Plants by Tinybop is an interactive diorama that takes you on a virtual journey through two distinct biomes: desert and temperate forest. Kids can tap or drag the interactive features to explore each biome and its plant and animal life. Learn about the biome’s plants, animals, seasons and general weather conditions. As children tap on plants, they learn their names and explore some of their characteristics. For example, when kids tap on an alfalfa plant in a desert biome, the plant’s name appears above the seeds buried in the dirt on the screen. Kids can tap the clouds to make it rain and watch the seeds grow into adult alfalfa plants. Spin the dial to see what the biome looks like from sunrise to sunset, and how the biome changes with the seasons. Learning is very free, free exploration is the name of the game in this app, suitable for some children. However, many children need some guidance to get the most out of their learning experience, and the free downloadable handbook on the developer’s website is a great resource. It includes more detailed information about biomes and a series of discussion questions to share with children.
Website: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id872615882?uo=4&at=10laCG&ct=website
User’s overall consensus about the app
student involvement
Colorful graphics and realistic sound effects create a very engaging biome, giving kids plenty of opportunities to explore and control the environment.
Curriculum and instruction
Learning is based on open-ended exploration and interaction, without formal games or activities. Plant and animal labels help children build basic vocabulary. More instructions can help children struggling with endless exploration.
customer report
Adults can enter and track users in their dashboard. The free downloadable handbook is a great resource for discussion questions and for more detailed information about biomes.
