Apps for Dyslexia

Apps for Dyslexia

Some thoughts on apps for dyslexic students from educators, parents and students themselves

1. Dragon Search - (FREE) Dragon Search is a great free app that allows you to use talk commands to search for information on Google, Youtube, Itunes, or Wikipedia. No more typing!

2. Dragon Dictate - (FREE) Another super free app from the makers of Dragon Naturally Speaking. Dragon Dictate can be used to dictated your email messages, Facebook posts, Twitter, or notes to yourself.

3. Web Reader - ($1.99) Web Reader is our pick for speech-to-text reading of webpages. WebReader will read webpages to you and you can use copy and paste to limit the read sections. The voices are pretty good (male and female) and can be used also for Project Gutenberg books, Google Reader and RSS Feeds. You can control the speed of reading and also use a highlighter function.

4. My Homework - (FREE) My Homework is a simple color-coded organizer to help with deadlines, classes, tests, etc. Notes can be sent to your email.

5. Evernote - (FREE) Finally, Evernote is a handy app for keeping track of information. You can copy text, take a picture, record an audio message and Evernote will keep track of it and sync to your Mac, PC, or web. Pictures can also be filed with text that can be searched later. Use this for taking picture of instructions written on a whiteboard, notes to yourself, stuff you may want to look at later.

Apps Connected to Ecology

Once on site, the full application uses GPS to help you navigate through the majestic Eco-Odyssée water maze in your paddle boat. The maze is spread out over 6 km of water trails; even this natural setting, you will be able to choose the adventure that suits you and discover the secrets of the marsh. Learn about the animals and plant species hidden in this green paradise, where time seems to stop.

Click here to be moved to the iTunes store




EcoChallenge is a fun method to reduce your impact on the environment.
Participate in challenges with your friends and lead a more sustainable life. Topic by topic you learn how to take the first steps towards a bit more sustainability in your life.

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Dictionary of Ecology is the most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of ecology available. Written in a clear, accessible style, it contains more than 6,000 entries on all aspects of ecology and related environmental scientific disciplines such as biogeography, genetics, soil science, geomorphology, atmospheric science, and oceanography.

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"Life Cycles for Kids" is an excellent tool that teaches variety of life cycles to little ones while also developing their eye-hand coordination, and developing interest in eating variety of healthy food!

Click here to be moved to the iStore

Useful Apps for Students With Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects writing abilities. It can manifest itself as difficulties with spelling, poor handwriting and trouble putting thoughts on paper.



With Dragon Dictation 2.0, you can dictate text or email your friends, send notes and reminders to yourself … all using your voice.

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iTalk Recorder Premium is a smart, simple audio-recording device with options to select recording quality and to name the recording.

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iBook Creator:

Develop your own books with this amazing app!  Add videos, images and text.  The speech tool provided by the iPad also works with this app adding to its versatility.

iEarned that:
This is a productivity app used to motivate students by keeping track of their merits.











Idea Sketch:
Good for brainstorming new ideas, illustrating concepts making lists and outlines, planning presentation, creating organizational charts.  Lets you easily draw a diagram, mind map, concept map or flow chart and convert it to a text outline.

Tools 4 Students:
25 top quality graphic organizers.  Choose the best template and fill in your information right on your mobile device.

Ecosystems and the Environment Lesson Plan

First Nations – F.O.F. Middle Years Lesson Plan Ecosystems Overview This lesson is to introduce middle year students to the understanding of ecosystems. To emphasize the importance of interdependency a story is told. Story telling is a vital part of cultural identity and its use in teaching lessons is of great value. Curriculum connections Science: Grade 6 – Life Science—Diversity of Living Things (DL) Grade 7 – Life Science—Interactions within Ecosystems (IE) http://www.whitebirch.ca/sites/default/files/4%20middle%20year%20-%20ecosystems.pdf

Digital Text Assignment

Using Photostory 3 create a digital text that explains either a food web or the water cycle. Your digital text needs to include the scientific vocabulary introduced in this unit. Define the words if necessary and explain thoroughly all steps in the process.

Click here for instructions on how to use Photostory 3 and Paint.

Click here to be moved to a site where you can download Photostory 3.

Click her for a rubric to assess the assignment.

Tutorial on Photostory 3




iMovies can be used instead of Photostory 3

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Comic Life Assignment

Using Comic Life create a visual text that explains the transference of energy in a food chain or the steps in the water cycle

Click here for a rubric to assess the assignment.

Click here to be moved to a web site to download comic life

Click here for instructions on how to use Comic Life

Video Tutorial on Comic Life

Did You Know Bubbles Assignment

Create a Did You Know Bubbles poster for Food Web or Water Cycle
Video on Did You Know Bubbles


Instructions to Support Students in creating Poster
1. Teach students how to skim and scan
2. Group students by topic and allow them to read books on topic – stop every 20 minutes or so and have students record an interesting piece of info read about topic. Do not copy from book – use memory, but students can look at book and confirm info after recording.
3. Teach how to search the net. Use Bring to computer lab and have students look for sites – 20 minutes
4. Teach how to verify validity of websites –give student s time to search net – use observation rubric from TIA to assess.
5. Show ebsco – have students continue to stop and record interesting ideas.
6. As a group or individually, create the Did You Know poster by decorating with a visual that represents topic researched and a number of bubbles which record interesting and significant information about the topic. Use rubric.

Click here for link for rubric to assess Did You Know Posters

Food Web Assignment

Create a food Web that has 5-10 items by using Inspiration software or a hand drawn facsimile.
Click here to go to a web site that includes information on Inspiration and a free trail download.

It's Time for Jeopardy!

Interactions and Ecosystems Jeopardy:

Play a fun game of Jeopardy based on Ecosytems!  You can play single player mode on your iPad or play with multiple teams.  You choose!  Visit Jeopardy Labs to play a pre made game.  Or go to the main page and create your own version of the game.

3-D Ecosystem Projects

Food Chain Flipbook

• A study of food chains can help children realize how plants and animals are connected and interdependent. Use a small notebook with at least 25 sheets of paper. Draw a clump of earth on the first page. On the next few pages draw a local plant growing gradually. Next, research what kind of insect eats that plant and draw the insect eating the plant. Then draw the kind of bird that might eat the insect, and so on. Be sure to draw the pictures near the edge of the paper where they will show up as you ruffle the pages from front to back to view your fast-action food-chain flipbook.

Read more: 3D Ecosystem Projects for Kids | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_12165783_3d-ecosystem-projects-kids.html#ixzz1wefDvOhX