TitleWatch, September 2000


	September 2000 Copyright © Information Today, Inc.
by Kathie Felix, News/Reviews Editor
TitleWatch lists recently released educational software products that relate to the K-12 curriculum. This list is primarily but not exclusively comprised of CD-ROM products; other formats (diskettes, videodiscs) are noted in the text. Suggestions for entries and press releases should be addressed to Kathie Felix at 5746 Union Mill Rd., PMB 605, Clifton, VA 20124 or to kfelix@infotoday.com. (All titles are CD-ROM unless otherwise noted.)

Cross-Curriculum

Dinosaur Hunter Deluxe updates the original program with 3-D visuals in a two-CD set. Youngsters can follow the footsteps of famous paleontologists as they search and assemble fossils, travel to different prehistoric periods, and examine files containing extensive dinosaur information. More than 50 species are represented in 60,000 words, 700 information pop-up screens, 500 illustrations, and 60 animations and videos. $20—Win CD-ROM. DK Interactive Learning, 877/342-5357 or http://www.dk.com/.

Early Learning
Two new titles in the My First CD-ROM series introduce subject area concepts, using intelligent software tracking to adapt to each child’s ability. My First CD-ROM Math focuses on sorting, matching, sequencing, and counting. Activities include Make a Match, Shoot the Shapes, Number Tiles, Perfect Patterns, and Supergame. My First CD-ROM Reading helps youngsters understand letter sounds and phonics, recognize upper- and lowercase letters, learn alphabetical order, identify rhyming words, and read key sight words. $20—Win/Mac CD-ROM (both titles). DK Interactive Learning, 877/342-5357 or http://www.dk.com/.

Oz—The Magical Adventure celebrates the 100th anniversary of Frank Baum’s children’s classic, The Wizard of Oz, with an adventure game designed to cultivate curiosity and reinforce early learning skills. Children travel with the Tin Woodman, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion as they search for Dorothy, who has been captured by the Wicked Witch. To rescue Dorothy, youngsters must solve problems and play games that explore concepts such as deductive reasoning, spatial recognition with colors and shapes, and logical thinking.

Three levels of play and four game environments are featured. $20—Win/Mac CD-ROM. DK Interactive Learning, 877/342-5357 or http://www.dk.com/.

Language Arts

Courtside Reading, a supplemental multimedia reading program, lets students take on the role of sports reporters gathering research from player interviews and articles. The box set includes a CD-ROM and 40 reading cards with information about and interviews with NBA and WNBA players including Gary Payton, Allan Houston, and Teresa Weatherspoon. Also included are a CD-ROM user’s guide, 48-page teacher’s resource book, 40 answer cards, 30 award certificates, and basketball trading card packs. The program is designed to help students develop reading, writing, and vocabulary skills; provide practice with standardized tests; and highlight values such as teamwork, commitment, and respect. Box A focuses on third and fourth grades; Box B is geared toward fifth and sixth grades. $249—Mac/Win hybrid CD-ROM. Scholastic, 800/724-6527 or http://www.scholastic.com/.

Language Skills, a series developed for grades 3-6, provides students with customized focused practice, immediate feedback, and test prep activities designed to help them become confident writers. Each grade level covers 96 grade-appropriate skill sets with activities in three major categories—grammar and usage, sentences, and mechanics. Exercises become progressively difficult. Based on the foundation skills in the Language Skills books series. $35—Mac/Win hybrid CD-ROM. Curriculum Associates, 800/225-0248 or http://www.curriculumassociates.com/.

Vowel Patterns, for grades 1-3, helps students to explore the ways that single vowel sounds can be made of more than one letter, as well as the ways that certain consonant and vowel patterns can influence the sound of a vowel. Activities include identifying vowel sounds, sorting pictures into groups, building words, reading and sorting words, and composing rhymes, sentences, and dialog. Designed by Tenth Planet. $90—Mac/Win hybrid CD-ROM, single user. $300—lab pack, 10 users. $900—school pack, 80 users. $900—network. Sunburst, 800/321-7511 or http://www.sunburst.com/.

