Sid's Science Fair
© 2011 PBS Kids
Put a science center in your iPad, with this playful, easy-to-use collection of three activities, featuring Sid the Science Kid characters. Created by award winning designer Daren Carstens (see Math Arena), each does an excellent job informally reinforcing an early math and science curriculum, where collecting, charting and noticing differences are the desired outcomes. Following a noisy introduction -- just like the show -- you tap one of the three Sid characters to start a no-fail activity. In the Collection Inspection, you use a magnifying glass to notice subtle differences in 14 sets of items. Chart It presents seven collections, which vary by shape, color and pattern. You can move them onto dynamic charts. Wrong answers fall back to the bottom of the screen, giving the charts authenticity, and realtime feedback. Time Machine lets you play with time relationships as you freely explore 14 sets of objects such as an apple being eaten, a candle burning or a plant growing. After you put the pictures into order, you're rewarded with an innovative time slider, where you can play back the time differences, either by tilting the screen or dragging with your finger. Amazing. Teacher-testers would like a mute button for the ever-looping background music, and there is no assessment, tracking, or connection between the activities. For free exploration of some messy concepts that lie at the heart of STEM learning, you can't beat this app. And no cleanup is required. Created by Jim Henson Studios and Carsten's Studios for PBS Kids.
$2.99, iPhone, iPad
Teaches: science, math, charts, noticing differences, collections, observation, counting
CTR Rating: 94%