We have exciting news! Our company has joined Khan Academy, a nonprofit with a mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.

In 2008, we founded Duck Duck Moose because we were inspired by our then-two-year-old daughter and the potential to deliver rich educational experiences for young children with mobile technology. We created our first app, the Wheels on the Bus, an interactive musical storybook, because it was our daughter’s favorite song. Since then, we have grown into a team of designers, engineers, and educators who have created over 21 award-winning apps for children.

We’ve always been a mission-driven team, and decided to join Khan Academy because it gives us the greatest opportunity to impact children globally and provide universal access to education. We couldn’t imagine working with a more mission-aligned organization, and are thrilled to be leading a new initiative at Khan Academy to develop early learning products for kids.

This partnership adds preschool learning to Khan Academy’s K-12 and higher education digital learning offerings, and is made possible by an initial philanthropic grant from Omidyar Network.

As part of the Khan Academy nonprofit organization, we’re now able to make all 21 of our award-winning apps FREE for families around the world. Join our effort to support kids everywhere by sharing this exciting news with teachers, parents and friends.

Download our FREE educational apps on iTunes and Google Play!

Thank you for supporting us on this journey and for making this exciting stage of growth possible.

Caroline & the Duck Duck Moose team

Duck Duck Moose makes award-winning educational apps for young children. Founded in 2008 by a small team of parents and educators, Duck Duck Moose has created over 20 apps that encourage kids to learn and explore in a fun and safe environment. Now, as part of the educational nonprofit Khan Academy, all Duck Duck Moose apps are FREE for everyone to download and enjoy.

Apps from Duck Duck Moose cover a range of early learning topics. These include math, reading, music, puzzles and nursery rhymes, in addition to open-ended apps that encourage creative expression and play. You’ll find our full list of apps organized by topic and age on the “apps” section of www.duckduckmoose.com. Duck Duck Moose educational apps are aligned to common core standards, and can be used at home to help prepare kids for school while reinforcing topics that are covered in the classroom.

Teachers are using Duck Duck Moose apps in a variety of creative ways to encourage children to express their ideas. We’ve collected highlights in a blog post explaining how teachers integrate iPad apps with their lesson plans. There is also a prolific stream of examples are shared by teachers over social media. Visit @duckduckmoose and @chatterpixit on Twitter to see how children are explaining their math thinking, completing themed research projects, bringing artwork to life, creating interactive biographies, storytelling, recording book reports, collaborating through math games and so much more!

Students are learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and sharing their @ChatterPixIt with their classmates. #d83spartans @SparksKennedy pic.twitter.com/ASGV5d8UdT

— D83Spartans (@D83Spartans) January 8, 2018

All of our apps are available on Apple’s iOS platform for the iPhone and iPad. A subset of our apps are also available on the Android platform. If there are questions about using or installing our educational apps, feel free to reach out to support@duckduckmoose.com so we can offer assistance.

App Store (iOS)
Google Play Store

This month, teachers are opening their classroom doors to prepare for another year of learning. With the abundance of tech tools available for education, how will teachers choose the best method for integrating technology in their classrooms?

Our team at Duck Duck Moose has been making educational apps for kids since 2008, and we’ve collected some compelling teaching techniques from educators who integrate our apps with their lesson plans. We hope these examples of how to use iPad apps in the classroom help get your school year off to a bright start!

Use Apps To Tell a Story

Kids are using apps to record their voice and explain what they learn. Click the ChatterPix video below to listen to their stories about shapes. Teachers have been especially pleased to see shy children step up to the microphone in bold new ways.

What do you know about shapes? @hwburgessps #fdk #lkdsb #happymath @ChatterPixIt pic.twitter.com/xMIpv23TPY

— Mrs. Ouimette (@mrsouimette) May 31, 2016

Use Apps To Show Thinking

Here students are using Draw and Tell to explain their math thinking. Used with assessments, these verbal testimonials can demonstrate a dynamic view of a student’s understanding. 

Try using @duckduckmoose ‘s #drawandtell for #math assessment. Record s voice + make thinking visible. #sd61learn pic.twitter.com/B4maz6Er8A

— Rebecca BathurstHunt (@rbathursthunt) March 8, 2016

Use Apps To Do Research

Themed topics provide a focus area for doing supplementary research on an iPad. Once research is complete, students can summarize their research into a presentation of their own.

