Monday, January 28, 2013

2013-2014 Online Elementary School Directories

The NYC DOE has released a massive database of elementary schools in the five boroughs that contains valuable information on the kindergarten application process and on whether a zoned school accepted any students from outside its zone for this school year. Below is an extract from an a post on InsideSchools.org that contains the link to the directories:

“For the first time this year, the Education Department produced hefty directories now online - one for each borough - of all elementary schools in the city. There is a page for each school, listing the school's address, phone number. the principal's email address, website and nearest public transportation. It also lists state test score results, Progress Report grades for the past two years, Quality Review scores and highlights from school surveys.”

Families with children turning five years old in 2013 may apply to kindergarten beginning Jan. 22 through March 1. You must apply even if you want your child to attend your zoned school.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Apps for Education and Fun

MPC Co-Director Godrefy Rivera attended a workshop in December on iPad and Android apps for Children with Special Needs at UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) Technology Resource Center that discussed how the Apple iPad and Android tablets can be used as devices for educational and fun activities at home for children with special needs and their families. These apps are used to enhance communication and speech, art, music, and sensory activities.

The MPC will be hosting a workshop on Assistive Technology and the IPad and IPad Apps on Thursday February 21 from 10AM-12PM that will be conducted by technology specialists from United Cerebral Palsy (UCP). Contact Godfrey Rivera for information at grivera@sinergiany.org or call 212-643-2840, ext. 307.

Below is a list of free resources/apps for the iPad compiled by Dan Herlihy (www.connectivetechnologysolutions.com).

Free iPad Apps 

Story Creation, Writing
- StoryKit – create books, stories, record, write, draw
-Paperdesk Lite – free notebook, write, record
-Sonic Pics Lite
-TalkingPics Micro
-My Scene – create stories from backgrounds and characters
-Storie – create and share stories
-ZenTap – free word processing with word prediction program
-Poetry Creator
-iDiary for Kids Lite
-smartNote Free - note taking
-Picturebook – create and illustrate stories
-Scribble Press – create and publish ebooks for kids
-Poetry Creator
-Educreations - create screen movies with annotations, drawing, text, voice over tutorials
-ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard – create screen movies with annotations, drawing, text, voice over tutorials
-Screen Chomp - create screen movies with annotations, drawing, text, voice over tutorials
-Animoto Video Slideshows
-PaperPort Notes – voice recognition with embedded Dragon Dictate, record audio, type, draw
-Popplet Lite – brainstorming, take/add pictures within app, connect, add text
-PhotoPuppet HD Lite – animation program, work with your own images, export
-Write 2 Lite – simple writing tool, link files to Dropbox
-i Tell a Story – free audio recording app
-Present it Lite – import PowerPoint presentations (from Dropbox or similar program) and run on iPad – both ppt and pptx formats

Audio Books, eBooks
-Freebooks – free eBooks – import ePub from Dropbox
-Nook for iPad
-Ebook Search
-OverDrive Media Console – download/playback/sync to iPods audio and ebooks from public libraries
-Bookster – free books that read aloud, students can record their own voice
-iBooks – eBook Reader
-Stanza – eBook Reader
-I Like Books – 37 Picture Books for Kids – reads aloud, highlighting word by word
-Curriculum Books – CK12 Chemistry, CK12 Earth Science, CK12 Biology, CK12 Life Science, more
Dan Herlihy dherlihy@juno.com www.connectivetechnologysolutions.com 1
-Common Core Standards
-http://www.gutenberg.org/ - download over 36,000 free audio and eBooks for ipad
-Blio – ebook reader, can download free books that read aloud, can purchase voices and it will read your own ePub books

Audio/Recording/Notes
-Audio Memos Free – The Voice Recorder
-Quick Voice Recorder – record notes, memos
-AudioNote Lite
-Dragon Dictation – speech to text
-Dragon Recorder – record voice, export as MP3
-Talking Tom Cat – character speaks back what you record, can save as MP4
-Talking Anya Free - character speaks back what you record, can save as MP4
-Teacher Notes – take notes, add images, audio
-Scribbie Free – note taking and audio recording

 Photo Editing, Video, 3D Panorama Creation
-Tour Wrist – see 360 degree panoramas of sites around the world
-Photosynth – create 360 degree panoramic images using camera
-Arounder Touch –similar to Tour Wrist
-Time-Lapse HD Free – time lapse movie maker
-Instagram – photo sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Foursquare and Posterous
-Gloop Free – warp images and photos
-DocScan HD – take picture of document – creates PDF file
-iStopMotion Remote Camera – (to be used in conjunction with iStopMotion) as a remote to run camera on

iPhone, iPod, iPad2
-Videolicious – add photos to slide show, add music, export
-Adobe Photo Express – excellent, better than most apps you would pay for
-iCoacher – add annotations on video
-Time Lapse Photography – create time lapse movies
Time, Money, Calculators
-Counting Money
-Counting Bills & Coins
-Telling Time Free
-Clocks 2
-Stop Watch Lite
-CheckBook HD Free
-SpinCalculator Free - talking calculator
-Grocery Gadget Free – Shopping List
-Calculator
-Calculator+
-Calculator++
-Calculator Pro for iPad Free
-Free Graphing Calculator
-powerOne Scientific Calculator – Lite, Free Edition

