Simple Machines
© 2015 Tinybop, Inc.
If Apple designer Jony Ive made apps, they'd look like this. Number 4 in the Discovery series from Tinybop, called Simple Machines. It is designed to be a playground for the six basic machines found in any physics text book. Can you name them? (screw, lever, pulley, fulcrum, inclined plane and wedge). Apps like this one are nice to have on your tablet, because they turn school curriculum into interesting toys, so a child can test out a concept informally, before meeting it on a high stakes test. So why not a higher rating? Ideally there would be two modes to each machine-- a challenge mode and free exploration. This app only has the free exploration mode, which is fun, but starts to feel pointless, especially after you labor to knock down a castle, only to discover that there really is no growling monster. Tools are meant to be used, and we wished there was more you could do with this app. This type of feature would greatly increase the rating for this app. Teachers take note: this app maps perfectly on any early elementary science curriculum. We especially liked the way printed labels are integrated into the diagram of each machine. Children can playfully explore how each of the simple machines do work, about input and output forces, push and pull, and the tradeoffs of using each machine. But, physics and simple machines can be difficult to comprehend, even for adults. Don't pass over the handbook for parents and teachers with research that informs the app, the handbook provides activities and discussion questions designed to help parents and teachers support their kids’ learning.
$2.99, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch ( iOS 7.0 or later.)
Teaches: physics, physical science, reading
CTR Rating: 84%