Penguins, cheetahs, & more! 1st graders at Ashbel Smith used @ChatterPixIt to make their research come alive! pic.twitter.com/G0K2dQ8TNT

— Lori Roberts (@EdTechLori) May 25, 2016

Use Apps To Make a Video

Intrigued by their own self reflection, making a video can capture a student’s attention and encourage creativity in visual ways.

Forget letters to future self! Using @ChatterPixIt & iMovie to create videos to future 3rd gr self. #Class2B #edtech pic.twitter.com/Mrwx4JQn5Y

— Sean Forde (@Sean4d) June 8, 2016

App Smash to Create Something New

App smashing is a term for using multiple apps to create an end product. With an inventive set of tools, it’s amazing to witness what children come up with on their own. In this case, Draw and Tell helped a child design and record their explanation of the water cycle.

We used #drawandtell by @duckduckmoose to help document & share our water cycle learning. #sd63 pic.twitter.com/ucxWq4K4eJ

— Miss Norris’s Class (@missnorris63) April 29, 2016

Use Apps To Practice A Skill

Math practice can help kids build confidence in the classroom. Making math practice fun and engaging is a top priority at Duck Duck Moose! Check out Park Math, Moose Math and Pet Bingo for more math practice activities for kids.

Getting those math facts in before the school bus comes! #petbingo @MrsSzafranski pic.twitter.com/CLsnf8RIqV

— Kristi Hibbetts (@kristi_june) August 25, 2015

 Visit duckduckmoose.com to learn more about our educational apps for kids!

The greatest athletes in the world compete at the Olympic Games. Are you ready to witness the historic sporting events of the 2016 Summer Olympics? Use Wizard School (formerly WonderBox) to set your own world record, count Olympic medal victories, create a new design for the Olympic rings and explore other fun 2016 Olympics activities for kids!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Set a World Record

Have you ever wanted to set a world record? Great Olympic athletes make international news by being the best in their sporting events. What do you think it feels like to be the world’s fastest swimmer, or the world’s fastest runner? Now is your chance to find out! Visit the “Set a World Record” challenge on Wizard School to learn all about world records, then try to set your own!

Source: WonderBox

Cheer on an Olympic athlete

Athletes all over the world compete for the ultimate victory of winning a gold medal at the Olympics. Pick an athlete, country or Olympic event and track the number of medals collected. How many medals did they win? Which type: gold, silver or bronze? Tally the results and cheer on your favorite Olympic champion with a friend!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Learn more about the Olympic rings

The Olympic rings are a famous symbol, but who designed it, and what is the meaning behind the rings? Where does a designer start and what process do they use to complete their vision? Visit the “Olympic Ring Design” challenge on Wizard School to learn more about the Olympic symbol. Then, using d create your very own design for the Olympic Games. Don’t forget to share your new design and the meaning behind it with friends and family!

Share your Olympic creations!

Don’t forget to share your creations with the Wizard School crew. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Have you explored Wizard School yet? Download it FREE on iTunes!

Are you hungry? Then it’s the perfect time to join us for Cooking and Food week on Wizard School (formerly WonderBox). Get to know interesting foods from around the world, dive into the science of creating new foods, invent your own restaurant to showcase culinary cuisine, and discover even more activities for foodie kids. Let’s get cooking!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Try bread from around the world

Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods and is universally enjoyed across many, cultures, countries and religions. What type of bread do you like to eat? Have you ever tried pita bread, bagels, or baguettes? Learn about bread from around the world, and then take a photo of bread and describe how it’s served with your family’s favorite meal.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Discover hybrid plants

Using methods called grafting and genetic modification, farmers have been able to create some truly wacky plants! Farmers are using cross pollination to create fruits that are the genetic combination or “hybrid” of two other fruits. Some of the tastiest discoveries have been Plumcots, Tayberries, Tangelos and Apriums. Did you know that most everyday fruits and vegetables we eat are hybrids? Yellow bananas, grapefruit, meyer lemons, and numerous apple varieties were actually the result of careful plant breeding. Learn about hybridization of fruits and vegetables and then invent your own delicious fruit or veggie!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Open your own virtual restaurant

Eating out is always a treat, but imagine if you could invent your own restaurant. What kind of food would you serve? Would you have a cool theme or decorations? Where would your restaurant be located? Visit some creative restaurants and then share your design with your friends and future customers!

