That exciting #edtech day is finally here! The new iPads are unboxed, charged, and configured. The only question left is where to begin?

Of course the best answer involves ongoing professional development and a good school-wide education technology plan. And that's no secret. Well-planned and resourced professional development is the key to technology integration. That said, we also know that teaching is an individual art. Teachers want to build their own lessons and chart their own paths. With that in mind, here are three free iPad apps any teacher, student, or parent can download today—and immediately start using those new iPads in meaningful ways.

Read Aloud

Read to anyone from anywhere with Read Aloud. Record yourself reading aloud and share with family and friends to create the storytime experience even when we’re apart. Read Aloud provides an extensive library of books with three unique reading modes: Read to Me, Help Me Read, and Read by Myself. As the reader follows along, words highlight as the familiar voice speaks each word.

 

Math Stretch

Math Stretch provides a suite of activities that develop elementary math skills and number sense. Sixteen different exercises target counting, number relations and operations, and telling and manipulating time. Activities such as ordering numbers, number bonds, and number line engage students and build math interest and skills. Settings in the exercises allow students, parents, and teachers to control the level of difficulty for each activity. Practice sessions and completed quizzes can be shared with parents and teachers.

 

Flash Cards

Available for iPhone, iPad, and iTouch, Flash Cards enables users to create, learn, and share flash cards. Students, teachers, and parents can download and play decks in any subject, create new decks in a variety of question formats, and share their decks with others. Flash card decks can include images and audio, and support multiple question formats, such as fill in the blank and true or false. Flash Cards is a great addition to any teacher's existing projects of lessons, as a flash card deck fits adds value to almost any assignment - and gets students using thier new iPads without a wholesale rework of lesson planning.

Curriculum Pathways provides over 1,200  iPad compatible resources for K12—all for free!