This app helps kids learn the 50 US state capitals. There are several modes and variations that help reduce the monotony of drilling and don't require a second person to hold up flash cards.
Way Simple Capitals is for
iPhones and iPods running iOS7 or iOS8. To begin a quiz, select the Way Simple Capitals icon (see left) to start the App. Select Easy or Harder to begin the quiz. The app will will randomly
ask you the capitals of the 50 US States. Stop the quiz at any time
and get your score. Also from the Start screen, you can view the best scores of the previous quizzes.
Easy Mode
This playing mode will present a multiple-choice
quiz. Select a capital or state from a list. Go to
Settings to configure the quiz to randomly ask for state
given a capital or a capital given a state.
Harder Mode
This playing mode requires that you type in the capital or
state name. Go to settings to vary the question
type as in Easy mode.
Auto-complete is turned on so if your typed response is
recognizable, the text field will display a suggestion.
Click within the text field to accept the suggestion.
This is especially useful in portrait mode where the
keyboard is small.
Versions
Version 1.4 has been released to the app store. This version introduces an optional Focus List which allows you to customize the quiz to the answers selected in the Focus List Screen. Swipe left from the home screen to define a list of your problem capitals. Go to Settings to configure your quiz to use the focus list rather than the full 50 capitals list.
Version 1.5 will be submitted in November 2014. It's going to add the ability to adjust the Focus List from the results page. For example, if you get a capital wrong on a quiz, you'll be able to add that capital to the Focus List without having to go back to the Home screen. There will also be a minor Settings addition that will display the installed version identifier to help with bug tracking.
Version 1.6 will be submitted in December 2014 / start of 2015. This will add in European capitals.
I'm also planning a Version 2.0 which will add game and crowdsourcing functionality. Game mode will allow you to race another user head-to-head. The crowdsourcing functionality will be a public online report of users' problem capitals (kept anonymously with opt-in required).
The following images are screenshots from Way Simple
Capitals.
From the Start screen, "Easy" will start a multiple choice
quiz. "Harder" will require you to type the answer.
"Scores" -- if configured in settings -- will take you to a list of the 5 highest Easy scores and the 5 highest Harder scores.
Start Screen
Auto-correct will be available
after you have typed something close to the answer. A box will appear above the text field. Click within the text field to accept the answer.
Take Quiz - Enter Capital or State in Text Field
The multiple choice ("Easy") mode is quick.
Easy Play - No Typing Needed
There is a setting that will vary the asking of capitals
and states. The setting takes effect after you restart
the quiz (after you press Easy or Harder).
"Use Focus List" is available in Version 1.4.
Settings - Vary States and Capitals
You can take a partial quiz by pressing "Finish".
Otherwise, the quiz will ask 50 states or capitals and go
to the results screen.
View Results - Stop Quiz at Any Time
A focus list customizes the set of questions that will be asked in a quiz.
From the Start Screen, swipe left to bring up the Focus List Screen. Check the values to restrict the quiz to just these questions. Visit the Settings page to make sure that the Use Focus List property is set. Start a new quiz. The Focus List Screen is available in Version 1.4.
Focus List - Customize Your Quiz
Privacy
Follow this link to view the Way Simple Capitals privacy policy.