Share your favorite food!

Remember to share your cooking creations with the Wizard School crew. We can’t wait to hear from you! Then, see what’s next on our Summer of Wonder calendar!

Have you explored Wizard school yet? Download it FREE on iTunes!

Howdy! Do you know why the western half of the United States was called the Wild West? In the late 1800’s, the untamed territories of the American frontier earned this nickname due to their lack of laws and the wild behavior that took place. Are you ready to explore the Wild West? Open up Wizard School (formerly WonderBox) and let’s get started!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Meet Wild West outlaws and lawmen

Many legends have come out of the Wild West. Some of them are famous for being outlaws and some of them are famous for being lawmen. Y’all take a trip to the Wild West and get ready to meet all sorts of people. Learn more about these folks in the “Legends of the West” challenge on Wizard School. At the end of the lesson, choose one of the legends and make them talk about the rootin’ tootin’ West.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Learn more about bison

A true symbol of the frontier, the American bison (also referred to as “American buffalo”) are the largest land animals in North America. In fact, these wallowing, bellowing giants once roamed the plains of the American West in vast numbers. Check out the “Talking Bison” challenge on Wizard School to learn more, then help a bison share its dramatic story of near extinction and recovery.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Learn about the Gold Rush

What would you do if you found gold? Where did gold miners come from, and why did so many travel to California during the Gold Rush? Visit the “Gold Rush” challenge on Wizard School to learn about the history of the Gold Rush, from the properties of gold, to the people who discovered the precious metal. Then make a miner talk about discovering gold!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Create Native American art

There are 562 Native American tribes located throughout the United States, each with their own cultural traditions and art forms. Visit the “Native American Art” challenge on Wizard School to learn more about traditional Native American art and meet some contemporary artists. Then, use Wizard School’s built-in design tools to try your hand at decorating a Native American inspired blanket, pot, mask, dream catcher or teepee.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Send a postcard from the Wild West

Explore famous landscapes of America’s Wild West like the Grand Canyon, Death Valley and the Oregon Trail. This vast and rugged terrain set the stage for the American frontier. What do you think it was like to live in the Wild West? Visit the “Postcard from Wild West” challenge on Wizard School to take a tour of the land. Pick out your favorite setting, and send a postcard to a friend!

Share your Wild West adventure!

Remember to share your creations with the Wizard School crew. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Looking for more fun challenges? Check out our Summer Wonder learning program!

Still need the Wizard School app? Download it FREE on iTunes!

Do you love taking pictures? Playing photographer is a fun way to capture memories and express your creativity. Launch your photography career with Wizard School (formerly WonderBox) by making neat props for a photo booth! Or, take pictures within pictures by finding reflections of unique scenes. Having fun? Try building your own scene by using natural materials in artistic ways. Check out these fun photography projects for kids – the options are endless!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Take a reflection photo

Using reflections in photography can make amazing effects and beautiful images. When light rays bounce off a completely smooth surface, such as a still pool of water, a mirror, or even something like a shop window, we are able to see a very clear reflection on the surface. Once you start looking for reflections, you will find them everywhere! Learn more about this type of photography by visiting the “Take a Reflection Photo” challenge on Wizard School. Then, find a mirror, rippling water, or a glass and try your hand at reflection photography!

Source: Flickr / Paul Downey

Explore art and photography in nature

Andy Goldsworthy is a British artist who has made hundreds of amazing creations. Visit the “Natural Photography” challenge to learn about how he works with natural materials. Then, create your own masterpiece using items you find in nature. The beach is a perfect place for nature art, but your own backyard can be just as good. Even sticks can surprise us when they are arranged in clever ways! When you’re done, take a photo of your natural work of art and share with a friend in Wizard School!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Learn how to make a photo booth

The first photo booth appeared in the 1920s and quickly became a fun way to capture silly moments with friends! Visit the “Make a Photo Booth” challenge on Wizard School to learn how you can design your own photo booth. Create some neat props for taking pictures, and then let your photo shoot begin!

