Gadgets

Last week, my husband, Rob, needed devices for The Candy Machine applet for Statistics.  I pulled out and charged several devices.  Our WiFi is robust and transmits to the basement.  Occasionally, we need devices for the kids to do an app, use as stop-watches, or do some research.  Last week, my kids were filming with my iPad.  I have collected several devices.  Many of the teens are not permitted to bring cell phones to class.  I bought several used iPods from Good Will. (My target price is $5 each.). I bought a Kindle Fire for $30 before Christmas last year.  We have an old iPad and three older laptops.  The laptops are useful with USB digital cameras.  The kids use them with microscopes.  After the image is clear, they take a screen shot of the microscope slide and sketch it.

The iPads and iPods are the most versatile devices.  We use the Kindle Fire strictly for research; it seldom interfaces with other devices, such as Pasco’s Sparkvue interfaces.  The iPod touch is surprisingly versatile; some models have a camera.  I like tech; it supports education—it does NOT supplant education.  Below are a few ideas.

1. Teaching Newton’s Laws with an iPod Touch
2. Video Physics (I have this on my iPad; it can be downloaded to an iPad touch.)
3. Stop Watch
4. Graphing Calculator.  (I have GraphNCalc83 on my iPad.  It operates a bit differently than the TI 83/84 graphing calculators.  However, this app is much cheaper!  I have not found a good, free, graphing calculator emulator.)
5.  The Chemical Touch Lite. Most of the time, the kids use paper copies of the Periodic Table.  However, when the kids make 3-D Periodic Table Trends, it is useful to have boiling points, electronegativities, etc on hand—in an app.