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Review by Debbie Gorrell, Common Sense Education | Updated November 2013

Oh Say Can You Seed?

Name: Oh Say Can You Seed?
Item: Oh Say Can You Seed?
Rating: 3
Author: Debbie Gorrell

Dig in and learn about plants with Cat in the Hat and friends

Subjects & skills

Grades This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.

K–2

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5 images

Diagrams help kids learn parts of flowering plants.

Two reading options are offered: Read to Me or Read It Myself.

Cat in the Hat teaches kids the basics of photosynthesis.

Kids learn about the practical uses of plants, including using plants to make medicine.

Kids can tap bolded words to learn their definitions.

Pros: Students get lots of information about plants in a fun and engaging story.

Cons: Interactivity is somewhat limited, and there's no built-in comprehension review or assessment.

Bottom Line: Oh Say Can You Seed? is a good way to introduce kids to the world of plants while supporting early literacy.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Oh Say Can You Seed? is a fun way to begin a science unit about plants. You can give students a list of vocabulary words to find as they take turns reading in small groups. Or, you can read the story to the class and have kids work collaboratively to develop an illustrated glossary list on chart paper. You may need to eliminate some of the more advanced terms, depending on kids' learning levels. After reading the story, bring in some marigold seeds and have kids grow their own flowering plants. Another option is to bring in some fruits and vegetables and have kids explore the different plant parts.

What Is It?

Editor's Note: Oh Say Can You Seed? is no longer listed on the developer's website. It appears to have been removed from all of the app stores where it was once available.

Oh Say Can You Seed? is a digital version of a book about plants from the Cat in the Hat's Learning Library. On the home screen, kids can choose from two reading options: Read to Me and Read It Myself. In the Read to Me option, the Cat in the Hat tells the story as words are highlighted. In both reading options, students can tap bolded words to learn their definitions, and they can tap pictures to hear and see the pictures with labels. Several of the pages include basic animations that help kids learn different concepts like photosynthesis and plant structure and function. A voice record option lets users record their voices narrating the story, which adds a nice personal touch to the learning experience while supporting speech and language development.

Is It Good for Learning?

By reading, tapping words in bold, and watching animations within the story, kids can learn plant terminology and related concepts like photosynthesis, pollination, and seed dispersal. Kids can tap on pictures to hear and see the pictures with labels, and static diagrams of plant parts are clear and well designed. However, certain concepts may be too advanced for young learners, and the section about pollination was a little confusing. Forced rhyming overshadows clarity.

A slight shortcoming of the ebook is that it does not give kids an opportunity to practice or assess what they learned. Some post-reading interactive activities and a glossary would be a welcome addition.

Rating Details

Overall Rating

Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

Rhymes, tappable words, and interactive pictures will get kids interested. Fun facts about plants and familiar Dr. Seuss characters will keep kids reading to learn more.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Kids tap to learn new vocabulary and view illustrations and diagrams to learn more detailed science concepts. Topics are well organized and progress smoothly throughout the story.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

Moving through the app is easy, and pages can be accessed from a main menu. A glossary and some practice activities would help solidify learning.

Common Sense Reviewer

Debbie Gorrell Educator

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Teacher Reviews

Featured review by
Eva H. , Technology coordinator

Technology coordinator

learning about seeds in an interactive way

Overall, I like this app. Students are exposed to multiple vocabulary words, including words most likely above their level. Although the book is long, it does provide a lot of information about seeds and plants. I could see this app being used as a lesson guide rather than an independent activity at a center.

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