Pip the Dog (Citizenship/Engl) app for iPhone and iPad

Digital Mysteries: Pip the Dog is a unique app for 7-11 year olds which allows pairs to work simultaneously on one iPad on a citizenship/English task. They must discuss and collaborate along the way.

Children are introduced to an engaging story about a young girl who finds a dog in the park. Although the girl, called Emma, is really fond of Pip (the dog), users must consider lots of different things to answer “Should Emma be allowed to keep Pip?” There are 25 snippets of information to help them discuss this together. These include facts about how Emma found Pip, Emmas family, her pocket money, her friends and the various responsibilities of actually owning and taking care of a dog.

Users typically move through an easy-to-follow, segmented process – they must first read through slips of illustrated information, then think of names for groups and sort the slips into them. They can then move to a stage where they lay out the slips in a chain and use sticky tapes and notes to help make sense of everything.

Although the app has been primarily created to help with ‘Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education’ and English, it also has cross curricular links with science in relation to life processes and living things: humans and other animals, and can also be used to foster the development of generic higher order thinking skills.

Some possible outcomes and goals of using the app are:

PSHE/citizenship - The mystery could be used to stimulate discussion in two particular areas:

1) Developing confidence and responsibility

Relevant learning objectives might include:
* to recognise what is fair and unfair, and what is right and wrong
* to share their opinions on things that matter to them and explain their views
* to recognise, name and deal with their feelings in a positive way

2) Preparing to play an active role as citizens

Relevant learning objectives might include:
* to take part in discussions with small groups and the whole class
* to take part in a simple debate about a topical issue
* to recognise choices they can make, and recognise the difference between right and wrong
* to realise that people and other living things have needs, and that they have responsibilities to meet them

English
The mystery could also be used to support the development of group discussion and interaction:

Relevant learning objectives might include:
*To take turns in speaking
*To relate their contributions to what has gone on before - building on the ideas of others
*To take different views into account
*To extend their ideas in the light of discussion

Science
The mystery connects to life processes and living things: humans and other animals. It could be used to stimulate discussion about animal welfare, particularly ‘how to treat animals with care and sensitivity’.

Thinking skills
Learning objectives relating to the generic thinking skills that the mystery aims to develop might include:

*To justify ideas with reasons
*To form a well-structured explanation
*To speculate and draw inferences from information.

How can I try other mysteries?

At the bottom of the app details tab, tap ‘Developer Apps’ to view our current range. There are apps for computing, history, geography, maths, science, citizenship and a Shakespeare bundle and more.