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Introduction to App Making Facts & Worksheets

Smartphones and mobile applications have become an integral part of our lives and we rely on them for many things – communication, entertainment, productivity and so much more! Learning to develop mobile apps is an invaluable skill in our digital age.

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Smartphones and mobile applications have become an integral part of our lives and we rely on them for many things – communication, entertainment, productivity and so much more! Learning to develop mobile apps is an invaluable skill in our digital age. Today, there are many platforms available that allow beginners to build their own mobile apps without having to go through years of studying programming. For this lesson, we will be using App Lab as our platform.

See the fact file below for more information on the introduction to app making or alternatively, you can download our 28-page Introduction to App Making worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Brief History of Mobile Applications

  • In April 1973, Martin Cooper of Motorola made the first cellular phone call to Dr. Joel Engel. This publicity stunt happened in New York.
  • The DynaTAC 8000X, manufactured by Motorola, was the world’s first cellular phone sold for public use. This handheld device was still not capable of running mobile apps.
  • In the early 90s, PSION came up with EPOC operating system, which were used for their portable devices. It enabled users to run programs such as word processors, diary, and databases.
  • The first smartphone for public use was made by IBM, International Business Machines Corporations, back in 1993.
  • It was equipped with a calendar, contact book, world clock, and calculator.
  • Palm developed the Garnet OS back in 1996, which served as a “personal digital assistant” to its users. Its power is similar to a personal computer. These devices held the first recognizable apps, which helped users handle documents, manage their calendar, send emails, store contact information, etc.
  • Big companies such as Sony Ericsson, Motorola, and Nokia joined forces in 1998 to build Symbian Ltd. The EPOC operating system became Symbian OS, which was “designed to run on ARM processors and was used to power some of the most powerful smartphones at the time”.
  • However, Google’s Android started to dominate the mobile application scene around 2010.
  • Currently, there are 8.93 million apps available in the market according to a report from RiskIQ.

App Lab and the App Making Process

  • Code.org, with a mission to make computer science more accessible in schools, developed App Lab. App Lab is a free online app making platform designed to help anyone, especially beginners, to create simple shareable apps. Users can code their apps using blocks or text (Javascript).
  • To access App Lab, the user must first create an account. Click the link to create your account: https://studio.code.org/users/sign_up
  • Once you have signed into your account, you will immediately be led to App Lab. This programming environment has three main parts: Your App, Tool Box and Workspace.
  • On the left side of your screen, you will see the visual design of your app.
  • In the middle of your screen, you will see your toolbox which has all your coding blocks.
  • To build your program, you must drag coding blocks from the toolbox to your workspace which is found at the right side of your screen.
  • Before building your app, you need an idea to work on. This will serve as the backbone of the whole app development project. Ask yourself these questions as you do your research
  • “What is the purpose of this app?”
  • “What problem am I trying to solve or what need is it that I am trying to fulfill using this app?”
  • “Is this something that people will find useful/fun?”
  • “Are there too many apps similar to this that are already available in the market?”
  • Once you have decided on an app idea to work on, it is time to think about the visual design and user flow of your mobile app. Create a “storyboard” for your app. How can you make this app easy to navigate for any user?
  • Once you have a solid plan for your app, you can start designing it. Go to design mode and drag all the necessary elements from your toolbox to your screen. If you have more than 1 screen, fill each screen with all the necessary elements before you start coding.
  • Click on an app element to edit its properties. For example, to change the label of the button to “start”, click on this element and change the text from “button” to “start”.
  • Building an app means making it work. Your app will not function without code.
  • Go to code mode to start programming. In the same way, click on an app element to code it. This lesson focuses on using block-based programming.
  • During the final stages, it is very important to test the newly-built app to see if it functions well. Make sure to check the following:
    • If all the app elements’ properties and behave and perform as expected.
    • If it is easy for users to navigate across all screens.
    • If the app is user-friendly (easy to use and understand).
  • If the testing is successful, you can now share your app with other people. To share your app, simply click the “Share” button found at the top left of your screen. Copy the link given and send it to your friends and family!

Introduction to App Making Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Introduction to App Making across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Introduction to App Making worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the smartphones and mobile applications which have become an integral part of our lives and we rely on them for many things – communication, entertainment, productivity and so much more! Learning to develop mobile apps is an invaluable skill in our digital age. Today, there are many platforms available that allow beginners to build their own mobile apps without having to go through years of studying programming. For this lesson, we will be using App Lab as our platform.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Mobile Apps
  • App Making Process
  • App Elements
  • Adding a New Screen
  • Adding Buttons
  • Pet Love App
  • Color-Changing Chameleon
  • Greeting App
  • Color Personality Quiz
  • My Dream App

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Link will appear as Introduction to App Making Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 3, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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