Tag Archives: AASL Best Apps for Teaching & Learning

School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Recommended Apps: PBS Kids Scratch JR.

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced their picks for Best Apps for Teaching & Learning 2019. “Apps recognized foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration and are user friendly to encourage a community of learners to explore and discover. “

If you are interested in the best apps for your library, media center, or classroom, you can read our 2019 series here or find all past apps discussed in our archives.

“PBS KIDS ScratchJr is a creative coding app where learners can create their own interactive stories, games, and animations by snapping together colorful programming blocks to make their favorite characters move, jump, dance, and sing. Learners are empowered to solve problems, design their own projects, demonstrate knowledge and develop computational thinking skills that are foundational for later academic success.”

Platform: iOS & Android 
Grades: K-2
Cost: FREE

The PBS website has this page of five lesson plans to use with the app. Coder Kids has this great article with more details about the pros and cons of using the app and includes several projects. Finally, this video shows you how to use the app to create a race and a maze game.

Watch this video to see the app in action:

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AASL Recommended Apps: Object Viewer for Merge Cube

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced their picks for Best Apps for Teaching & Learning 2019. “Apps recognized foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration and are user friendly to encourage a community of learners to explore and discover. “

“With Object Viewer from Merge Cube, students and teachers can convert their 3D designs into augmented reality (virtual) objects they can hold and preview on the MERGE Cube. Students can also preview their creations prior to 3D printing to ensure accuracy. Teachers can use Object Viewer to convert 3D models from popular libraries such as Google Poly and Remix 3D into virtual objects to illustrate complex topics and bring lesson plans to life.”

*Just a note that when you reserve a VR kit from CMLE, you also gain access to technology similar to Merge Cube. Our VR kits include AR technology called the ARCube, which you can learn more about here. Reserve your kit today!

Platform: iOS & Android
Cost:  Free, but need to purchase the Cube
Grades: All

The Merge website has a ton of information for educators, including ways to incorporate the Cube into STEM projects and makerspaces. The Grantwood Digital Learning site has this article sharing ideas for using the Merge Cube in your classrooms as well as other integrations to try with the app. This article from ISTE shares other ways to use the app in your classroom.

This video (2:50) shows a few examples of using the Object Viewer with the Merge Cube:

If you are interested in the best apps for your library, media center, or classroom, you can read our 2019 series here or find all past apps discussed in our archives.

Check it Out:, School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Recommended Apps: Mixerpiece

Learn art history and make your own creations with this cool app!

“Mixerpiece is a sort of digital magnetic board, with more than 200 items and shapes which you can use and combine to create new works of art while learning art history. Have students demonstrate their understandings of the art elements – line, shape, color, form – using original masterpieces. Students can learn to identify similarities or differences in pieces of artwork by putting them together into something new. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.”

Platform: iOS  
Grades: All
Cost: $2.99

Best Apps for Kids has this review of the app which also includes suggestions for using the app for education and fun. Mixerpiece is included in this article from App Ed Review featuring the best apps to use for Social Studies. Finally, this post from Parents’ Choice gives some details regarding the art history used in the app.

Watch this 30-sec video to see how your students can learn art history while having fun with this app!

School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Recommended Apps: ICivics Suite

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced their picks for Best Apps for Teaching & Learning 2019. “Apps recognized foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration and are user friendly to encourage a community of learners to explore and discover. “

If you are interested in the best apps for your library, media center, or classroom, you can read our 2019 series here or find all past apps discussed in our archives.

“iCivics is a suite of apps ranging from “Win the White House” and “Your Bill of Rights” to “Immigration Nation” and “Executive Command”. There are a total of 11 apps in the iCivics Suite. “Win the White House” will help students to explain the electoral process, identify the influence of the media in forming public opinion, and analyze how parts of a whole interact to produce an outcome in complex systems.”

Platform: iOS & Android
Cost: FREE
Grades: 6-12

The app has a specific page for teachers with curriculum units and a way to search lessons by state standards.

Check out this article from their blog about how to use iCivics to teach the 2020 election. Tech Learning has this article about using the app in the classroom. Finally, read a review of the app from Common Sense Education.

Watch this trailer to get an idea of the ways this app can help your students learn about democracy:

School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Recommended Apps: PBS Kids Games

In June, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced their Best Apps for Teaching and Learning 2018. The apps encourage qualities such as creativity and collaboration and encourage discovery and curiosity.

This is our last of the apps from 2018! If you want to catch up on all our past apps check out the archive. Next fall we’ll be back with the Best Apps for Teaching and Learning of 2019!

This week we’ll look at PBS Kids Games! This app features favorite PBS characters to help kids learn about math, creativity, and more.

“Play free learning games with your favorite PBS KIDS characters anytime, anywhere. PBS KIDS Games features top shows and new games that are continually being added encouraging learners to engage in skills related to science, math, creativity and more in gameplay alongside their favorite characters!”

Platform: iOS, Android   
Grades: Preschool – 3rd
Cost: FREE

Common Sense Media has this review of the app, and Parents’ Choice recommends the app in this article. The app is also featured in this article from We Are Teachers that lists the best PBS apps to use in the classroom.

See some of the games available on this app!