Bord

Price: 99 cents
Grade Recommendation: K - 3rd
Subject: All
Specific Skill: N/A
Levels: N/A
Players: N/A
For iPad, iPod, or Both: Both

This simple app turns your device into a chalkboard. It's kind of nostalgic for those of us who miss the days of chalkboards in the classroom.

Users have a choice of 3 chalk thicknesses in 6 different colors. To erase, choose the tool or simply shake the device.

Work can be saved to the photos folder or emailed out.

Overall, this app is way too simple to be a paid one. Yes it gives students one more way to do work; I envision this being useful during math class. However, there are other apps out there (such as Screen Chomp) that do more for less. Download it if you find it for free one day or if money is no object. Otherwise, skip it.

Screen Chomp

Price: Free!
Grade Recommendation: All
Subject: Any
Specific Skill: N/A
Levels: N/A
Players: N/A
For iPad, iPod, or Both: iPad

This is one of my favorite apps! I'm glad it's free, but I'd definitely pay money for it!

Simply put, it's a way to capture both an audio and visual account of what students do within the app.

The background initially appears as a plain white screen. But you can also import any image you already have saved in the native 'Photos' app. Once you have the background set, students can hit the 'record' button and draw and/or write on the screen. They may also choose to talk about their work. Screen Chomp is recording both the audio and the visual aspects. Students will then need to press the 'stop' or 'pause' button.

Once 'stop' is pressed, the screen capture immediately starts to play back. You can then delete the capture or send it to Screen Chomp's website. I recommend then copying and pasting the URL into a note-taking app (or into Pages). You can then email it to yourself so you'll have access to the URL where the capture is housed.

This app has endless possibilities! I can see students using it as 'Ticket Out the Door' to show and explain their learning. I'm incredibly impressed with this app and can't imagine why you wouldn't choose to include it on the iPad(s) in your classroom!