1. The Elements: A Visual Exploration
If your teenager has a blasé attitude toward chemistry, this application might be a good investment to change his or her mind. The Periodic Table of the Elements can seem like a hodgepodge of letters and numbers that describe seemingly abstract elements. This application makes the abstract more understandable with more than 500 pictures of the elements, as well as stories about their origins. If you’re wondering if the $13.99 price tag for this app is worth it, Stephen Fry describes it as “Alone worth the price of an iPad.”2. Frog Dissection App
Warning: This is not a good app for the squeamish. But it might be a good way for the dissection-shy teenager to gear up for the real frog dissection – or for conscientious objectors to get an interesting alternative. The animated frog body is more ... palatable than the actual formaldehyde-drenched frog flesh and gives a good amount of information about each of the different frog organs and parts.3. iHomework
4. Quizlet, created by Brainscape
Effective as they may be, flashcards can be a pain to keep up with. There are all of those little pieces of index cards, the rubber bands that keep stacks together, and the possibility that those stacks may scatter into a 51-card pick-up – or worse. That was, until the Quizlet app.
The application requires a little bit of synchronization between your computer and your smart phone. To begin, create a Quizlet account at Quizlet.com. From there, you can either upload a list of terms in a Word document or enter terms directly on the site. Meanwhile, download the app on your smart phone. The flashcards from Quizlet are then accessible on your smart phone via the application. Should you tire of your smart phone screen, you can also review flashcards on your desktop.
Recommended ages: Middle school and up
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, and Android
Cost: Free
5. Dictionary.com Dictionary & Thesaurus
Remember the days when a dictionary definition required lugging out a huge Merriam-Webster volume, then searching slowly for the word while reciting the A-B-C’s under your breath? Those days are long gone, and will soon become part of the uphill-both-ways canon.
Lucky for everyone, online dictionaries are now also available for smart phones. This app version is a combination of Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com. The app itself is pretty simple with more than 2 million definitions, synonyms, and antonyms, as well as daily content including a Word of the Day feature. It can be a real asset for students, parents, or anyone who wants to find the right word.
Recommended ages: Middle school and up
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, and Android
Cost: Free
6. CIA World Factbook
This application lets you brush up on different countries around the world that you knew existed, but didn’t know much about. The app includes information about the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for more than 250 countries and regions. You can also compare countries by GDP, size, and other factors.
Recommended ages: Middle school and up
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, and Android
Cost: $1.99
7. Atlas by Collins
This application was featured on our “Brain Training” app list, but we liked it so much that it made another list.
While the app might take up a chunk of your iPhone’s memory, it is a delight for geography buffs and a big help for students. The app includes themed globe maps that feature information about population and energy statistics, as well as current political alliances. Next time someone mentions Timbuktu or Istanbul, and you wonder “What on earth is going on there?” simply pull out this app and wonder no more.
Recommended ages: Middle school and up
Compatibility: iPhone and iPad (The app only works with iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later)
Cost: Free
8. Evernote
Evernote is another organizational tool that can sync with all of your devices. The app lets you create and edit note cards, record audio and voice memos, and even search for words in digital photos of index cards. Pretty nifty. Plus, it's free!
Recommended ages: High school and up
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, and Android
Cost: Free
9. Study Mode
Facebook has long been the foe of productivity. That was until now. The Study Mode application lets you switch your Facebook account into “study mode,” a setting that connects you with other students on the social networking site working on the same set of problems as you. With video chat capabilities and a math symbol-friendly interface, this application is a great way to get a study group together, regardless of its members’ locations. To get the Facebook application, go to hoot.me and sign up for the appropriate type of account – either student or teacher. The app connects to your Facebook account and then students can start searching for subject material.
Recommended ages: High school and up
Compatibility: This is an app for your Facebook account, rather than your smart phone.
Cost: Free
10. Khan Academy
This application allows you to “learn almost anything for free” with a series of more than 4,200 educational videos on a wide range of topics from the Notation of Basic Geometry to Fiscal Cliff tutorials. The Khan Academy series also includes additional material for different subject areas (e.g. chemistry, algebra, SAT prep) that can be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores.
Recommended ages: Middle school and up
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, and Android
Cost: Free