Cell and Cell Structure App Review

Posted by Jennifer

App Name: Cell and Cell Structure

Overall Rating: 5/5

Mom’s Rating: 5/5

Kids’ Rating: NA

Recommended Grades/Ages: Junior High, High School

Skills Developed: Biology, Cells, Life Science

Available On/Price: iPad – $2.99

Reviewed on: iPad

App Description:

Cell and Cell Structure is a detailed, mini-textbook filled with written details and information about cells, complemented by high quality imagery, video, and interactive content.

Divided into three major categories the main portion of the app – All About Cells – serves as a fully illustrated mini-text arranged in point format (rather than paragraphs) that is extensively illustrated.  The text does require an independent reader (no narration) and is written textbook style for middle grade students, or as review for high school students.  Some pages include progressive diagrams that can be moved through by tapping/sliding, sliders that change the view and content of the page, and other interactive models.

Each page has access to the table of contents (with 12 chapter headings). This text includes links to animated videos (some are animated slide shows) with captioning that actively illustrate key principles and processes.  Pages turn by swiping or navigational arrows.  Background music can be turned on and off from the home screen.

The computer-animated, 3D style videos included in the text are also pulled out independently in the Videos section covering mitosis in animal cells, inside an animal cell, mitosis in plant cells, and inside a plant cell.

The interactive activities section includes a word search including key vocabulary words, illustrated flashcards that can be used to focus in on key terms and processes (can be viewed with image and words, or just images with words displayed when tapped for self-testing), and a multiple choice quiz that retails the high score for one user.

Ratings Note: My oldest is nine, so the rating for this app is based upon my own use and evaluation of it alone.

Other Notes: This app does not include in-app purchases, advertising or social media integration.  It does include an internal link to a website that loads within the app, and a link to email support.

What We Liked:

Cell and Cell Structure is a very comprehensive app covering cell biology.  From cell types, to cell reproduction, to relative scale and comparisons between single cell and multi-celled organisms, this app provides a solid and thorough foundation for understanding this building block of life.

The point-based way of presenting the factual information makes it easy and quick to get to the most important knowledge without plowing through a lot of extra text – making this a quick way to get to the meat of the subject.

The production values throughout are excellent, with vivid – nearly neon – diagrams and images of the microscopic components of cells, and the computer animation in the included videos is wonderful.

What We Didn’t Like:

Cells and Cell Structure isn’t as interactive as Frog Dissection, a favorite science app of ours from the same developer.  That isn’t to say that this isn’t still a high quality app, it just isn’t quite as fun or engaging because it doesn’t have the hands-on-learning activities that the other does.

Overall:

Cells and Cell Structure is a fine introduction to cells, their parts, reproduction, and much more.  In fact, this app is an excellent primer – any student encountering cells for the first time will quickly be up to speed with this digital mini-text complete with vibrantly illustrated diagrams and computer animated videos.

Buy this iPad app now for $2.99!

Have you downloaded this app?  Let us know what you and your children thought – leave a comment!