CD-ROM

PreS–Loosely based on Marcus Pfister’s award-winning picture book, The Rainbow Fish, and its sequels, this program is sure to be of interest to preschoolers who have previously enjoyed Pfister’s stories about this beautiful fish with his prized iridescent scales. In this minimally interactive CD-ROM, Rainbow Fish and friends organize a big talent show complete with tap-dancing penguins, a shrimp ballet, and a bandshell orchestra. The attractive, high-quality animation and sound, as well as the music and Pfister’s beautiful artwork, will delight youngsters just beginning to learn to “click and point” with a mouse. The product responds quickly and appropriately and is very easy to navigate, making it a good choice for children with little previous computer experience. In addition, following Rainbow Fish with the little red squid mouse cursor will provide young children and those with special needs with excellent practice in optical tracking and eye-hand coordination. Although there are two levels of difficulty, the program will be best used with three and four year olds since older children will find little, if any, challenge in the interactivity and will likely tire quickly of the program. The disk is easy to install and navigate, and contains well-organized content. Help screens are easy to access and the narration is clear. Even young preschoolers should be able to operate this program with minimal assistance. This software is very appropriate for preschoolers and provides an enjoyable way to help them acquire important visual skills for later reading and writing development.–Kathy H. Barclay, Western Illinois University, Macomb

Gr 8 Up–Since 1906, the goal of Everyman Library has been to distribute the greatest books in the English language in quality and affordable form. The titles selected for this series are considered the world’s greatest classics of the last three millennia written in or translated into English. This series brings seven centuries of literature to students in one captivating, comprehensive collection. The program loads easily from one disc, which installs all necessary files. Stunning graphics, audiovisual tours, extracts, readings, plot summaries, and historical background combine to offer fascinating information about hundreds of authors and their works. Each disc features the same menu bar, options, and general structure, making it easy to navigate or move back and forth between subjects. Research is simplified by book-marking features and a printable on-screen notepad. A powerful search engine allows users to search by writer, era, format, genre, theme, position on a timeline, and more. Interactive master classes on each disc allow students to research a variety of relevant topics, and the remarkable depth and range of these classes will retain their attention. Extracts from the work of each author on the disc are presented along with graphics, historical background, and other helpful information. For example, in The Age of Chaucer, a professional actor portraying the medieval author answers questions about his life and work. Next, students meet pilgrims and read extracts from The Canterbury Tales, and then compete in a horse race in which correct answers propel them toward the finish line. Each disc also includes a reading guide in which writers recommend books, talk about works that have inspired their own writing, and provide insightful comments about the role of literature in our lives. This thoroughly researched, cutting-edge software will enhance and enrich literature collections. A valuable resource for schools and public libraries.–MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY

Gr 2-8–This straightforward program offers instruction, timed drill and practice, and immediate feedback for arithmetic problems. In Addition and Subtraction, Basic Level, students answer one-digit by one-digit questions and make change from $1.00. In Addition and Subtraction, Advanced Level, users are asked to complete double-digit by double-digit questions and make change from $20.00. Multiplication and Division, Basic Level poses questions on multiples between 2 and 10, factors between 2 and 5, multiplication pairs between 2 and 10, and single digit division from 2 to 9. Multiplication and Division, Advanced Level includes multiples to 15, factors from 2 to 5 with answers between 1 and 25, multiplying numbers between 11 and 15, and dividing numbers by 1 to 15. All drills rely on mental calculations, but are student paced to alleviate the stress of timed tests. Each section contains an introduction explaining the skill, which will assist teachers, but will probably not be read independently by any but the most motivated pupils. A “Helper” section allows teachers to monitor progress and access results. The no-frills format will appeal to older students, but disappoint the younger ones. This series will be an excellent supplement to the mathematics curriculum and a valuable aid for home-schoolers. If supported by a large screen, teachers could use this as a whole-class activity, making it more enjoyable for the younger set.–Linda Fortino, formerly Charles Quentin Elementary School, Palatine, IL

Gr 8 Up–This aptly-named entrepreneur game combines the history of invention with management simulation style game play. Unlike the easy decision making in similar strategy management games, such as Roller Coaster Tycoon, this one requires the player to incorporate acquired knowledge of electricity, engineering, thermodynamics, optics, and astronomy into the play as well as handle all of the economic, structural, and social minutia involved in creating a successful business. The player begins with a humble bicycle shop which can gradually be built into a multinational company by utilizing problem-solving skills and simulation. As time advances, the player is witness to a century of key inventions and sees firsthand how they changed the world. The CD installs and sets up with no problems. The sharp 3-D graphics are excellent, from the sample experiments to the ability to zoom or pan the countryside. There are five geographic areas available for the start-up business: Pittsburgh, Detroit, Berlin, London, and Melbourne. These sites provide various levels of difficulty in running the business, based on the amount of resources available and the terrain limitations that are indigenous to each site. As the century progresses, the growth of the industry is dependent on the player’s ability to solve and apply over 100 very challenging physics puzzles. It will be unlikely that players below the eighth grade will be able to calculate the acceleration rate of a piston that has a displacement of 10 centimeters and rises and falls 50 times per second. Even though scientific letters and professional journals are available as resources, the daunting task of understanding the inner workings of a pressure cooker, or calculating the maximum weight load of a 4-rope pulley, while simultaneously dealing with fires, disgruntled workers, building bridges, and keeping an eye on the quarterly report, will keep many players from advancing through the game. Physics students might be the best audience for this game. Still, it’s worth finding out who could be a genius!–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 users 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 youngsters 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