Dynastid Beetle
© 2012 CJ Educations
Featuring excellent, clear 3D graphics and some innovative finger-driven navigation/examination techniques, Dynastid Beetle is divided into seven sections: Body, Habitat, How They Move, Raise a Dynastid Beetle, Battle, Quiz and Video. In case you're wondering Dynastid beetles are large beetles with horns that some people keep as pets in Asia. There are varieties that live around the world, however. Most of the sections include some type of interactive application opportunity. For example, you can spin the beetle 360 degrees and touch on different parts to zoom in on, say, the wings. In another screen you can touch and drag a line on a thermometer to set the temperature (in Celsius) in order for the egg to hatch. Other content includes four clear short videos and a multiple choice-style quiz. Minor weaknesses include looping background music that can't be turned off. Some of the testers did not like the child-like voices super-imposed over the footage, saying it felt "sugar coated." However, you do learn a lot about Dynastid Beetles with this app.
$1.99, iPad, iPhone, Android
Teaches: science, entomology, beetles
CTR Rating: 84%