Puzzling Plates is a new iPad app from Tasa Graphic Arts that introduces students to Plate Tectonics by making the plates into a jigsaw-puzzle game. The app includes additional levels that introduce the student to more advanced topics relating to the tectonic plates including earthquakes, volcanoes, plate boundary types and plate motion. The relationship between plates and earthquakes and volcanoes is explored in a game-like setting. This app will be great for grades 5-12. The jigsaw puzzle can be challenging even for touch screen experts because a perfect score requires complex multi-touch movements.

The Wonders of Geology from Mikaya Digital is an awesome collection of aerial photos by Michael Collier and animations and illustrations by Dennis Tasa.

Some will see this as a beautiful coffee-table book, others will watch it as a narrated slide show, while teachers will love it for its educational content. It is all of these and more! Michael's photos are spectacular. The app allows them to be enlarged by 2x, so zoom in and have a close-up look. The educational value is present in every photo, narration, illustration and animation. The narration both inspires and informs. Michael's way with words is entertaining and enlightening. Almost 200 photos, illustrations and animations (each narrated) make this an extensive book/app. Use the thumbnail gallery to find interesting photos or browse the table of contents. An easy to use, beautiful app and an excellent example of the educational value of iPad apps. Great for the classroom or for the app-coffee-table.

Arches National Park Geology Tour HD from Tasa Graphic Arts has been optimized for the iPad screen size and takes advantage of the iPad user interface features. It provides extensive illustrations and photos of the geology of Arches National Park. And, it is fully narrated by the author, a Geology Professor. There is an interactive park map that can be changed to the corresponding topographic map. This app can be used to plan your visit to the park, or as an educational tour guide as you hike or drive the park.

There is a separate version available for the iPhone and iPod touch: Arches National Park Geology Tour

If you just want to read the text and see the photos, Arches National Park Geology Tour is also avaiable as an eBook in the iBookstore!

Tasa Graphic Arts has created an iPad version of its Geologic Time Scale app called geotimescale enhanced HD. It is an excellent reference for geologists and students of geology. It displays the Geologic Time Scale with the official names and dates of the Eons, Eras, Periods, Epochs and Ages. A handy reference for field use. The "enhanced" version now includes illustrations of life on Earth at various points, and includes descriptive text for each illustration, making it a great learning tool as well.

The iPhone version is an excellent reference to take with you in the field.

Tasa Graphic Arts has another geology app that provides excellent information for the geology student or geologist. Folds and Faults HD provides a description of how rocks fold over time and the faults that occur when rocks rupture. Animations show the major categories of folds and faults. High quality photos are annotated to illustrate the key features that allow fold and fault identification. This app can be used in the classroom or in the field. Tasa's ever expanding series of geology apps give students an interactive, visual supplement to traditional textbooks.

There is an iPhone version available as well.

Planetarium apps for iPad

iPad app	Highlights	Ease of Use (10 is best)	Best Features	Overall Rating
	SkySafari 3 $2.99 SkySafari 3 Plus $14.99 SkySafari 3 Pro $39.99 The SkySafari 3 series of apps offer an excellent user interface, an extensive database of objects and the most logical search feature for finding them. These are the best planetarium (star map) apps for iPad. The Pro version supports just about every feature you could want including telescope control. Any of these is worth the price, just select the features that are important to you.	10	Easy to use, extensive database of stars and deep sky objects, excellent search feature, compass support, etc.	10
	Starmap HD $18.99 Another excellent star map app, this one may have the largest database of objects (using categorized menus). The user interface is intense with many options. You may need to use the "more" button to find what you're looking for. But, it is easy to use. The user configuration options are extensive.	9	Extensive catalog of stars and objects. Professional and complete data for deep space objects, planets, meteor showers, etc. Auto selection of "tonight's best".	10
	Redshift $11.99 An iPad remake of the PC original, this planetarium app contains an extensive collection of stars and deep space objects. The user interface has a learning curve and it is difficult to find objects and controls at first. Once learned, it is fine, maybe even exceptional, but it takes practice. Includes space telescope images of deep sky objects. The 3D flight features makes this a full 3D solar system model but with limited planetary data.	8	Tour and 3D flight options are fun and educational. Best time controls for accelerated movement.	9

Solar System apps for iPad

iPad app	Highlights	Ease of Use (10 is best)	Best Feature	Overall Rating
	Solar Walk $4.99 Highly interactive with an easy to use interface. Excellent time control for accelerating the motion of the planets. Orbital scales are greatly compressed, surface images are very well done. Sufficient but not extensive planetary data.	9	3D Solar System simulation and its user interface.	9
	Solar System for iPad $13.99 Like a book, but much more interactive. Contains significant detail for each planet and several of the moons for the planets. The 3D solar system simulation is excellent but the user interface is a little tricky at first.	8	Depth of information for each planet.	9

The Civil War Today is updated daily (like a newspaper of the times) and will continue to be updated during the next few years during the 150 year anniversary of events during the American Civil War. The app is very interactive and engaging. Each update includes newspaper articles, letters, photos and maps. There is also a daily quiz that helps motivate students. An excellent app for the iPad in the classroom.

Inkling - Standard Nine Inc. is currently the most complete and interactive of the textbook apps on the iPad. And, they are developing a catalog of textbooks that can be purchased by the chapter. The iPad with the Inkling app is currently being evaluated in several college settings. I believe that this is the best solution to putting traditional textbooks on the iPad. However, specialized apps that target a specific subject are and can be much more interactive and engaging. The trade-off is generality (Inkling) and highly interactive, subject specific apps such as Solar System for iPad by Touch Press.

Rat Dissection from Emantras Inc is the app that almost everyone in education expected to be on the iPad. Using the touch interface and the high resolution screen it does an excellent job of simulating the standard classroom activity. The visuals are excellent, including the 3D models of the organs. Of course, the real feature is no formaldehyde smell (at least not until the magical iPad adds smell-o-vision).

The similar app Frog Dissection is also very well done.