Share your photographs!

Remember to share your creations with the Wizard School crew. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Looking for more fun challenges? Check out our free summer learning series!

Still need the Wizard School app? Download it FREE on iTunes!

We’ve landed right in middle of summer, a great time for laughter, creativity and play. Let’s make the most of this special season by celebrating all of its remarkable activities. With Wizard School (formerly WonderBox), you can plan a camping trip, invent a new pool jump, log your stories in a journal, learn about the importance of sunglasses, and even design an amazing bridge during your downtime! Learn more about these fun summer activities for kids.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Go on a virtual camping trip

Do you love the great outdoors, sleeping under the stars, and building campfires? Then you’ll love camping! What do you think you will need? What is the best wood for building a campfire? Learn everything you need to know about camping by visiting the “Go Camping” challenge on Wizard School, then plan your very own adventure.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Write a vacation journal

A vacation journal is a way to record the details of your trip. It can be fun to remember special places by writing down stories, drawing out the sights, or collecting keepsakes. Visit the “Vacation Journal” challenge on Wizard School and create a journal by logging the details of your favorite trip, or by describing your dream vacation. Then share your adventure with family and friends.

Source: Flickr / Richard Barley

Make a splash in the pool

Cool off by doing some pool jumps in the heat of summer. What is your favorite pool jump? Which type of jump makes the biggest splash, or the littlest splash? Have you ever recorded a pool jump to see it play back in slow motion? Let’s do it! Record someone jumping into a pool and then watch it on camera.

Source: Flickr / Visit St. Pete/Clearwater

Pop on some sunglasses

Do you think the number one reason to wear sunglasses is to look cool? That’s just an added bonus of the protection sunglasses provide for your eyes. Polarized sunglasses are specially designed to reduce glare off surfaces like glass, water, or snow. But, they don’t do it with a dark tint. Get a crash course in light physics and learn how they work at the same time! Then add some sunglasses to a silly photo of yourself, a friend, or your pet!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Learn how to build a bridge

Every bridge that successfully gets you from one side to the other is a victory of engineering design. Not all bridges have the same structure. Find out about the advantages of different types: beam, truss, suspension, and arch. Learn about different types of building materials, and see some incredible structures in the “Build a Bridge” challenge on Wizard School. Then, create your very own bridge! What type of material will you use to construct your bridge?

Share your summer adventures!

Remember to share your creations with the Wizard School crew. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Looking for more fun challenges? Check out our free summer learning series!

Still need the Wizard School app? Download it FREE on iTunes!

Sharks are intelligent, fascinating creatures – and they’re also quite diverse. In fact, there over 400 species of sharks, ranging from tiny ones that can fit into a fishtank, to incredibly large sharks that survive on fish eggs. In honor of Shark Week, we’ve compiled some interesting facts about these fascinating creatures. Keep reading to learn more!

20 Fascinating Facts About Sharks

Swimming with sharks | Flickr/Mark Yokoyama

1. Not all sharks are dangerous! In fact, only 25 out of all 368 species of sharks are interested in humans.

Whale Shark | Flickr/Bryan Siders

 2. You’re more likely to be hit by an asteroid than die from a shark attack.

Smoothhound Shark Skeleton | Flickr/Vaukalaka

3.  Sharks do not have a single bone in their bodies! Their skeleton is made up of cartilage, which is the exact same thing your ears are made of.

Tooth of pre-historic Megalodon Shark | Adam Jones

4. Sharks predate the dinosaurs by 200 million years.

Megalodon Tooth vs. Modern Shark Jaw | Flickr/Jennifer Bailey

5. The extinct C. megalodon is thought to have been up to 67 feet long, making it the largest known species of shark.

Great White Shark | Flickr/Elias Levy

6. Thanks to its streamlined shape and powerful tails, the great white shark can swim at speeds up to 30 miles (60km) per hour!

