As we close out 2012, we’re looking back on the great things in social media and tech that caught our eye this year. We’re calling it The 5s! Today, we highlight 5 great educational apps from 2012.

Scholastic has a treasure trove of apps for teachers, parents and kids. From Storia to Sushi Monster. But today we look at five other “education” apps that caught our attention in the last 12 months.

Are you using any of these? What are your favorites?

Learnist — There’s a lot of buzz about what people are calling “the Pinterest of education.” Learnist lets you pull content onto “Learnboards,” and then organize, sequence and annotate. Teachers are using the service to create lessons rich with web content.

Mindsnacks — The folks at Mindsnacks have created a series of simple game apps for adults or kids to practice foreign languages — from Spanish to French to Chinese. Next time you’re in line at the supermarket, instead of flipping through the National Inquirer you can learn some Spanish!

Chess Academy for Kids — This nifty little apps teaches kids the basics of chess. Common Sense Media says it’s like having a “personal chess tutor” in your pocket.

Paper — This beautiful app is essentially a set of creation tools that brings notebook drawing, sketching and coloring into the iPad age. Drawing apps are often confusing and cluttered — this one is simple and easy to use!

Spacecraft 3D — This augmented reality app from NASA lets kids maneuver and manipulate 3D animations of NASA spacecrafts, including the Curiosity rover that is currently exploring the surface of Mars.