Mathematics

Boxer Geometry features 102 activities in nine topic areas, forming a full year of lessons from Foundations of Geometry to Fractals and Impossible Problems from Antiquity. Students can create points, lines, and angles in real-world problems and can apply coordinates to build a bridge between algebra and geometry. Tutorials guide users step-by-step through the concepts of geometry. A management system allows teachers to assess each student’s individual needs and progress. The program is available in a disc version and online. A sample is available online at http://www.boxermath.com. A CD-ROM demo is also available. $195—Win CD-ROM, single user. $595—lab pack, 5 CDs. $995—lab pack. 10 CDs. $1,595—network site license, 50 users. $1,995—network site license, unlimited users. Boxer Learning, Inc. 800/736-2824 or http://www.boxerlearning.com/.

GeoSafari Knowledge Pad: The Math Series presents four sequential mathematics programs aligned to National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards: Beginning Math (K-first grade), Addition & Subtraction (first and second grade), Multiplication & Division (third and fourth grade), and Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages (fifth and sixth grade). Each features arcade-style quiz games, pop-down window quiz instructions for easy navigation, and an assessment tool to track student progress. A 16-page teaching guide is included. $25—Mac/Win hybrid CD-ROM. Educational Insights, 800/995-0506 or http://www.educationalinsights.com/.

Science

The Magic Schoolbus Explores Bugs, the eighth title in the series designed for children ages 6-10, takes a look at the outdoor world. Students join science teacher Ms. Frizzle and her inquisitive class to search for more than 80 different bugs that have escaped from the class terrariums. Youngsters learn that bugs can be beautiful and beneficial through interactive activities that include examining reports, discovering facts, and playing games. $20—Mac/Win hybrid CD-ROM. Microsoft, http://www.microsoft.com/kids/.

Social Studies/History

18th Century World History, for middle and high school audiences, presents 900 text and image entries that explore the cultures, events, personalities, inventions, movements, and religious developments of the 18th century. The disc includes primary source documents and images, biographies and reference articles, maps and statistics, curriculum-based content that dovetails with print resources and lesson plans, and a search engine that sorts by name, subject, and media type. The material can be used to create customized computer, overhead, and print presentations combining CD-ROM resources and student work. $79—Mac/Win hybrid CD-ROM, single user. $199—lab pack. $389—site license. ABC-CLIO Interactive, 800/368-6868 or http://www.abc-clio.com/.

Each unit in the American Memory Primary Sources series organizes 150-200 primary sources with accompanying bibliographic information from the Library of Congress American Memory collections. The series includes four units developed for grades 8-12 that focus on historical topics organized around the themes of Identity, Power, Environment, and Culture. Each features a 144-page curriculum guide, CD-ROM, and access to a special Primary Resources Web site. The CD-ROM includes the primary sources, an illustrated timeline of key events, a glossary of terms and short biographies, an atlas and a locator map, and links to the Library of Congress American Memory Web site. $70—Mac/Win hybrid CD-ROM, single unit price. $225—complete series of four units. $100—additional CDs, five pack. Classroom Connect, 800/638-1639 or http://www.classroom.com/.

Tools

HyperStudio 4 brings an updated hybrid version of the landmark multimedia presentation program to the classroom. The new features include: a curriculum content library with graphics, photos, backgrounds, sound clips, animations, digital movies, music tracks, project-based text files, and URLs; 32 real-world projects for students to complete with teacher guidance; tutorials and project-based activities with ready-made card templates; and a new Teacher’s Guide. Also new are drag-and-drop functions, Internet-based functions, hyperlogo “click programming,” and enhanced sound, video, and editing functions. $200—teacher edition with two copies of the software, a Teacher’s Guide and User’s Guide. $295—lab pack, five users. $795—lab pack, 15 users. Upgrade pricing for current HyperStudio users is available. Knowledge Adventure, 800/545-7677 or http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/.

The Learn & Live CD-ROM includes all of the content of the George Lucas Educational Foundation’s (GLEF) award-winning documentary of the same title, its 300-page companion resource book, as well as updates on the film stories and articles. The disc’s digital toolkit allows users to view digital clips from the documentary and to access a range of related content, including relevant Web sites and questions and answers about the featured programs. Bonus resources on the CD include the entire archive of GLEF’s semi-annual newsletter, Edutopia. The Learn & Live documentary, hosted by Robin Williams, was originally released in 1997. $6—Mac/Win hybrid CD-ROM, single copy price. The George Lucas Educational Foundation, 888/475-4371 or http://www.glef.org/ .

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