Shark Teeth | Flickr/Ian Barbour

7. The exterior of shark teeth contains fluoride – kind of like built-in toothpaste!

Shark and dinosaur | Flickr/Craig Dylke

8. The foot of a duck-billed dinosaur was found with a shark tooth inside it. That’s one brave shark!

Great White Shark | Flickr/Elias Levy

9. Great white sharks off the coast of Seal Island, Africa are known to jump 10 feet to catch seals!

Megalodon Tooth | Flickr/Nicki Dugan Pogue

10. During the Middle Ages, fossilized Megalodon teeth were thought to be the petrified tongues of dragons!

Small Shark | Flickr/Les Chatfield

11. You’re probably bigger than most sharks! 50% are less than 3 feet long, and 30% are between three to six feet long.

Hungry Great White Shark | Flickr/Elias Levy

12. Great white sharks eat 11 tons of food each year. That’s a whopping 22,000 pounds of food!

Shark Pups | Flickr/Vosta

13. Baby sharks are called “pups”.

Shark Pups | Flickr/Timo Newton-Syms

14. Unlike many animals, shark pups leave their mother and swim off to fend for themselves almost immediately after birth.

Shark Jaw | Flickr/Jeff Stvan

15. Unlike most animals, both the shark’s top and and bottom jaw can move separately.

Smiling Shark | Flickr/Holmes Palacios

16. Surprisingly, sharks lose their teeth pretty easily. Thankfully, they can also regrow them! In fact, some sharks will have over 50,000 teeth during their lifetime.

Whale Shark | Flickr/Christian Jensen

17. While both the whale shark and the basking shark are the two largest sharks in the ocean, both feed off of plankton and fish eggs.

Hammerhead Shark | Flickr/Bryan Scott

18. Studies have shown that sharks are quite smart. In fact, they’re capable of mapping trips spanning thousands of miles!

Spined Pygmy Shark | Wikimedia Commons

19. The spined pygmy shark is thought to be the smallest shark, typically measuring a mere 7 or 8 inches in length.

Flickr/Lwp Kommunikáció

20. Sharks are important to the ocean’s ecosystem! Unfortunately, the shark population is rapidly diminishing due to a practice called “shark finning”. In fact, 74 species are currently listed as threatened, and 11 species are critically endangered.

Discover even more fun facts about sharks and learn what you can do to help save them by checking out these fun Shark Week activities on Wizard school!

Still need the wizard school app? Click here to get it for FREE on iTunes!

Sources: Shedd Aquarium | Discovery | National Aquarium | Defenders of Wildlife

Shark Week has finally arrived, and the Wizard School crew (formerly WonderBox) is beyond excited! All week long, we’ll be learning all about these fascinating creatures. Dive into these fun Shark Week activities to understand why sharks serve such an important role in the ocean ecosystem. Before you know it, you’ll be the smartest shark around!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Learn why it’s important to save sharks

Why is it so important to save sharks? Millions of sharks are impacted by people every year. Help get the word out that overfishing is a big threat to ocean health. Learn how these predators help maintain balance in the ocean food chain. Then, make a poster telling your friends the truth about these toothy fish, and save a shark!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Discover the anatomy of a shark

Why do sharks have more than one eyelid? How many fins does a shark have? What happens when a shark loses its teeth? More importantly, how do sharks get by without any bones? Discover answers to these questions and more in the “Build a Shark” challenge on Wizard School. When you’re done, use the built-in design tools to design your own shark!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Look inside a shark’s jaw

Did you know that sharks have incredibly unique jaws and teeth? And no, it’s not just because they’re big! Visit the “Build a Shark Jaw” challenge to learn all kinds of interesting facts, then build your very own shark jaw.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Explore the ocean

If you live near the ocean, chances are you have some shark neighbors! Different types of sharks live in different kinds of ocean habitats–shallow, deep, hot, cold—all around the globe. Check out “The Ocean Depths” challenge on Wizard School to discover where certain types of  sharks live, then make an ocean diagram to show what’s lurking in the waters below.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Make a food chain

Big sharks have a critical role in the oceans. They keep the whole system in balance, controlling the numbers of smaller fish, which in turn controls the amount of algae. Visit the “Make a Food Chain” challenge to learn more about how animals, plants and even the sun are connected. Then, make an ocean food chain to show how sharks impact the rest of the ocean.

Ready to embark on another adventure?

See what’s next on our Summer of Wonder calendar! Remember to share your Shark Week creations with the Wizard School crew. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Have you explored Wizard School yet? Download it FREE on iTunes!

From Angola to Zimbabwe, Africa is an incredibly diverse continent that is comprised of many different countries, cultures and landscapes. Interested in learning more about this beautiful continent? Check out these absolutely fascinating kid-friendly facts about Africa!

Great Sphinx of Giza | Credit: Flickr

1. Africa is the world’s oldest populated area. Archaeologists have found evidence that the human species has lived on the content for roughly 7 million years!

Map of Africa | Source: Wikimedia Commons

2. The continent of Africa is comprised of 54 countries and one territory.

Source: Mr. Gray History

3. There are eight major geographical regions in Africa, each with its own unique landscape: the Sahara Desert, the savanna, the Sahel, the African Great Lakes, the Swahili Coast, South Africa and the rain forest.

Sahara Desert | Credit: Flickr/ Francesco Scaramella

4. The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. In fact, it’s bigger than the United States!

African Elephant Walking on Savanna in South Africa | Source: Flickr – miquitos

5. The African savanna is a tropical grassland that is quite large in size, covering roughly half of the continent. This area includes the Serengeti, which is famous for its wildlife.

Kids in the Sahel region | Flickr – EC/ECHO/Anouk Delafortrie

6. The Sahel is a strip of dry land stretching across Northern Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to The Red Sea.

Lake Victoria in Kampala, Uganda | Credit: Flickr – J J

7. Lake Victoria – one of Africa’s Great Lakes – is 26,560 square miles in size, making it the second largest fresh water lake in the world.

Chwaka, Zanzibar | Credit: Flickr – Trevor Leyenhorst

8. The Swahili Coast is an 1,800-mile stretch of Kenyan and Tanzanian coastline. Since the 2nd century A.D., it has been the site of cultural and commercial exchanges between East Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.

Eastern Cape, South Africa | Credit: Flickr – bass_nroll

9. Although South Africa takes up only 1% of Earth’s land surface, it is home to 6% of the world’s mammals and reptiles.

Nyungwe National Park Rainforest | Source: Flickr – Rwanda Government

10. While Africa’s rainforests are home to half of the continent’s animal species, they’ve come under serious threat. Unfortunately, roughly 90% of West Africa’s rainforests have already been wiped out.

Giraffes in Botswana | Source: Flickr – Kasia Wallis

11. Africa is home to the largest-remaining populations of lions, elephants, rhinoceros, cheetahs, hyenas and leopards.

Nile River –  Murchison Falls in Uganda | Credit: Flickr – Rod Waddington

12. The Nile River is the longest river in the world, spanning a whopping 4,135 miles (6,650 kilometers).

Lagos, Nigeria | Credit: Flickr – Philippe Roos

13. Lagos, Nigeria is the largest city on the African continent with over 13 million residents. That’s over 1.5x larger than the population of New York City!

Children in Africa | Credit: Flickr – yplouf

14. Before it was colonized, Africa was made up of around 10,000 different states and groups. Each had their own distinct languages and customs!

View of the Nile River from space | Credit: Flickr – Stuart Rankin

15. Egypt receives only around one inch of rain every year. Thankfully, heavy rain in Ethiopia causes the Nile River to flood every summer, bringing much needed water to Egypt’s plants and crops.

Johannesburg, South Africa | Credit: Flickr – Paul Saad

16. There are an estimated 1,500 – 2,000 languages spoken on the continent of Africa! More than 500 languages are spoken in Nigeria alone, and the country of South Africa has 11 official languages.

Cape Town, South Africa | Credit: Flickr – Loren Kerns

17. Despite being the second-largest continent in the world, Africa has the shortest coastline! This is due to the many bays that extend out of the coastline.

Looking from Europe to Africa across the Strait of Gibraltar | Credit: Flickr – José Rambaud

18. While Europe and Africa may seem far apart, they’re actually separated by less than 9 miles of water at the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Spain from Morocco.

Timbuktu | Credit: Flickr – Carsten ten Brink

19. University of Timbuktu (located in the Republic of Mali) is one of the oldest universities in the world. By the 12th century, the school was attracting thousands of students from all over the continent.

Ancient Bible written in Ge’ez | Credit: Flickr – Eileen Dehli

20. Ethiopia is the only African country with its own alphabet, called Ge’ez. It has been in use since the 5th century, making it one of the world’s oldest alphabets still in use.

Pyramids in Sudan | Credit: Flickr – Jeffery Wong

21. While Egypt is known for its pyramids, Sudan actually has more. To date, more than 200 pyramids have been discovered in Sudan!

Sign in both French and English in Mauritius | Credit: Flickr – Ashok Prabhakaran

22. French is the fastest growing language in Africa. In fact, the continent is home to 50% of the world’s French-speaking population!

View of Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya | Credit: Flickr – Craig Vershaw

23. Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest mountain in Africa, rising 19,341 feet above sea level. That’s roughly 3.6 miles high!

Thaba-Tseka, Lesotho | Credit: Flickr – Michael Jansen

24. There’s a small country called Lesotho located within South Africa’s borders! It is home to just over 2 million people.

Boabab Trees | Credit: Flickr – Ralph Kränzlein

25. The baobab tree is common in many parts of Africa. Known as “the tree of life”, some baobabs are estimated to be over 1,000 years old. One boabab in South Africa has grown so large, it has a circumference of 155 feet!

Swazi Kids | Credit: Flickr – Caitlin

Ready to discover even more fun facts about Africa? Check out these fun Africa Week activities on Wizard school! 

Still need the wizard school app? Click here to get it for FREE on iTunes!

Fact sources: National Geographic | National Geographic Kids | One.org | PBS | Wikipedia

Featured Image: Flickr – David Schenfeld

Have you ever dreamed of going on an African safari, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or visiting the Sahara Desert? We have! Join us on Wizard School (formerly WonderBox) as we explore Africa and learn more about this fascinating continent through a wide variety of fun and creative activities.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Discover what it’s like to climb Mount Kilimanjaro

Mt. Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania, a country in east Africa and is often called the “roof of Africa” because it’s the tallest mountain on the continent. Did you know that Mt. Kilimanjaro is also an inactive volcano? Check out the “Climb Mount Kilimanjaro” challenge on Wizard School to learn everything you need to know about climbing this peak. Then, use the built-in design tools to add yourself to a photo from the summit and send it to a friend!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Create a safari scene

African safaris give visitors a chance to observe animals like elephants, lions, hippos, rhinos, and gorillas in their natural environments. Going on safari involves riding in an open air vehicle with a canopy for protection from the hot sun. The seats are arranged to allow great views for wildlife photography. Check out the “Safari Scene” challenge on Wizard School to see what it’s like to go on an African safari. Then, use Wizard School’s built-in design tools to create a safari scene and share it with a friend.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Play an African Djembe

Drum beats are powerful, rhythmic, and pulsing. Learn about the Djembe, a traditional African hand drum that’s one of West Africa’s best known instruments. Then, find something around the house you can use as a drum (or make your own), and take a video of you playing it. Share your beats with a friend!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Visit the Sahara Desert

The Sahara is the largest hot desert on earth. The Sahara’s combination of sand, stone, heat and wind makes it one of the world’s most rugged and remarkable landscapes. What would it be like to trek across the desert on a camel’s back? Learn more about the Sahara Desert, then use the design tools to draw your very own desert scene.

Ready to embark on another adventure?

See what’s next on our Summer of Wonder calendar! Remember to share your African adventures with the Wizard School crew. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Have you explored Wizard school yet? Download it FREE on iTunes!

While it’s incredibly important for children to develop empathy, every parent and teach can agree that it’s not easy by any means to actually teach empathy. However, Sarah Healy – who teaches second grade at Greer Elementary School – managed to do just that. In fact, her lesson was so successful, it spread far beyond her second grade classroom, inspiring empathy throughout the entire school and community. The project was even featured on local news!

Check out the inspiring story of how she used technology to teach empathy:

Interested in creating a similar project? Here’s how to teach empathy using tech:

1. Pick an important cause
Sarah’s class created a campaign for their local animal shelter, run by the SPCA. This was a great choice for elementary-level students, as the cause – helping animals in need – is one that’s a bit easier for them to connect with.