Online file storage, organization, note taking
-Dropbox – free online storage
-Evernote – free online notebook
-SpringPad - free online notebook
-Remember the Milk – free to do list, sync online and with device
-Wunderlist – (www.wunderlist.com) sync to cloud, computers – tasks, homework
-WunderKit – additional features expanding on Wunderlist
-Teacher Pal, Teacher Notes

Autism
-Autism Apps – compendium and review of apps for Autism with prices, descriptions, reviews
-ABA Flash Cards and Games
-ABA Problem Solving – What Does Not Belong
-See.Touch.Learn
-Touch and Learn – Emotions
-Match it Up
-Matching Jobs
-Vis TimerFree – 5 minute visual timer
-Social Skills Builder
-Model Me Going Places 2
-Choice Board Creator
-Visual Cue Lite
-Talking Picture Board

Science
-Science360
-GPS by TelNav – GPS
-Commander Compass Lite – compass, GPS Tracker, Maps
-Planets
-AroundMe – GPS
-3D Sun
-HudsonAlpha iCell – cells
-Periodic Table of Elements
-Please Touch The Exhibit – from the Melbourne Museum, interactive
-Science Glossary – glossary of names and terms
-Natural Science for Kids. City of Light
-NASA Visualization Explorer
-Anatomy
-Heart (3D Human Heart)
-LabAssistant – chemical compatibility
-The Water Cycle
-Mission Antarctica
-Human Brain
-Compass for iPad (free)
-Compass 54 Lite
-Clinometer HD
-iElements

Math
-Simply Subtraction for iPad Free
-Algebra Explained
-Quick Graph
-Virtual Manipulatives
-Free Spreadsheet
-Just Numbers – learning numbers 1-20 in a variety of activities
-Fraction Basics
-Pizza Fractions: Beginning with Simple Fractions
-Math Kid
-Elevated Math
- Sketchpad Explorer **** excellent program – can download free modules from website including ability to take picture with iPad, measure lines and angles - http://sketchexchange.keypress.com/browse/tag/ipad
- Geometry: Volume of Solids

Misc
-Read it Later
-Total Recall – mind mapping
-DropMind Lite – mind mapping
-QR Code Reader and Scanner, QRafter, Scan, ScanMyDoc – free QR Code Readers
-WordSearch Star Free – word search creator
-Simplemind+
-Checkers 360 Free
-ABC Magnetic Alphabet Lite
-Little Speller
-WatchKnow Educational Videos
-Study Hall – create virtual study hall for class where students can log-into your class, chat and you can monitor
-Sign-N-Send Free – sign PDF files and e-mail back for printing
-Qwiki – free reference
-Doodle Buddy
-Draw 4 Free
-Paint with Time
-Draw!
-Rainbow Draw Free
-DrawFree for iPad
-Tracing Paper Lite
-MyHomework
-Kid Animation – animation creation
-Paint Sparkles Draw
-The ABC Song
-(there are many more free drawing apps – search drawing, draw or paint)
-iSwifter – flash enabled browser
-Caster Free – create and publish podcasts
-MyCongress
-Constitution for iPad
-TeacherTool One – attendance, grading
-Sparkle Fish – audio story completion
-Flat Stanley
-Magnifier
-Over 40 Magnifier and Flashlight
-PDF Reader Lite
-Perfect Reader - PDF Reader for iPad
-PDF Mate – PDF reader
-Small Talk Aphasia - Male (male voice)
-Small Talk Aphasia – Female (female voice)
-Verbally (AAC app)
-AlphaBaby Free – record sounds for letters and matching images
-LiveBinders – Access to LiveBinders to create, edit your online Binders – internet access required

Music
- Jell-o Jiggle-It, Virtuoso Piano Free 2 HD, Classical Guitar, Mandala HangDrum, GrooveMaker, Beatwave, BarrelTones (excellent drum app), Piano Free, Guitar Free, Steinway Etude, QQ Piano Free, PianoBand Free, Xylophone HD for Free, Pocket Bells, MelodyTouch Lite, Lo –Fi Folk Arranger, Pedros Pigiano, Piano Hero, Discover Musical Instruments Free, SoundPrism, Music Sparkles – All in one musical Instruments, Lego Duplo Jams, Keyboard Music 2 Free, Talkapella, Falling Stars (OS 5), Soundrop, Physics Draw Free, Singing Fingers, Simon DX Free, Harmonizer, Songify