math 2  ($1.99, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)

This is a basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division flashcard drill app.  I like this app more than some of the others like it for a couple reasons.  Mad Math allows you to input and keep up with multiple users.  This is a great resource when using the app in a classroom setting.  Mad Math is also appealing because it does not have multiple choice answers.  While this is sometimes, I think it is good for children to occasionally figure out the answers on their own.  Children input answers into a screen that looks like a calculator but they are responsible for coming up with the answers.  This new version also has a couple new features like Math Bingo and Bubble Math.  

Math Tutor ($.99, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)


Math Tutor is an app that covers a wide range of skills.  It begins with basic integers and progresses to more difficult fraction and decimal problems.  This app can be used to review basic math facts but also to learn or review more difficult concepts.  The app offers a test mode to test your math level and also progress tracking to keep up with your progress while using the program. Math Tutor features in the Top 5 Game Educational Apps in the US iTunes Store.   

Rocket Math ($.99, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)

Rocket math is a cheap but great app.  It incorporates two basic math skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) with money skills.  When children begin using the app they choose a rocket and are given $100.  They can begin using that money to purchase accessories for their rocket.  They have to decide what they should and shouldn't spend their money on.  To earn more money they must complete a series of problems using basic math skills.  This is really a fun game and you would be surprised how much kids enjoy doing this kind of thing.  

Math Drills ($1.99, iPhone,  iPod Touch, iPad)

This app allows up to 10 students to work on basic math skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division).  I specifically like this app because it uses on screen manipulatives to help students successfully solve the problems.  The app uses number lines, wooden blocks, and offers facts and hints to helps students.  I think this would be a great app to use with students who are struggling to learn basic math facts.  Since you can only have 10 users, this could be used as  a remediation tool to help those struggling learners.  The app also offers accuracy and speed graphs so that you can track student progress. 

5 Great Language Arts Apps for Under $5.00

Boggle ($.99, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)
This has been one of my favorite games to use in the classroom since I began teaching.  Not only do I love it, but my students have always loved it as well.  It is a great game that incorporates fun, spelling, and critical thinking.  And the best thing... no letter die  scattering all over the floor when the kids get a little too excited.  All they have to do is shake their device to mix up the letters.   

Learn Sight Words ($.99, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)

Okay... this might seem too simple for a list that includes only five selections, but trust me it is a lifesaver.  I have found this app to be great from Kindergarten all the way up to fourth grade.  While hopefully most kids will know their sight words by the end of first grade, that is not always the case.  There are many different scenarios where upper grade teachers have to teach their students basic sight words.  Oh, and this is especially great for ESL students.  This app displays the words on the screen, pronounces them, and allows students to mark words they have missed until they have successfully worked through all 300 words.

  Word Magic ($.99, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)

This app would be most useful for younger students (preschool-1st grade).  Basically, a picture is shown and students then select the missing letter for the picture.  Settings determine whether the missing letter will be at the beginning, middle, or end.  After the missing letter has been correctly placed, the word will be read aloud for the student.  There are also challenge settings where multi-syllabic and short vowels will be used.  

Story Patch ($2.99, iPad)

Have trouble getting your students interested in writing?  For many kids, writing may seem boring and laborious.  This app allows students to create their own pictures books using an iPad.  Students write the text for each page of their story and then create the illustrations to go along.  They can create illustrations by searching through the app's database, creating their own customized characters, or importing photos.  To find out more about this app check out: http://storypatch.com/.  

Sentence Builder ($3.99, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)

As a former teacher, I think this is a much needed app.  Before students can write an effective story, they must be able to write a complete sentence. This app helps them do just that.  The object of this "game" is for  students to build a sentence to go along with each picture they are given.  They must choose the correct subject, verb, and any other parts of speech that need to be included in a given sentence.  


These are just a few great Language Arts apps that I think work well with kids.  What Language Arts or Reading apps have you found to be helpful?