CD/ROM

Gr 3 Up–Student scientists are challenged to use physics, logic, and lots of imagination to build machines that cook sausages over a flame, light blinking bulbs, drop boxes into a bin, or fire a cannon with a basketball. By adding pipes, candles, gears, belts, and more than 70 other elements to the half-finished contraptions, users can solve more than 200 pre-designed puzzles of increasing difficulty. The machines allow players to experiment with magnets, electricity, steam power, gravity, and explosives. The puzzles have multiple solutions, so young scientists are not limited to a packaged design. These half-finished machines are sometimes a little frustrating, but always addictive and fun. Students can also create their own inventions and test them in the “My Lab” section, which provides all the tools necessary to create a myriad of wacky machines. Directions are clear, installation very quick and easy, and the instruction manual includes function keys and descriptions of all tools. Graphics are fun and have realistic shadows, light, and detail; the sound effects are just plain fun. The CD-ROM contains additional information and hints on how to play. This is a great combination brain teaser/puzzle game which can keep users entertained for hours, while demonstrating physics and engineering principles. Completely addictive, totally fun, and sneakily educational–count on this program to provide hours of science practice or extracurricular delight for players of all ages.–MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY

K-Gr 5–Scholastic Keys is a kid-friendly interface to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint which uses similar commands and terms to introduce students to Microsoft Office tools in a colorful way. Attractive graphics, templates, tools, sound effects, and movies make it easy to produce eye-catching products with little help. Text that is produced can even be read back to students by the text-to-speech reader (a rather mechanical voice), which would be especially helpful for ESL students, and users can also present projects by recording their own voice. MaxWrite closely resembles Microsoft Word, but the buttons are larger and brighter, and the graphics are kid-friendly. Templates for invitations, flyers, letters, and cards help spark students’ creativity. Very impressive products can be created by inserting tables, borders, pictures, and text effects with a few simple clicks. MaxCount is a simplified and attractive Excel program which helps users manipulate data and create interesting charts and graphs. With MaxShow, PowerPoint presentations are a snap, and students can add animation, original sounds, movies, and hyperlinks to create dazzling slide shows. All programs include a shortcut to MaxPaint, which can be used to create original artwork, or to color and rubber-stamp pictures which can then be added to a personal clipart file. Users can also import pictures, sounds, and video if they can’t find what they want from the 800 images in the clip-art library. The program does sometimes override the Microsoft Office programs, opening when Office programs are needed, but it installs easily and projects can be saved to Office programs. The teacher’s manual includes a generous section of ideas for using the program in the classroom. Scholastic Keys helps teachers incorporate technology skills and enhance lesson plans in reading, writing, and math, and also introduces programs that students will be using for many years in a fun and vibrant format.–MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY