Website: Timegraphics

TIMEGRAPHICS is a timeline maker for all ages.

Users can easily create public timelines that incorporate text, images, and media. The tool can be integrated into Google Services and exported into other programs and services. Timelines can be downloaded and include a watermark with the free version.

Librarians will find this online tool to be useful across the curriculum. Weave it into storytelling and history projects.

To visit the website, go to https://time.graphics/.

Website Review: MapStory

MAPSTORY is an online tool for creating local, regional, and global scale maps.

The MapStories website contains hundreds of maps to explore. Conduct a search or explore categories such as geopolitics and human settlement. Users can become part of the online community and contribute data and stories to existing projects. Students can also combine narrative elements that include images, text, and video to explain how and why changes happen in specific locations in their own projects. The maps can be connected with social media including Twitter and Facebook.

Librarians will find that students enjoy exploring existing maps along with creating their own. Use this tool in geography lessons along with map-related activities in science and social studies.

To visit the website, go to https://mapstory.org/.

Website Review: TimelinesJS

TIMELINEJS is an easy-to-use tool for building timelines.

TimelineJS is an open-source resource for creating professional-quality, interactive timelines. Users create a Google spreadsheet including short narratives and visuals. The images and videos from social media sites can be incorporated into the timelines. Users then provide the URL of the spreadsheet at the Timeline website. It’s then transformed into a timeline.

Librarians will find this an excellent way to teach both Google spreadsheets and the basics of building timelines. This tool can be applied to content across the curriculum.

To visit the website, go to https://timeline.knightlab.com.

Website Review: Word Counter

The WORD COUNTER is a website tool that counts words for social media posts.

Users type or paste in words. The statistics are then shown in a sidebar including characters, words, sentence, paragraphs, and pages in real time. The generator also shows word density and graphs text length against Twitter, Google, and Facebook post standards. A blog and FAQs provide additional information.

Librarians will find this a useful tool for their own social media posts as well as part of a lesson focusing on social media.

To visit the website, go to https://wordcounter.io/.

App Review: MoMA's Art Lab

MoMA’s ART LAB is an interactive art tool app for young artists.

Designed by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), this easy-to-use app provides tools for creating, saving, and sharing artwork.

Users begin with a white screen and tools for creating works of art that include lines, shapes, and colors.

The Ideas button helps users experiment with line, shape, and color by providing a series of project starters.

The Activities button provides project suggestions including information about artists, their works, and interactive tools and instructions for how to create a piece of artwork in that style. For instance, students can create mobiles, sound compositions, and shape poems.

The Gallery area displays works of art that have been saved by users.

Librarians will find this tool to be popular with art teachers. Combine it with books associated with art and artists. The app provides audio narration for youth who need this support.

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moma-art-lab/id529886963.

Website Review: The Professor Garfield Toon Book Reader

THE PROFESSOR GARFIELD TOON BOOK READER website contains eleven amazing graphic books for beginning readers along with matching toon creator tools.

Readers begin by choosing on a book of their choice. Clicking on the right or left side of the screen moves the reader through the pages. Arrow buttons are also available. An option is provided that reads the story aloud to the child.

The Cartoon Maker section for each book provides easy-to-use tools for creating cartoon blocks that incorporate objects and props from the story. The youth projects can be saved and printed.

A teacher section includes lots of ideas for using comics in the classroom. The books also contain optional music and are available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese.

Librarians will find this free website an excellent way to introduce primary-aged children to the graphic book format.

To access the website, go tohttp://www.professorgarfield.org/toon_book_reader/index.html.

App Review: Universal Zoom

UNIVERSAL ZOOM: ALL ABOUT SIZES AND DISTANCES is a fascinating app published by Gamify It. From tiny, subatomic particles to stars and galaxies, this easy-to-use tool allows students to compare two objects to get a sense for the scale of the universe.

Designed for ages 9-11, students can choose from 150 objects presented in scale. The dynamic layout provides users with a sense for the relative size of common objects. Students will enjoy guessing and discovering how many times one object fits inside another. A limited audio element introduces each object encouraging users to read more about each object.

Measurements are available in both standard and meter systems making this an excellent tool for mathematics activities that involve using both units of length. This tool is also effective for a practical exploration of simple and scientific notation. The scale range is 1 yoctometer (1x10-24m) to 93 billion light years (8.8x10=26m)!

This engaging app encourages students to explore the idea of size and scale in a meaningful way. The high-quality images and rich content make this an app that is both appealing and useful for many STEM classroom applications.

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/universal-zoom-all-a…/id807673066.

App Review: Magnetry: Express Yourself

MAGNETRY: EXPRESS YOURSELF by Gebo Kanois an app that encourages creativity, playing with words, and writing poetry. This powerful and easy-to-use tool has endless possibilities across the curriculum.

Students begin by starting a “new collection” and a “new book” containing 16 pages. After choosing a page, users are able to select from eight different categories. Words are randomly generated to get the page started. When a word is clicked, users see usage options and have the opportunity to select a variation of the word. Students can reorganize these words, add words, or delete words. In addition, stickers, backgrounds, and paint tools can be used to enhance to expression. Projects can be saved, shared on social media, and printed.

The Help section provides tools to add, remove, or rename a collection, as well as start or save a new page. The app also allows users to move, customize, delete, and add words, backgrounds, and stickers.

Although many “magnet poetry” apps exist, this one is exceptional. Magnetron’s versatility and user-friendly features make it an excellent resource for library tablets and iPads.

To download it for the iPad, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/magnetry-express-you…/id846619946.

A publisher provided copy was used for the review.

App Review: Toontastic

TOONTASTIC is an award-winning app that encourages children to create their own animated, puppet show-like stories.

What makes Toontastic particularly appealing to educators is the use of a story arc for storytelling. Designed for ages 5-10, creators identify turning points in their narrative related to the story arc elements of setup, conflict, challenge, climax, and resolution.

Children begin by choosing from among a variety of settings, then pick their characters. They can edit their characters using paint and draw tools. Finally, creators animate the scene by moving around their characters and adding audio narration. The final step in the process is to add background music. The projects can be saved and shared online at ToonTube.

The Toontastic Jr. edition helps young children design stories with a beginning, middle, and ending. The free download includes 12 animated start starters.

The app is available in both an individual edition for free and a school edition at a small charge. The School Edition includes hundreds of additional characters and dozens of extra backgrounds.

A teacher’s guide and common core aligned lessons are also available.

To learn more about the app, go to http://www.launchpadtoys.com/toontastic/.

For a teacher’s guide, go to http://www.launchpadtoys.com/toontastic/parent-teacher-guide/.

For lots of example projects, go to ToonTube at http://toontube.launchpadtoys.com/.