iWorld Central America 1.2.8

The iWorldGeography applications have gained traction among educational institutions, libraries, and families across 73 countries. The following reviews reflect the positive reception these Montessori-based applications have received.

"Your iWorld apps were the first ... we could endorse wholeheartedly … Thank you for your quality, authentic Montessori apps." -- montessoritech.net

"The simplicity ... enables children to focus entirely on the content, ensuring they learn the material effectively." -- theiPhoneMom.com

"We appreciate the simplicity ... and the user-friendly navigation system. Young children can easily navigate this app independently and grasp its functionalities seamlessly." -- TeachersWithApps.com

Features of the Central America Application:

• Active Introduction: Touch a country to hear its name.
• Passive Introduction: A movie introduces each country name.
• Quiz: "Ask Me" to locate a country with options to repeat and reveal answers.
• Puzzle: Drag pieces to reconstruct the map.
• Labeling: Engage in activities to label countries, capitals, and flags.

Key Features:

• Self-Correcting Quiz: Answers fade in with audio reinforcement; no penalties for incorrect answers.
• User-Controlled Manipulatives: Pins and puzzle pieces can be freely dragged around the screen.
• Fresh Challenges: Questions and puzzle pieces appear in varied orders with each session.
• Puzzle Mechanics: Scatter puzzle pieces using the Toss button for varied engagement.
• Interactive Labels: Options to skip labels, control map visibility, and view flags in detail.

Learning Style Considerations:

• Progressive challenge levels as activities advance.
• Children independently navigate the application without being locked into specific tasks.
• Restart options for puzzles and labeling activities are readily available.
• No penalties for wrong answers; correct responses are simply reinforced.
• The design avoids distracting elements, focusing solely on educational content.

Contextual Geography:

• The majority of Mexico is considered part of North America according to geographical norms, hence it is included in North America's curriculum. The iWorldGeography North America application is accessible via the iTunes App Store.
• Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic are included in lessons about Central America in line with American Montessori Society materials.

Additional Resources:

• Access online printouts for additional color, tracing, and labeling activities by selecting the Classroom Printouts option on the app's title screen.

Education Pricing:

• A 50% discount is available for purchases of 20 or more apps through Apple's Volume Discount Program for Education.

Educational Alignment:

• The coloring schemes of iWorldGeography applications are designed to match materials used by the American Montessori Society.
• This series combines self-correcting, child-directed activity designs with geography instruction aligned with Montessori Curriculums in Children's House and Lower Elementary settings. Inspired by observations over three years in Lexington (MA) Montessori classrooms, this application builds upon the established success of MyWorld, TenSun's desktop version since 2004.