Self service exploration
August 26, 2014
My iPad has recently started downloading apps again, so I have decided to explore the Self Service Cart and see what weird apps I can find.
First off, “Baby Steps!” For some reason, we have an app that teaches baby development in both French and English. This would come in handy for the Exploring Parenthood class, but other than that I’m not finding much use for it. Unless if you are babysitting French children anytime soon. I checked it out, and it’s essentially a bunch of poorly made video clips demonstrating how a baby lifts it’s head. Odd, but somewhat useful I’d say. Other pregnancy apps include, “My 9 Months” and “Hello! Baby” as well as “Pregnancy +”. On a related note, there is “Adoption Guide” to walk you through how to adopt a child as a 17-year-old.
Next up, “Build-a-Body”. This app could be useful for Anatomy but just downright entertaining for everything else. You drag and drop different organs onto the diagram and it tells you if you suck at anatomy or not. With my poor anatomy skills, I failed miserably (where does the pancreas go??) however, I successfully built the digestive system in one minute and six seconds. The app description included the word “gut-sy” in the description (very punny) and it is now complete with six body systems! I can’t handle the excitement.
I’ve heard a lot about the so-called “Butt App”, so I checked that out as well. Officially called “Butt Workout”, this is like those P9DX videos we used to watch in middle school PE, but all the workout videos are centered around improving your butt and legs. I am concerned that the Butt App wanted to know my location and then told me to consult a physician before continuing though.
The last app I will be testing out is “Math Zombies”. The style suggests that the target audience is about ten, so I will be incredibly entertained. The idea of the game is to answer simple addition, which I assume gets harder with each level, and if you get the right answer, a cannonball shoots out at these zombie/witches (they’re flying brooms). When you get a wrong answer, nothing happens except you get a lower score at the end. I’m not sure if this will help you in AP Stats, but if you need to improve your simple addition and have a liking of zombie/witches, this is the app for you.
The Self Service Cart has some interesting apps, but some of them are quite useful. I’m not sure what class you would use “Sock Puppets” in, but the “Statistics Visualizer” would’ve been very handy during my stats class last year. I’ve downloaded “VSB Chemistry” because I’m a huge nerd (IT HAS AN INTERACTIVE PERIODIC TABLE) and I’m in AP Chemistry. So depending on how you use the Self Service Cart, it could be extremely helpful or very entertaining. Or both, in the case of the chemistry app.

Natalie Larimer is a senior here at Johnston High. Her favorite past time is being critical of administration and generally causing problems. Natalie keeps...
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