July APP ED REVIEW Roundup – Social Studies Apps

This Month – Apps That can be Fun in Courses About History, War, Government and Other “Social Studies” Topics!

Are you looking to make your social studies classroom come to life? We here at App Ed Review want to support you in making that happen for your students! Each and every app reviewed by us includes 3-5 instructional ideas for using the app in your classroom and supplies a high-quality app evaluation using our comprehensive rubric. Plus, all our reviews appear in a consistent, informative format and are composed by state-certified teachers.

For this month’s Roundup, we’ve highlighted four of our favorite apps for your social studies classroom. With these social studies apps, you can have your students walk with Lincoln, explore faraway places, learn up-to-the-minute details about the President, and expand their world view, all using the power of apps!

1. One of the most important elements for teaching social studies is helping students envision where historical events took place. With the Google Earth app, teachers will have no problem showing their students the actual places they are studying. By simply typing a specific location or region into its search box, Google Earth will take students to that spot on the map. With so much potential for practical classroom applications, this is a must-have app for all teachers, especially social studies. Scoring an impressive 9 out of 10 for engagement and a 7.6 out of 10 for design, this app will be a hit in the classroom! For more ideas about using this app in the classroom, click here.

2. Trace the steps of Abraham Lincoln from Washington to Gettysburg with the eye-opening Lincoln 1863 app! Students are given background information about Lincoln, the country, and the city of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in the tumultuous Civil War year of 1863. Then, students are taken on an interactive journey, making all the stops with our great President as he travels to Gettysburg to deliver his historic address. This app offers a number of other fun functions like a photo booth, Civil War trivia, and more! With its core strength being its design, Lincoln 1863 scored a high 7.5 on our app rubric. For its full review, click here.

3. A key supplement to reading historical texts is their accompanying maps. With History: Maps of the World, students can choose from more than 170 maps to find the one displaying the information they are studying. Whether it is the Invasion of Normandy or population density maps, students will be instantly supplied with a high-quality map. Plus, with high scores for its design, students will have no problem navigating this app to find the perfect map. For more ideas about using this app in the classroom, click here.

4. If you’re teaching anything about the President or government then this app is made for you! With new content –press briefs, blogs, policy news, photos, videos, live-stream content – updated almost constantly, The White House app gives students a behind the curtain look at the President and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Scoring a whopping 9.8 for Design and an 8.3 overall, The White House app will engage students with its plethora of content. For instructional ideas and more, click here!

That’s all for this month’s Roundup. If you would like more information about any of the apps mentioned in this Roundup or that are on the App Ed Review website, please contact us at info@appedreview.org. And remember, apps can show students the world, but it is teachers who guide them there.

Related Posts (if the above topic is of interest, you might want to check these out):
June 2014 APP ED REVIEW – Rubric-Assessed Math Apps
Book Review – Teaching and Learning With the iPad: 20 Days to Expert
May 2014 APP ED REVIEW Roundup – Poetic Apps for ELA!