2. Decide on the action you’d like others to take
In this instance, the students decided to collect pet food for cats and dogs at the SPCA. Again, this is a great choice, as it’s a low-cost item, making it easier for other students to contribute.

3. Craft your campaign 
The second graders at Greer Elementary created a fantastic video campaign using the free ChatterPix Kid app. This is quite easy, even for those that don’t have advanced technical skills:

• Write a short campaign message.
• Obtain the photo(s) you wish to use in your campaign. In this instance, students used photos of animals currently up for adoption at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA.
• Download ChatterPix Kid on your classroom device(s).
• Import the image you wish to use and record your campaign message on ChatterPix.

The finished product will be a cool talking image that relays your campaign message to others!

4. Share your campaign
Over the course of two weeks, the 2nd graders’ ChatterPix images were shared during morning announcements at Greer Elementary. This inspired students throughout the school to take action and donate to the cause.

At the end of the two weeks, Sarah’s students had collected over 200 items for the local SPCA, and were rewarded with a visit from a 9 1/2 month old SPCA puppy named Wilbur.

“For them it was a way to take something out of the community and do something for someone else, rather than thinking of themselves,” said Sarah Healy.

Click here for more great examples of ChatterPix in the classroom!

Calling all green thumbs! Are you ready to go green, get dirty, and learn about growing a garden this summer? Let’s start by digging into Wizard School (formerly WonderBox) to learn about planting seeds, creating compost, and crazy carnivorous plants. Wizard can’t wait to grow gardens with you!

Source: Flickr: Ruth Hartnup

Learn how to plant a garden

Nothing is more rewarding than planting a seed and watching it grow, especially when the end result is a beautiful flower or a tasty vegetable! Check out the “Plant a Garden” challenge to learn some gardening basics, then start your own garden and send a photo of it to a friend.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Learn more about compost

Composting is the process of helping food scraps and other plant waste break down, or decompose, into soil. With the right mixture and conditions, you can produce dirt that will feed your garden the minerals and microbes it needs to grow big and strong. Why not make your own nutrient-rich dirt by composting? Learn more about composting in our “Create a Compost” challenge on Wizard School. When you’re done, photograph your compost station, decorate it, and send it to friends to inspire composting in your neighborhood!

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Discover carnivorous plants!

Although they sound like something out of a horror movie, meat-eating carnivorous plants are for real. Although they make their own food (sugar) like other plants by converting sunlight, they get minerals by eating animals instead of by using roots to draw nutrition from the soil. The Venus Fly Trap is the most famous carnivorous plant. Check out the “Hungry Plants” challenge to watch them in action as they trap their favorite snacks. Then, use Wizard School’s built-in design tools to make one talk!

Share Your Gardening Skills!

Don’t forget to share your creations with the Wizard School crew. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Have you explored Wizard School yet? Download it FREE on iTunes!

Who says that creativity has to come in the form of traditional arts and crafts? In fact, there are many ways to express your creativity! The options for artistry are endless, and we love to dream up new ways to express our creativity on Wizard School (formerly WonderBox). Check out these three unique ways to express your creativity this summer. 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Learn how to create a tablescape

A tablescape is the artistic arrangement of a table, including the centerpiece, tablecloth, and dishes that are chosen to complete a place setting. Tablescapes vary based on the season and occasion. Is your event formal or informal? What types of dishware, glassware and cutlery will you use? Open Wizard School to see examples, and then design your very own tablescape!

Source: WonderBox App

Make food art

Who said you needed pencil and paper to make art? Did you know that food can be used as an art form? People use food to create models of people, animals, and many other things. Some also present their food in a unique design that not only makes food enjoyable to look at, but even more fun to eat! Take a photo of your edible art and then share it with a friend.

Created on Wizard School

Write an acrostic poem

Poetry is a great way to express yourself! Did you know that poems don’t always have to rhyme? Acrostic poems are fun because they don’t always follow poetry rules. An acrostic poem uses the letters of a word to make a full poem. Acrostic poems are fun because the word written vertically is the first word in that line of the poem. Learn all about acrostic poems and then write your very own!

Share your artwork!

Remember to share your creations with the Wizard School crew. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Looking for more fun challenges? Check out our free summer learning series!

Still need the Wizard School app? Download it FREE on iTunes!