Presently, 44 states have adopted the Common Core State Standards. The K-5 standards anchor with College and Career Readiness, which is extremely important for all students. We cannot wait until high school to plan transition strategies for students. Apps listed below are all $4.99 and under.
Reading Standards for Literature K–5
Reading for Literature K-5 is broken down into four areas: Key Ideas and Detail, Craft and Structure, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas and Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity.
The areas in bold above are two areas where apps would be appropriate for all grades, since these areas require use of graphic organizers, dictionary apps, thesaurus, and understanding detail.
Key Ideas and Details
Requires students to compare and contrast, understand character and plot, and refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says.
Kindergarten
With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
First Grade
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. Storykit (free) allows a student to recall details to a story using voice, text, adding pictures and drawing pictures. After completed, the notes go onto a bookshelf for future reference.
Second Grade
Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
Third Grade
Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. Moral Stories ($1.99) offers 21 moral stories. Users can have the story read with the app voice or can record it themselves. Lessons related to the moral of the story are included.
Fourth Grade
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Mini-mod reading for inferences lite ($3.99) helps the student build mastery in the essential reading comprehension skill of inferential thinking. Includes three different grade levels.
Fifth Grade
Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact). Draw Venn-Diagram for iPad ($.99) A Venn diagram is an illustration of comparisons and analysis of information in a system. Describe and compare attributes and characteristics of items (things, people, places, events, ideas, etc.)
Craft and Structure
Kindergarten
Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text. Audio word web dictionary ($3.99) Pronounces words, intelligent word entry, synonyms, usage examples.
First Grade
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses. Instant Poetry ($1.99) allows users to create beautiful, passionate and romantic poetry, with their own pictures as backgrounds
Second Grade
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song. Rhyme-time ($.99) includes rhymes, synonyms, antonyms, definitions, find in definition, related words, similar sounding words, match consonants, and match letters search modes.
Third Grade
Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems. When writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections. Chapters ($3.99) lets users create and manage multiple notebooks, each fully searchable and with its own settings.
Fourth Grade
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant character found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).Mythology ($.99) offers 15 Greek mythology classics. Users document words and phrases used in each story that allude to significant characters.
Fifth Grade
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes. iPoetry 101 ($.99) allows identifying formulas for creating structured forms of poetry, appreciating the importance of prewriting and revision, using figurative language and creating a sustained image.
Vicki Windman is a special education teacher at Clarkstown High School South.
