Apps Analysis
BY STEFAN DUBOWSKI
Simple Machines by Tinybop
Annoy a grumpy castle by catapulting globs at it. Help an excitable rider get their bike going. Bounce spheres around a spacey pinball game. What's the connection? These activities are all about simple machines: levers, pulleys, screws, wedges, inclined planes, wheels and axles. Each activity demonstrates a machine and gets the player experimenting with it. For example, notice how you need just one or two pulleys to lift a bird, but four or five for a jet. No storyline, no adventure — nonetheless a good introduction to these mechanical devices, which the Ontario curriculum levers into action in Grade 2.
DEVICE: Apple, Android
SOURCE: Apple App Store ($3.99), Google Play (free trial)
Rating: 4+, Everyone
Desmos Graphing Calculator
Students can plot polar, Cartesian or parametric graphs with this powerful app. They can arrange data in tables, and create input-output tables. Analyze: view best-fit lines, parabolas and other statistics. Find maximums, minimums and points of intersection in curves. Move the sliders to affect values and see how adjustments change the presentation. A built-in scientific calculator handles equations including square roots and absolute values. Data visualization, including graphs, is integral to Ontario's math curriculum. Check out developer Desmos's website (desmos. com) for teaching resources.
DEVICE: Apple, Android
SOURCE: Apple App Store (free), Google Play (free)
Rating: 4+, Everyone
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